A sound, well thought out waste management strategy offers many benefits to an organisation:
• It helps businesses become more environmentally and socially responsible (which in today’s world of active citizenship is almost a non-negotiable)
• It can help improve the sustainability, efficiency and productivity of a business (by setting up smart waste management processes, organisations can create a “circular economy”, turning their waste into resources they can re-use for their needs)
• It can even reduce overall costs over time (reducing unnecessary wastage, inflated costs around outdated waste management processes, overall reduction in raw material purchasing etc.)
In many cases however, South African businesses have fairly rudimentary waste management strategies in place, often relying on the cheapest service provider (which then largely involves “truck and dump” processes, unloading commercial and industrial waste at the nearest landfill or incinerator).
Studies have shown that the true cost of waste management can often add up to around 4-5% of an organisation’s annual turnover (when including the “hidden costs” like inefficient use of raw materials, unnecessary use of energy and water, waste disposal of by-products etc.)
It stands to reason then, that organisations put more focus on ensuring that effective waste management processes are in place.
By having an inadequate waste management strategy, businesses are unnecessarily putting themselves at risk.
Obvious ones include environmental factors, where inadequately disposed commercial or industrial waste can have particularly hazardous results.
Ocean acidification, soil contamination, and air pollution are just some of the risks involved.
With other industries, a lack of adequate disposal of product means you could face potential liability from off-spec products being resold in the market (think pharmaceuticals, food and beverages, technology products etc.)
And then of course, there is the reputational harm of your company’s waste finding its way out of the landfill.
As a key decision maker within your organisation, it’s imperative that you evaluate your current waste management strategy, and ensure that it’s fit for purpose.
Here are some key points to consider, that can help you on your way:
- Understand the legal implications of the waste produced in your organisation, and familiarise yourself with any legislation that affects your specific industry.products are delivered immediately
- Quantify and identify your waste. Where is it coming from and how much is it costing you? Identify what currently happens to the waste as it arises.
- Review your existing waste management strategy. Are your needs being addressed? If not, produce a comprehensive and robust action plan for reducing your waste.
- Identify the possible disposal options in instances where you cannot reduce or recycle.
- Select your waste management service providers carefully and make sure they are fit for purpose and that your corporate responsibilities are being met.
A final word
We hope this has given you something to think about, and you can see the risks in not having an adequate waste managements strategy in place for your organisation.
If you have any questions on the above, or you need any assistance getting started, we’d love to help.
At Oricol, we help large organisations like yours, helping them better manage their industrial and commercial waste, reducing their reliance on landfills, and helping them become more efficient and environmentally sustainable in their waste management processes.
In a nutshell – we give you peace of mind, helping you to better manage and process your waste.
We’d like to offer you a free consult chat, where we can discuss how your organisation currently manages waste, together with any challenges you might be facing.
It’s a complimentary, no obligation chat, and it can help you quickly make an informed decision on what you should be looking to do, to make your business more efficient and sustainable.
So if you’d like to move your organisation into a more sustainable and eco-friendly space, or if you’re just curious at this stage and would like to know more, just click the button below and choose a convenient day and time for our call.
All it’s going to cost you is 30 mins of your time, and could ultimately make a huge difference to your business.
