We all know what waste management is, but did you know that correctly managing your waste is really not that difficult?
Playing our part in saving the environment starts with reviewing the way we think about waste and how to get rid of it. By constantly investigating what waste we have and analysis how we can reduce this, we can all lighten the carbon footprint we leave on this planet.
Here is a quick guide to help you implement an effective waste management program;
Step 1: Measure your business waste
You can do this by simply looking at how full your bins are before they are emptied out. Or if you want a more analytical approach – weigh your bins and keep a record. A quick calculation for ‘weighing’ you bin without a scale = if you have a 240l wheelie bin and it is 50% full at the end of the week, you have an approximate waste usage of 120l per week.
Step 2: Reduce waste going to the landfill
This a the crucial part of waste management. It is also the perfect opportunity to sort waste according to its recycling potential – making the disposal process much simpler and allowing you to see what items you can reuse.
-
- Reduce – Can you reduce your waste by changing the way you operate? (i.e. do you have plastic coffee spoons and mugs that are constantly disposed of, which can be replaced with longer lasting objects that don’t need to be thrown away?)
- Reuse – Do other businesses have a use for your waste materials? (i.e. do you throw away packaging materials that another company can use in their boxes?)
- Recycle – What materials do you throw away that can actually be recycled? (always check the label. There are less items that can actually be recycled than you think! And some items have to be cleaned appropriately before any recycling happens)
Step 3: Identify collectors of recyclable materials
Many companies offer a waste management service, whereby they collect your waste and provide with you with a landfill report so that you can see what % went into the landfill, what % went to recycling and what carbon footprint you have.
So, don’t be ignorant about your waste and where it goes. Be proactive and reduce the amount that goes into our landfills!
Lets be Smart, Sensible and Solution-driven – the SMARTSENZ way!
