How to manage waste effectively

Conduct a waste review

Once you have got commitment from senior management, the first step to a successful waste management policy is to conduct a waste review in your business. Consider the following:

• Major sources of waste - eg raw materials, waste paper, packaging waste, waste lubricants and wastewater.
• Premises - walk round and estimate the quantities and direct costs of your visible waste processes.
• Business processes and activities - examine these formally and ask staff for help. For example, you might consult each employee about how much paper they use in their job. Are you duplicating your invoice and reminder processes, for example sending out product information both in hard-copy and by email?
• Packaging requirements - could you reduce packaging on your products or ask your suppliers to reduce or collect their packaging? Could you work with your supplier to use reusable or returnable packaging?
• Raw materials - could you reduce the amount you use?
• Secondary costs - consider the decreased efficiency of production processes and additional waste disposal costs.
• Waste storage - have you got adequate space for storage inside your buildings or in an enclosed exterior space? Don't let your waste become litter or cause pollution - you have a legal responsibility to deal with waste responsibly.

If possible, work out the savings you stand to gain from the best ideas. Weigh these up against the potential costs and timescales of implementing the necessary changes. Once you have carried out a waste review, you can develop a waste management action plan. See the page in this guide about how to create a waste management action plan.

Make sure that you comply with waste legislation. See our guide on your waste responsibilities.

Subjects covered in this guide

• Introduction
• The business benefits of managing waste effectively
• Create a waste policy
• Conduct a waste review
• Create a waste management action plan
• Choose a suitable waste management option
• Waste reuse, recovery and recycling
• Find organisations to help you deal with your waste
• Get the most from your waste contractor
• Here's how I introduced a waste management policy
• Here's how we managed our waste more effectively (Flash video)

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