We’ve all heard the term commercial waste and how important it is, but what is it, and why is it so important to control? By understanding commercial waste and how to reduce it, businesses can make their own workplaces safer and reduce their total carbon footprint.
At 1300 Rubbish, we specialise in managing waste and resource recovery. In this guide, we will explain what commercial waste is and give some easy-to-follow business waste management tips and how to introduce recycling practices into your office.
What Is Commercial Waste?
Commercial waste is any waste produced by a business on-site. It includes paper, cardboard, cans, retail packaging, food wrappers, and other food waste. This waste legally has to be disposed of in a certain way; it can’t be taken home by employees to be disposed of in domestic bins.
In short, commercial waste consists of several waste products generated in offices, events, kitchens, and retail environments. The waste produced in these environments makes up a huge portion of Australia’s total waste production.
Businesses have a responsibility for the disposal of their commercial waste. It’s illegal to improperly dispose of this waste and it can have devastating environmental impacts, including air and water pollution.
You can find some more tips on effectively managing your waste here.
What Is The Difference Between Domestic And Commercial Waste?
According to the Queensland Government, not all waste is created equal. There are a few key differences between commercial waste and domestic waste, and most of these differences come down to where the waste was created.
Domestic waste is anything produced as a result of ordinary, day-to-day use of domestic premises. This waste is either taken from the site by the occupier who generated it, or it’s collected by the local government as part of an organised waste collection or disposal system.
Even on domestic premises, waste isn’t classified as domestic if said waste is removed (or created) by a commercial arrangement. For example, any waste created and removed by builders paid to perform renovations on a home would be commercial waste, not domestic waste.
Commercial waste entails everything that isn’t domestic waste. Commercial waste could be generated as a result of the normal operations of businesses or not-for-profits, including waste created by maintenance activities like mowing lawns or clipping gardens. Commercial waste also includes any waste produced by the customers of a given business, like food wrappers or single-use drink containers.
It’s important to know the difference between commercial and domestic waste because the rules for disposing of these kinds of waste are different. Businesses may be subject to additional legislative frameworks and have to meet certain council requirements when disposing of their commercial waste, so it’s best to reduce the waste your business is producing wherever possible.
How to manage your business waste:
To manage business waste effectively, try to take the following steps as recommended by the Australian Government:
- Measure your business waste: Assess the amount of waste your business is producing and consider how you can reduce it. By conducting a waste audit you can identify how much waste is going to landfill, what type of waste you most commonly produce, and what type of recycling is being generated.
- Assess product lifecycles: Your waste management efforts should also include trying to use resources more effectively, to minimise and avoid creating more waste. Review product viability, look for sustainable packaging and suppliers, and reevaluate how you dispose of your garbage.
- Reduce, reuse, recycle: Once you understand how your business generates waste, consider the best way to safely and efficiently manage it. Introduce a waste reduction program, focus on separating your waste by type, review how your products are made and destroyed, and find environmentally friendly alternatives whenever possible.
How To Reduce Waste In An Office
There are a number of ways offices can reduce the amount of commercial waste they produce.
Something as simple as investing in a coffee machine (so your employees aren’t constantly purchasing takeaway cups) can make a huge difference in the total amount of commercial waste being produced.
1. Go Paperless With Notes
In today’s technology-dependent landscape, most handwritten notes end up getting thrown out or typed up, so why not save time and paper by taking notes digitally in the first place?
Not only will you be helping your company reduce their commercial waste outputs, but you’ll be doing yourself a favour too. It’s much more difficult to lose a note you’ve written on your computer or smartphone.
2. Encourage Digital Documents And Not Printing
Digital note-taking is just one way businesses can reduce their paper waste. It’s best to keep things digital and avoid printing where possible, but if it’s absolutely necessary to use the printer, ensure it’s set up for double-sided printing to reduce the number of sheets of paper being used.
If double-sided printing isn’t possible, encourage any employees who prefer analogue note-taking to reuse any one-sided prints as scratch paper. This means less waste and longer-lasting supplies, ultimately saving the company money.
3. Upcycle or Recycle Old Office Equipment
Old office equipment, from phones to printers to computers to cables, can easily be recycled or upcycled. Batteries, ink cartridges, and old CDs (as well as other office supplies or furniture) are commonly collected for recycling, but often these items can have their lifespan extended through upcycling.
Before throwing old office equipment in the recycling bin, consider implementing an upcycle station that employees can check before purchasing new supplies.
How To Reduce Waste In A Commercial Kitchen
Food waste, whether unused food or wasted food products that end up in landfills, makes up a large portion of the waste generated by commercial kitchens and the food sector. By managing kitchen waste, you can significantly reduce your business’s overall waste output.
1. Reduce Food Waste
There are several straightforward strategies businesses can implement to reduce food waste, including a food wastage audit, a compost bin, or even taking leftover food home instead of throwing it out.
Not only does minimising food waste have financial benefits, but it also ultimately minimises the amount of waste ending up in landfill.
2. Recycle Leftover Food
Reducing food wastage requires commitment throughout every stage of the food service process.
Businesses can start reducing their food waste before they have even placed an order; completing a simple food waste audit can help commercial kitchens to assess where the majority of their excess food waste is coming from.
They can also reduce food waste by adjusting how much food they order in the first instance. By ordering less food, and by ensuring all food being ordered can reasonably be put to use before expiring, commercial kitchens can minimise the amount of unused food.
Commercial kitchens can also implement FIFO as a food waste management strategy: first in, first out. Using the oldest food first, and ensuring all remaining food is stored correctly, helps to minimise food waste and can actually save money as they will not buy products in excess.
If commercial kitchens do find themselves with leftovers, where possible, they can donate leftover food to soup kitchens or shelters. Food scraps from fruits, vegetables, or bread can be composted if they cannot be donated.
3. Recycle White Goods
White goods are another item on the long list of things to recycle. Any appliances that still work can be donated to charities or given away on Freecycle, a NSW nonprofit movement aimed at keeping functional items out of landfill.
If the white goods don’t work anymore, contact the local council to see if they hold white goods clean-up days. The council will also be able to advise whether local waste depots will accept white goods for recycling.
How To Reduce Waste In Retail Store
Retail stores generate significant amounts of waste every year, as products are overproduced and recyclable materials are thrown into landfill. According to AMCS, of over 76 million tonnes of waste produced, only half will be recycled each year.. The Australian Bureau of Statistics further states that 27% of the country’s waste will go to a landfill.
So how can retail businesses reduce their commercial waste production? Here are two easy methods:
1. Donate Spare Merchandise
Leftover merchandise is just one factor that contributes to the overall commercial waste production of retail businesses.
To reduce this waste, spare or slightly damaged merchandise can be donated to second-hand stores, shelters, or charities. This merchandise could also be given as gifts to staff or sold at a discounted price.
2. Have Accurate Inventory Management
Businesses can also practice waste reduction by accurately managing their inventory.
Particularly if a business sells perishables (like certain food products, including fruits and vegetables), inventory management is one of the key ways waste (especially food waste) can be reduced. There are several inventory management software solutions available to help optimise ordering and organisation in a commercial environment.
How To Reduce Waste At Commercial Events
In an effort to reduce waste at commercial events, the City of Sydney has developed a set of guidelines in accordance with its “Leave Nothing to Waste Strategy and Action Plan”. These guidelines support the city’s objective to reach a zero-waste vision by 2030, and will apply to City of Sydney staff, contractors, and other entities using city venues or spaces to host events or deliver services.
The guidelines entail four main zero-waste principles: reduce/avoid, reuse, recycle and recover. These principles provide a framework for making events more sustainable in the future.
One of the main ways events will be affected moving forward is through the phasing out of single-use items, namely plastic water bottles; studies show that up to 1 million plastic drinking bottles are purchased globally each minute, with less than 50% collected for recycling.
Subject to certain exceptions (including accessibility adjustments made for individuals with disabilities or medical requirements), a number of single-use items will no longer be freely available at events. Some items no longer permitted will be bottled water, plastic utensils (including straws, cups, and other serveware), and promotional flyers.
More sustainable alternatives to these items will be provided: water fountains or portable water stations will be available, and the use of existing cups and serveware will be encouraged. Single-use items will still be available for individuals in the community who need them.
1. Onsite Recycling Bins And Waste Bins
Most commercial businesses will already know that public or semi-public events necessitate certain waste collection measures, the simplest of which is the need for numerous small, accessible bins that can later be emptied into a larger bin for collection.
Having recycling bins onsite at events can also help to drastically reduce both environmental footprint and cleanup time. Most patrons will already be accustomed to using these facilities, and this is an easy strategy for ensuring recyclable items are disposed of responsibly.
2. Environmentally Friendly Packaging
When planning events, businesses need to consider waste reduction at each stage of the planning process. Merchandise being sold at events should be sold in environmentally friendly packaging instead of plastic wrapping where possible. Consider also if there are any available alternatives to plastic cutlery, like bamboo or reusable cutlery. These are both more environmentally friendly than their plastic counterparts.
Ensure Waste Is Disposed Of Ethically And Sustainably
There are a number of rubbish collection services available for all types of commercial waste; these services ensure that different kinds of waste are disposed of appropriately. They take the guesswork out of waste disposal, guaranteeing that local regulations are followed and that any recyclable items are disposed of or relocated accordingly so they don’t end up in a landfill.
Check out 1300 Rubbish for more information about commercial rubbish disposal.
Business Waste Management FAQs
How do businesses manage waste?
Businesses can manage waste by adopting a reduce, reuse and recycle plan. First, they must assess how much waste they are producing and where the most waste is coming from.
Then they should introduce a waste reduction program and assess the lifecycle of products and services they use, and if there are more environmentally friendly alternatives.
Finally, they should ensure that waste is separated by type and each type is properly recycled.
What are the seven types of waste in business?
The seven types of waste in business typically refer to factors that can lead to unnecessary waste in the manufacturing process.
- Transportation: Waste caused by unnecessary movement of materials, products or information. Examples include repeatedly moving items in a warehouse or excessive paperwork routing.
- Inventory: Refers to waste caused by an excess of stock, raw materials or work-in-progress that takes up storage space.
- Motion: Refers to resource waste caused by unnecessary physical movement by employees. This could be searching for tools or similar admin tasks.
- Waiting: Refers to idle time wasted due to a broken machine, a slow process or an inefficient operation.
- Overproduction: Waste caused by production starting faster or earlier than necessary, resulting in large amounts of potential waste.
- Over-processing: Waste caused by performing more work, adding more features or using more complex tools than is necessary for the product or customer.
- Defects: Refers to products or services that do not meet the proper quality standards, resulting in inspection, rework or scrapping.
How much does it cost to hire private waste collection in Australia?
The exact cost of private waste collection in Australia can depend on multiple factors, including:
- Rubbish weight and type: Heavy or hard rubbish is more difficult to transport and dispose of than typical waste, and a company may charge by weight. Depending on the type of rubbish, the disposal process may be more expensive, increasing your total cost.
- Volume: The amount of rubbish you need transported may affect your total price.
- Location: Your state, suburb, city and other factors related to your location may change the overall price of using garbage collection services.
- Accessibility: A location with accessibility issues, like steep stairs or a difficult floor plan, can increase the total cost of labour, affecting your final price.
Get in touch with us on 1300 782 247 or fill in our online form to get a comprehensive, obligation-free quote for your commercial rubbish collection.