Best Practices for Commercial Waste Management

Every business inevitably generates waste, and managing it is critical to any business. Now that much of the world is shifting towards more eco-friendly practices, companies need to ensure they have responsible waste disposal systems that comply with environmental protection laws while maintaining their day-to-day operations.

Implementing proper waste reduction and management strategies will make it easier for commercial establishments to keep their waste from piling up.

This article will discuss several waste management practices that can be implemented in a commercial setting.

What Is Commercial Waste Management?

Commercial waste management refers to collecting, storing, transporting, and disposing waste generated by businesses, organizations, and other commercial entities. It can include anything from paper and cardboard to electronics and hazardous materials. The primary goal of commercial waste management is to get rid of unwanted materials efficiently and cost-effectively while ensuring that commercial waste does not harm the environment.

Types of Commercial Waste

Understanding the different types of commercial waste can help businesses make more informed decisions about managing their trash. According to environmental regulations, commercial waste may contain toxic or hazardous materials that require extra care. Some commercial waste can be recycled, and proper disposal is the key to reducing the amount of trash a business will dump in landfills.

The common types of commercial waste include:

Solid Waste

Any waste material in solid form encompasses solid waste, including paper, glass, metal, and plastic. This type of waste is common in the commercial sectors, particularly manufacturing and construction. Most solid waste can be recycled, but a few may be hazardous and would need proper disposal.

Liquid Waste

Waste in liquid form is called liquid waste. Examples of liquid waste include sewage, oil, chemicals, and pesticides. Liquid waste is more difficult to recycle than solid waste. Some liquid waste is recyclable, like oil and sewage, and others can’t be recycled, like chemicals and pesticides, and should be appropriately disposed of.

Gaseous Waste

Methane, carbon dioxide, halogenated hydrocarbons, and chlorine are some examples of gaseous waste. Like liquid waste, gaseous waste is difficult to recycle, and most gaseous waste can harm the environment.  One way to dispose of them is to burn them off in an incinerator.

Toxic Waste

This type of waste is harmful to humans or the environment and must be disposed of properly to avoid danger. It comes in many different forms – solid, liquid, or gaseous. Examples of toxic waste include chemicals, pesticides, and hazardous oil. Toxic waste must never be recycled and should be sent to hazardous waste facilities for proper handling.

Types of Equipment for Hauling Commercial Waste

Businesses generate significantly larger volumes of waste daily, more than households do, and commercial operations require a much more comprehensive disposal system. One of the most popular waste management processes commercial establishments uses are dumpster rentals.

Dumpsters are waste containers designed to hold large amounts of trash safely. Ideally, commercial establishments can hire a dumpster rental company to provide customized solutions to their commercial waste disposal needs. Companies can arrange with the dumpster rental or waste management company the types of waste to dispose of, the kind of dumpster to use, where to place them, when to pick them up, and how to sort their commercial trash.

By taking advantage of these services, businesses can ensure their waste is disposed of responsibly while preserving the health and safety of their employees, customers, community members, and, ultimately, our planet.

Best Practices Companies Must Observe To Reduce And Properly Manage Their Waste

Creating a waste management plan for a commercial setting can be taxing. Good thing that there are waste management and dumpster rental firms that companies can partner with to help them with proper commercial waste collection and disposal. Aside from seeking experts’ help, there are also a few easy ways companies can help reduce garbage and manage their commercial waste properly.

Company-wide Waste Management Initiatives

Big or small businesses must have company-wide waste reduction and management programs that they can implement for strict compliance for their entire organization. Here are some excellent programs that can get you started:

• Run a recycling program. Educate employees about nearby recycling facilities in your community to encourage them to recycle not only when in the workplace but also when at home.
• Take on the zero waste challenge. Urge employees to be mindful of the waste they generate in the office and think of ways to minimize the waste they produce individually. You may even incentivize any department or team that produces the least amount of waste on a recurring basis.
• Try composting. If your business produces a lot of food leftovers or organic waste, composting is a suitable way to reduce organic scraps. Some companies have commercial green rooftops or greenhouses that would benefit from nutrient-rich soil from composting!
• Sustainable packaging. If you are in a business that requires attractive packaging as an important part of your manufacturing and sales operations, consider going for sustainable materials. To reduce waste, you can swap your single-use containers for reusable plastics or recyclable packaging materials.
• Go paperless. Encourage employees and vendors to minimize paper use and work with soft copies as much as possible. There are emails and cloud-based systems to store documents. Using less paper or going paperless can reduce waste and save trees from being constantly cut to produce paper and other materials.
• Refillable printer cartridges. One impactful way to reduce office waste is to refill printer cartridges. These cartridges are made of plastic and toxic liquid ink. Since they contain toxic materials, their disposal costs are generally higher. Refilling them instead of buying new ones helps reduce waste and cut the cost of their disposal.
• Stop single-use plastic cutlery and water bottles. Provide kitchen items, cutlery, and drinking cups or bottles that are reusable instead of disposable. You can also install a water filter and encourage employees to bring reusable bottles. This initiative is economical and can help the environment by reducing plastic waste.
• Practice proper waste labeling and disposal. Initially, it can confuse employees about which waste goes into which bin. Putting understandable and straightforward labels on every trash bin is helpful. You can even send out an email blast with pictures of waste and how to segregate them properly.

Involve Your Customers in Your Eco-Friendly Initiatives

Spread your waste-management initiatives not only among your employees but also to your customers. Letting your customers know that you are after eliminating waste for sustainability will give your company a great reputation and may inspire people to participate in the effort.

Companies can create social media or email campaigns that promote sustainability or incentivize customers who participate and support the effort. For example, if you are a business that requires a repeat purchase of goods, you may run a refill drive where customers can reuse their product bottles or packaging and purchase a refill instead of a new bottle.

There are a lot more ways to promote sustainability efforts among customers. Assigning a task force within your company to come up with creative ideas will surely be a fun and fruitful experience because they are not only helping market your brand but also helping the environment by supporting the sustainability drive.

Donate Surplus Items

One person’s trash is another person’s treasure. Companies can donate reusable things instead of throwing them away. Perhaps call local charities to take some of these unwanted items for the business but still valuable to end users.

Bottomline

Overall, commercial waste management is an important part of running any business; it is essential for preserving the health and safety of employees and customers while simultaneously reducing environmental impacts. Businesses should take advantage of available resources to ensure their waste is managed responsibly and effectively. From dumpster rental services to composting and recycling programs, companies have plenty of options for managing their waste in a way that is cost-efficient, sustainable, and safe.

Get a Reliable Waste Management Partner for Your Business

With all that you have learned so far in this article, you can expedite proper waste management by working with a reliable dumpster rental and waste management company like Cobblestone Container Service. They have over 50 years of collective experience in commercial waste management and can help get the job right at all times. Call them at 877-853-2922 to learn more about their services.

With the help of professional dumpster rental and waste management services, businesses can keep their workspaces clean while taking steps toward reducing pollution and being conscious of their environmental impact.