Taking out the trash has never been an attractive task, but it is one that every company must contend with. Americans produce many millions of tons of waste annually, and about half of it is generated by commercial facilities, according to a study conducted by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
With a little forethought, planning and strategy, your waste removal tasks can benefit your company. After all, waste removal costs money and takes up time and space. By reducing the amount of waste generated, and changing the way garbage is sorted and handled, companies can cut costs and reduce their carbon footprints.
Separate your recycling
An effort to increase recycling in your facility has several perks. From the perspective of a consumer, a recycling program can boost your corporate image by showing that you're making a conscious effort to be more environmentally friendly. From a cost-cutting standpoint, increasing recycling also means reducing the amount of waste disposal needed.
Companies may save nearly $35 for every ton of waste that is recycled instead of thrown away, according to research from the Public Works and Utilities Department of the City of Lincoln, Nebraska. In 2014, Americans produced 258 million tons of municipal solid waste, but only 34.6 percent was recycled. More than half went to landfills, according to the EPA.
To begin or expand recycling in your warehouse, you'll need to first identify the materials you can recycle, then set up a way to collect those materials. Common recyclable materials include:
- Cardboard.
- Plastic.
- Cloth.
- Metal.
- Glass.
Once items are sorted and collected, companies need to arrange transportation for the recycled material to the appropriate recycling facility. Some larger recyclables will require compacting, perhaps with help from balers strong enough to bind and press materials. Shredders can also lower the space requirements of paper waste. These pieces of equipment will reduce the space recyclable waste takes up at your facility as well as in vehicles hauling recyclables away. When you can increase the amount of waste being removed in one run, you reduce the total cost of commercial waste disposal.
Compact your other waste
Reducing the amount of space that waste takes up as a means to lower waste removal costs also applies to non-recyclable materials. Compactors work similarly to balers, but instead of compressing recyclables, they're primarily used for garbage. Since fewer hauls are required to remove garbage, fees may be reduced.
Another benefit of compacting trash at your facility is a lowered risk of pests. Rodents, insects and birds are attracted to garbage, so compacting waste can make your buildings less enticing to these disease- and contaminant-carrying animals. Think of it as a proactive form of pest control.
Keep your waste disposal equipment running
Waste-reduction efforts can be a great step toward a more environmentally friendly facility, lower garbage and recyclable disposal costs and a cleaner workplace. But these initiatives work only when all equipment needed to carry out your waste-reducing plans operate correctly.
Miner's team of service professionals are here to assist you. Our experts can determine the best equipment for your needs, help you procure it and even install new equipment at your facility. Our service professionals can also conduct planned maintenance periodically through the life span of your equipment to ensure there are no emerging issues that could lead to a sudden equipment breakdowns.
While planned maintenance can go a long way toward preventing unanticipated equipment failure, there may be times when unexpected issue arise. When they do, Miner's same-day emergency repair services can help you keep your commercial waste disposal program moving forward.