10 Tips for Better Industrial Waste Management

Globally, around two billion tonnes of industrial waste is created every year and it falls to companies to dispose of or recycle their waste safely and efficiently.  

Improperly disposed of industrial waste can lead to environmental contamination and be a threat to human health. While recyclable and reusable materials can be lost, increasing environmental demands.

On the business side, companies that fail to reduce waste and recycle can rack up industrial waste disposal costs. It's no secret that companies that cannot dispose of hazardous waste correctly will face substantial fines.

While responsible waste management is essential to human and environmental health, there are several challenges that get in the way of seamless industrial waste disposal or reprocessing. These include: 

• a lack of employee training on safe, legal waste drainage and digestion

• poor directions for recycling materials

• inadequate infrastructure

Despite the lack of adequate training and rising waste removal costs, it is necessary for businesses to minimise the negative impact of landfills, incineration plants, and other waste-handling centres.

Putting the right practices in place can help you make sure you’re efficiently tackling waste removal, improving your environmental impact, and saving on costs.

1. Reduce waste

The first step towards more sustainable waste management practices is to cut back on the amount of waste you create. This means prioritising equipment and materials that you’ll use again and again, avoiding single-use products, and ensuring you only order items and materials you’ll actually use.

2. Implement cloud-based waste management software

Use waste management software to analyse your real-time data and gain new insights into areas like waste generation, removal, and recycling. This software can help illuminate where resources are being wasted, recycling practices are falling short, and inefficiencies lie.

For example, you can use cloud-based software to track real-time waste levels and set up automated alerts on when bins need to be emptied. This type of software can also reduce costs by helping you reduce unnecessary hauls.

You can also use waste management software to help make sure you’re segregating and removing waste in accordance with legislation, helping you reduce your risk of fines and reducing your environmental impact. Find out more about how cloud-based waste management software can help you optimise your processes.

3. Support on-site waste segregation

80% of companies don’t offer separate recycling for recyclables and non-recyclables, even though it costs up to £103.70 per tonne sent to landfill. Incorporating on-site waste segregation practices is one of the best ways to reduce your environmental impact and cut costs.

Put clear procedures and infrastructure in place to support appropriate waste segregation. This means providing on-site bins or disposal units for different waste streams such as recyclable, non-recyclable, and hazardous waste.

Make it easy for employees to engage in waste segregation by sharing your company's recycling and waste removal policy and providing clear labelling and colour coding for different types of bins or waste disposal units.

4. Repurposed materials and equipment

One of the best ways to improve industrial waste management is to reuse and repurpose your materials and equipment. By doing so, you can make more efficient use of scrap materials and equipment, saving money, improving efficiency, and saving time.

For example, you can melt metal and reuse it rather than forging new metal, saving energy and expense. A number of companies recycle non-hazardous waste such as oil filters, containers, and industrial transformers. While recycling one tonne of paper can save 17 trees.

You can set up on-site recycling facilities or request the help of a recycling partner (more on that below).

5. Choose the right partners

Waste disposal doesn’t just fall on your company alone, make sure you’re partnering with licensed, reputable waste management and recycling companies. These companies can help remove, purify, repurpose, or dispose of both hazardous and recyclable waste for you.

In addition, you can also enter into partnerships with other companies in which you trade materials that aren’t of use to you but that the other company can use in their work. For example, plastics, metals, paper, or other waste materials may be valuable to another business.

6. Optimise your processes

By implementing process optimisation, you can reduce the amount of waste you create. For example, many businesses with eco-friendly waste management practices utilise lean manufacturing principles.

A great example of this is a just-in-time inventory which involves only ordering as much inventory as you need, rather than stocking up. This can help you both cut storage costs and avoid potential waste.

7. Invest in employee training

Investing in ongoing employee training is essential for keeping employees aware of and engaged in best practices and ensuring they are confident engaging with your waste removal processes and technologies. Employee training can improve employee engagement, promote critical thinking, and ensure employee safety.

8. Request a regular waste audit

Improve recycling rates and waste segregation in your business by requesting a regular waste audit.

A waste audit involves bringing in an external expert who can help you clearly differentiate your commercial and industrial waste, review your current waste removal practices, and provide guidance on more efficient internal waste removal, segregation, and residual and recycling practices.

Beyond helping to deliver greater efficiency, a waste removal expert can provide cost-saving advice as well as guidance on how to make your practices greener.

9. Stay up to date with changing regulations

Regulations can change quickly in the waste removal space. Non-compliance can potentially lead to hefty fines. The U.K. government has previously introduced unlimited penalties for companies that pollute the environment.

To make sure you stay up to date with new regulations, regularly review the government website and subscribe to industry publications. Another wise idea is to consult an environmental compliance professional who can review your processes and offer specialised advice.

10. Embrace automation

Automated collection and sorting systems and competitors can help improve efficiency and safety, reduce human error, conserve energy, and save time. Take AI-powered robots that can identify and sort different waste materials, recycle and repurpose materials quickly and efficiently, and dispose of hazardous materials safely.

Bonus Tip: Stay informed about industry trends

Just as industry regulations are always in flux, new waste management trends and interesting innovations are making their way into the waste management industry.

To make sure you’re aware of the latest technologies and innovations, subscribe to industry publications. Don't shy away from attending industry events to find out more about what’s new in the industry and hear from waste management experts across the sector. Such events also give you the chance to network with peers and learn from their approaches.

Choosing the right software for your company means faster quotations, invoicing and reporting, freeing up time for your fleets and back-office teams. Think of it as an extra set of hands you can use to automate repetitive tasks and increase efficiency. Let your team make use of their resources to create the high-value work only they can do — your software will take care of the rest.

Hundreds of customers trust Access Weighsoft as their waste management software for daily tracking and planning. With a seamless implementation and migration experience, your team will be switching systems in the blink of an eye.

Our experts are always here to answer any questions you have and provide a quote tailored to your business. Contact us today or book a personalised demo to see the software in action.