Business waste is generated every day, regardless of the industry you might work in. While it’s not something we can necessarily avoid completely, the way in which you manage that commercial waste can say a lot about your business, but how so?

In this article, we’ll be taking you through what waste management is, what the waste hierarchy refers to and why it’s an important thing to consider as a business, especially if you want to outperform your competitors. So, what does your commercial waste management strategy say about your business? Let’s take a closer look:

What is waste management?

According to ETM, waste management “refers to the process involved in managing waste from cradle to grave”. It is essentially the management of waste products and materials from both household and commercial waste. The process starts with the collection of the waste from the household or business.

That waste is then handled and processed in a way that is safe and responsible. In some cases, depending on the waste type, it will be treated and recycled to produce new products, or it’ll be incinerated and turned into biogas, which is something we do here at Willshee’s (read more). This prevents as much waste as possible from ending up in landfill.

Is there a waste problem in the UK?

While Britons are making a conscious effort to be more eco-friendly, it’s clear that more needs to be done. According to Gov.uk, the rate at which we’re recycling in Britain actually decreased from 2021-2022. In 2021, the recycling rate for households was 44.6%, whereas in 2022, the recycling rate for households fell to 44.1%.

While it’s a small decrease, it’s a trend that we don’t want to continue. Combine this with an increase in non-hazardous construction and demolition waste, going from 59.4 million tonnes in 2020 to 63 million tonnes in 2022. There are some other top UK waste facts from Cladco Decking which might shed some light on the growing need for sustainability throughout the country, including:

UK households, when combined, produce around 27.7 million tonnes of waste annually
On average, a single Briton will produce 1kg of waste a day
80% of British household waste is recyclable
Only 45% of household waste produced in the UK is recycled
14 million tonnes of household waste, a year, is sent to landfill
On the whole, combining household and commercial waste, 215 million tonnes of waste is produced in the UK every year, claims Waste Direct

The importance of raising awareness

According to Raconteur, the UK is battling “lacklustre recycling rates and increasing amounts of waste sent to landfills or incineration”. The same source also claims that, while we have the best of intentions as a country when it comes to recycling and sustainability, recycling rates in the UK will continue to be poor without public support and adherence to recycling rules.

In addition, Raconteur states that we need to raise more awareness for the importance of recycling, visiting primary schools to drum it into a younger generation, and the future generation. There also needs to be an education of businesses in order to tackle commercial waste problems. Kenburn claims that business waste in the UK is “staggering” when compared to the amount of household waste that’s produced.

Business waste can vary from paper and cardboard right through to asbestos. While much of the commercial waste generated is recyclable, “much of it ends up in landfill”. This is where Willshee’s comes in. We have a dedicated commercial waste management service available, as well as hazardous waste disposal services. If you require commercial or construction waste management, then look no further than Willshee’s.

Waste hierarchy: explained?

A waste hierarchy is a term used to describe a system that differentiates between different waste management options. The higher up the hierarchy those options are, the more eco-friendly and sustainable they’re considered. The waste hierarchy can be used by all, from consumers to business owners.

If you’ve made sustainability a priority for your business, or if that’s something you’re aiming for, then you’ll likely already be aware of the waste hierarchy. However, if you’re new to the game, then we’ve explained what the waste hierarchy is and the different stages of it. From prevention and reuse to recovery and landfill, here’s the waste hierarchy explained:

What does the Waste Hierarchy involve?

Prevention – the first point of focus is prevention. It’s essentially the act of avoiding creating waste in the first place. For consumers, it means not buying single-use items. But for manufacturers, it means not designing products that are single-use, for instance
Reuse – if prevention cannot be done, then reusing the items you’ve bought is the second point of focus. Clean, repair and repurpose the products that could be harmful to the environment if simply discarded. Turn a single-use item into a reusable one
Recycling – recycling is one of the quickest and simplest ways of reducing your carbon footprint. If you’re a consumer, recycle single-use products. If you’re a manufacturer, use recycled materials to make new products, rather than starting again from scratch
Recovery – this is the next step to take, but only if the first three points cannot be followed. This refers to recovering energy from the waste item in the form of “waste-to-energy”. This involves incinerating non-recyclable materials to produce electricity. This can reduce our reliance on fossil fuels as well as decrease carbon emissions
Disposal – this is most certainly the least sustainable option in the waste hierarchy, and that’s throwing your waste in landfill. This should be a very last resort, when the above points cannot be achieved in any way

What does a solid waste management strategy say about your business?

A more sustainable business, or at least one that is more environmentally aware, is more profitable, claims EcoVadis. This follows on from a study published by Bain & Company and EcoVadis in collaboration. The study involved 80,000 private companies and a further 20,000 listed companies worldwide.

It was found that, although not every business was looking to reduce its carbon footprint or improve its environmental impact, the majority of the companies looked at did. The same study also found four correlations between ESG and profitability. One of the four correlations included linking employee satisfaction with increased revenue growth.

Another finding of the same study was the indication “that positive ESG outcomes are a trait of successful companies and that sustainability measures correlate with better financial performance”. In addition, by looking at current trends and forecasts, we’re expecting to see “an even stronger evidence of a relationship between ESG activities and financial results”.

Sustainability premiums: will it make a difference?

This is further solidified by PwC, which claims that consumers are willing to pay a 9.7% sustainability premium, regardless of the rise in the cost of living and inflation. Astutis is also stating the same thing, saying that consumers are increasingly picking environmentally-conscious businesses.

The same source also claims that “92% of consumers trust brands that are socially responsible or environmentally friendly”. In addition, it was also stated that “88% of consumers are more likely to be loyal to a company that supports social and environmental causes”. So, as we can see, there’s an overwhelming amount of evidence which suggests that an eco-friendly waste management strategy will make your business more desirable.

Willshee’s is pleased to offer sterling waste management services to customers throughout the East Midlands. From skip hire and grab hire to commercial waste management and hazardous waste removal, you can rest assured that our waste management services are second-to-none. We pride ourselves on ensuring safe and responsible disposal of all waste types, aiming to recycle 100% of the waste materials we collect. If you would like further information, get in touch with a member of our friendly, knowledgeable team today – we’re always pleased to hear from you.