Trash talk

JAYNE KENNEDY
MARKETING MANAGER,
B&M WASTE SERVICES

Businesses can save money by utilising a more efficient waste management strategy. Rather than viewing waste as a costly but necessary problem, taking a step back and looking at potential improvements will enhance your organisation’s environmental and financial performance.

It is easy to assume that you produce ‘general’ and ‘recyclable’ waste, but to tailor the right solution, at the right price, you need to understand the actual type, quantity and source of waste generated at your business premises. Whatever the size of your facility, take the time to look at the waste going into your general waste containers – you might be surprised at how much, and the type of, recyclable material that is mixed in there. By seeing what areas of your business premises produce what waste, you can modify the waste storage provisions to segregate, recycle and reduce the more costly general waste collections.

Are the bins situated in a practical location? Are they clearly signposted? Is your recyclable waste being cross-contaminated with other substances? Does everyone have a desk bin that makes it too easy to mix the contents? You need to have the right storage facilities available and ensure that all members of staff buy-in to their obligations.

Once you have assessed the type, volume and source of the waste streams, you can also find ways to minimise waste. This may involve rolling out a company-wide waste minimisation campaign, for example by encouraging people to print less paper, reuse their coffee cups, and wash out containers to remove food residue.

Now that you have garnered a better understanding of your waste, speak to a commercial waste management supplier who can advise on an effective strategy suited to your requirements. Perhaps you have enough of a particular commodity to bale the material and generate revenue, or you could use a compactor to reduce general waste transport and disposal costs. We provide a free waste audit, followed by a customised, no-obligation proposal in line with the Waste Framework Directive. We always look to identify additional opportunities for source segregation where technically, environmentally and economically practicable (TEEP).

JEFF ANDERSON
MANAGING DIRECTOR, INDUSTRIAL & COMMERCIAL DIVISION,
BIFFA

Facilities managers often look after large facilities used by sizeable workforces, many of which are also open to the public. It goes without saying that the health, safety and security of all who use the facility is of the utmost importance – but the visual appearance of the premises should not be overlooked.

In addition to the problem of unwanted waste left through fly tipping, many facilities undergo refurbishments or require frequent alterations of the working space, such as shop floor refits. When this occurs there is often an accumulation of unwanted or broken fixtures and fittings, or large bulky items that are difficult to recycle or remove.

While all facilities will have a standard waste management plan, it tends to be these unexpected or irregular waste items that cause issues. From a duty of care perspective, industry statistics show that 40 per cent of accidents in the workplace are caused by slips, trips and falls, and that areas obstructed with unwanted waste can be a real hazard.

While the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations require employers to assess risks such as blocked fire exits and overcrowded areas, the sudden increase of unexpected, bulkier waste items can compromise what was once a well-maintained, clear space and cause problems for FMs.

Workplaces need to acknowledge the number of people they accommodate daily, ensuring there are enough bins to deal with the expected level of waste generated. These should be easily accessible throughout the working space to prevent any areas from becoming cluttered, with clear signage to help people to correctly segregate their waste.

Knowing how to quickly identify waste and recycling issues before they become a problem is an obvious step for facilities managers looking to improve their waste efforts. Specialist waste management suppliers can perform an in-depth audit to help highlight the best ways to correctly deal with your output, reduce costs and implement plans to divert waste from landfill.

Even with a clear strategy for maintaining daily waste in place, some companies can often overlook one-off items that need removing, creating an increased risk for both workers and visitors, as well as impacting on the general productivity and aesthetics of the space. While skips may be a suitable solution for many types of refurbishment work, there is still some waste that gets forgotten, left behind or is too small to warrant the cost of a skip. Here, a more agile and flexible solution is required as an essential element of a complete waste management plan.

STEPHEN HILL
HEAD OF SALES,
GRUNDON WASTE MANAGEMENT

Having a bespoke waste management service is critical if the best results are to be achieved. There is no such thing as a ‘one size fits all’ approach. Each site and customer’s requirements are different, and that’s why taking time to know and understand their individual waste needs is essential.

The most important thing is to identify the variety of waste streams produced. We carry out waste audits for customers, on the basis that once you know the component parts, then you can produce a strategy.

We find many facilities managers aren’t aware of the wide range of materials that can be recycled. All too often waste is sent to landfill when it could be recycled, reprocessed or recovered, making a financial contribution to help offset the cost of waste management services. For example, one London shopping centre used to put all its cardboard into general waste. Now the cardboard goes into a baler, where it produces six tonnes of cardboard per month – boosting recycling figures and generating income. Elsewhere, plastics balers – which recycle clean polythene shrinkwrap from clothing retailers – enable customers to create a revenue stream as the sale of those materials for recycling is offset against their service charges.

These are two examples of how we listen to our customers’ needs and work with them to increase every opportunity to recycle and reprocess, and help them achieve goals such as zero waste to landfill.

Compliance with waste management legislation is a major headache for facilities managers. FMs should work with a reputable waste management organisation who will take responsibility for keeping them up to date with rules and regulations, helping the organisation to remain compliant.

Here’s a useful checklist:

• Having identified your waste streams, set realistic goals and targets for your waste management strategy.
• Stay compliant by working with a reputable waste management supplier.
• Find a supplier who will design a bespoke service and who can offer a range of treatment options, such as energy from waste (EfW) and anaerobic digestion (AD) facilities.
• Introduce clearly labelled bins, posters and signage to help ensure correct segregation of waste, avoiding contamination.
• Engage, educate and motivate employees, for example through events such as employee or tenant engagement days and waste awareness days.
• Ensure you obtain the necessary data to measure progress against your goals, such as recycling targets or the amount of waste being diverted from landfill.
• Shout about your achievements. Share your successes with staff, suppliers and customers – it could help you win new business and it’s a big boost to your environmental credentials.

In the June edition, we’ll reveal the findings of an in-depth survey, sponsored by Grundon Waste Management, on how FMs are currently managing waste.