Responsible Waste Management For Businesses

We are all wise to the financial and ecological advantages of using fewer resources and reducing waste these days, but the challenge is to figure out how to achieve this without having a negative impact on other aspects of your business. Re-using and recycling packaging or waste water may seem straightforward but businesses often find that the additional time and money spent on reducing their carbon footprint cancels out any financial gains and often requires investment. It makes good commercial sense to be as efficient as possible, and carrying out an audit of materials used during processing, energy and water consumption, and waste production, is a good starting point. Being more efficient involves taking a really good look at every aspect of your business, from office lighting to vehicles, storage and all types of processes. It means applying best practice programmes and business models such as the Waste Hierarchy to re-assess everything you do. Once you know what you are using now, and how much of it, you then need to work out where you can cut back and how much you can cut back. This is not an easy job, and it will take time, money and expertise. A common mistake is to just assign the job to an employee who has not got much to do and to make them brainstorm some ideas for an hour or so. This nearly always yields poor results because waste reduction requires knowledge and experience, and is not something that most people can do well. This is where the expertise of environmental consultants can be a life saver, helping you to find the most efficient way of working as well as steering you through the complex maze of environmental legislation. The different parts of the UK have different rules and the key is to find advisors who are familiar with them. So, if you are based in Edinburgh, Scotland, for example, a consultant with excellent knowledge of Scottish laws is your best bet. An environment consultant will also ensure that your business is adhering to all of the environmental legislation that is in place in your country. Environmental legislation is in place to keep the air and water clean, protect wildlife and restrict the use of hazardous chemicals, all with serious consequences for non-compliance. For example, businesses must store and transport all waste without having an impact on the environment, and dispose of electrical and electronic equipment safely. Companies may also need to obtain pollution prevention or waste disposal licenses, depending on the nature of their business.

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