FMJ.CO.UK WASTE MANAGEMENT FOCUS
2019 2020
1 A challenge 56.42% An opportunity 50.71%
2 An opportunity 39.60% A challenge 38.86%
3 A headache 9.41% A headache 10.43%
OCTOBER 2020 29
good waste and recycling record, it’s not always seen as businesscritical
for senior management. While it is clear that “we’ve got to
make recycling simple and easy so people will participate, the
implementation of social distancing will also have indirect e ects on
behaviours in the o ice, for instance if one-way systems and other
‘barriers’ are introduced”.
What would help you to promote waste management in your
organisation?
Employee education and engagement
programme 37.44%
Better understanding of the benefits to your
business 12.32%
Regular reports showing recycling success
stories within your business 11.37%
Tips and advice, ie: how to set up a Green
Team or Waste Champions 9.48%
Greater understanding of di erent types of
waste and how to segregate them 9.48%
Evidence that improved segregation and
recycling can save money 9.48%
A dedicated account manager who
understands your waste management
7.58%
challenges
Visits to a recycling facility 2.84%
SERVICE VERSUS COMPLIANCE
As part of the broader questions of the survey we asked what are
the most important aspects of an FM’s role? When we first carried
out the survey in 2018, compliance was out in front by quite a
large margin, but over the last two years it’s swung back to service
delivery.
Yet when we asked what is the most important factor in selecting
a waste management provider? The top priority is their knowledge
of compliance ahead of their commitment to environment issues,
with quality and service dropping to third place.
What do you see as the most important aspects of a Facilities
Manager’s role?
Service delivery 67.93%
Compliance 62.45%
Contribution to organisation’s (or clients’)
environmental targets 46.84%
Return on budget investment 33.33%
Manpower management 16.46%
Other 4.64%
Asked Foxlee-Brown: “If service and quality is so important for an
FM, are they looking to their supplier to take away that headache
of managing the compliance aspects with their knowledge of
legislation and regulations?”
He added: “We also asked if FMs were more or less concerned
about the risk of non-compliance than they were a year ago and
according to the results over 80 per cent were more concerned.
Is this what’s driving the choice of waste provider? To have that
expert knowledge or pressures taken in some extent outside your
organisation?”
When it comes to the idea of FMs delegating the compliance angle
to the waste provider, our panel argued that because there is so
much legislation and regulation for FMs to wade through, they need
access to an undeniable expert but: “still know enough if that expert
is trying to pull the wool over your eyes. There is that fine line in
the middle. If you try and keep up with just the legislation that’s a
full-time job. The best any of us can expect to be is well informed
so yes you do need industry experts but ones you can rely on.
You’re delegating not abdicating so you don’t need to become
an expert.”
There was some surprise amongst the panellists to see the
results putting service above compliance. “The FMs role from
my perspective is to create an environment where your
workforce is safe and your building is compliant and I feel that
once you have a safe and compliant workplace that is the
model to build your service delivery. However, to achieve that
you do need to lean on your suppliers and contractors who have
the best practice knowledge, and our roles as FMs is to build
on that.”
Is improving the management of waste and recycling within
your organisation seen as; a challenge, an opportunity or a
headache?
The panel mentioned that the disposal of PPE (Personal
Protective Equipment) and other potential bio waste such as
masks and gloves is currently a ‘grey area’.
Owen George, Strategic Development Manager for Grundon was
able to provide some clarification. “Our advice is that PPE can
go into the general waste stream, it doesn’t need to be double
bagged and stored for 72 hours, unless there are suspected or
confirmed cases of COVID-19.
“We started to take some of the guidance from our healthcare
division and have been applying it to our commercial o ice
customers, communicating with them through blogs and emails.
Clear communication is critical as the guidance seemed to
change daily at one stage.”