All businesses produce waste materials which need to be disposed of. The focus in any company is on the activities which make a profit for the organisation, whether that is providing a service or manufacturing a product. Waste materials are generated as a by-product and it is necessary to find a cost effective and legal means of disposal.
In England and Wales, landfill has been the most common route of disposal for all but the most difficult wastes. However, the tightening of regulations regarding the running of sites, coupled with the dwindling capacity available, is raising the cost of landfill.
The government is encouraging businesses to reduce the amount of material going into landfill by levying a ‘landfill tax’ on every tonne of waste buried.
If businesses re-examine the way they use their raw materials, they may find that they can economise. This has two obvious benefits:
- cost of raw materials is reduced; and
- waste disposal bill is reduced.
Wasteful processes
Wasteful procedures can creep into a process. Regular checks on materials use and efficiency can be well worthwhile. Improving the efficiency of material use is a ‘win-win’ situation because of the reduction in raw materials and the reduced disposal costs.
Redesigning the company’s products or the processes which produce those products is a crucial step towards increased efficiency and improved environmental performance.
The creation of some waste is, of course, unavoidable (you can’t make an omelette without breaking eggs – you also have to dispose of the shells).
So, as well as aiming to minimise waste at source (also a key feature of ISO14001 EMS – see environmental management systems), companies must look carefully at what they do with all the waste material they cannot avoid creating.