Five Aspects Of Waste Management Your Business Needs To Consider

25 Jun 2019

Waste management can seem complicated – we now have rules and regulations around liquid wastes, hazardous wastes, and the ever-accumulating electronic waste or e-waste – but it doesn’t need to be.

Waste management for business has taken a great leap forward in the last decade, thanks to public awareness initiatives and improved waste management technology. There are five major areas of waste management your business needs to consider so to reduce your impact on the greater environment. Here are our tips and information on how to handle these types of waste and how better management can lend a helping hand to your bottom line.

1.Commercial and industrial waste management

If you work on a factory or warehouse floor, you’ve seen how much rubbish can clutter up the workplace. Cardboard, paper, consumables, food scraps, brickwork, rubble – the list goes on! Some industries will produce liquid waste such as chemical runoff or leachate which can contaminate soil and water tables. Local recycling depots can handle much of this waste, but disposal must start at the source. You should have special recycling bins and liquid waste disposal containers on site to make sure harmful waste doesn’t contaminate the air or ground and effect the health and safety of all concerned.

2.Electronic waste management

Electronic components such as fridges, televisions, computers, and mobile phones that are either obsolete or no longer operational are classified as “e-waste” – though tips and other waste facilities are refusing to take them. A lot of e-waste can be harmful, as capacitors can store energy and batteries can leak over circuit boards.

Some components can be re-used by specialist recycling centres. Some computers, though obsolete by modern standards, can be reused as file servers or control modules for specialised equipment. The government has also set up a National Television and Computer Recycling Scheme to help recycle e-waste.

3.Hazardous and harmful materials

Hazardous waste is a danger to humans, animals, and the environment. The utmost care must be taken when handling hazardous waste. In many cases, hazardous waste requires special handling to be disposed of properly. Regulation around hazardous waste is extensive – breaches can cost your company dearly in both money and damage to its reputation.

4.Organic and green waste management

Some businesses handle food scraps and other vegetable matter such as grass clippings. These are easily recycled in the form of compost. A business can also reduce their impact on the environment by recycling paper and cardboard as much as possible. Your business can also switch to paperless invoicing or information services, which can save you money in consumables.

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5.Recycling and re-using waste

According to the EPA, most of the contents of a commercial office complex can be recycled. Retail can reduce their waste as 60% of all packaging can be recycled. In a factory and warehouse, most packaging, steel, timber, and glass can be recycled and reused. It takes some planning and installation of proper sorting and waste collection bins; however, your business will experience a return on investment.

To find out more about how you can reduce your environmental impact through better waste management, call Backsafe Australia on 1300 305 314 today.

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