Three Ways to Save with Recover
As the cost to manage industrial waste streams rises, more and more companies are setting up industrial recycling programs to combat soaring fees. There’s no question that commercial waste hauling is an expensive enterprise—and a messy one. Since waste disposal is an unavoidable cost of doing business, as well as complicated process to measure and evaluate, many corporations don’t examine their practices too carefully, assuming that waste disposal is a fixed cost.
However, this isn’t necessarily the case. Most businesses can easily save a significant percentage of their monthly waste management costs simply by partnering with an industrial recycling and waste consultant like Recover. The benefits of outsourcing your recycling and waste management program are numerous; an expert in the industry streamlines the process for you and makes sure you get the most value for your industrial by-products while you are freed up to focus on your primary business. By far, the greatest benefit of partnering with an industrial waste consultant is the potential savings you can experience.
Typically, companies that partner with Recover to set up an industrial recycling program realize immediate savings in three areas.
Right-sizing your waste disposal services
Are you paying someone to haul air? You may not think so, but if you’re on a regular scheduled waste pick-up, you probably are. Many corporations plan for waste management, including pick-ups, the way you might plan for a party. Sure, we probably don’t need four pick-ups a week, but it’s better to have too many than not enough—we don’t ever want waste piling up, slowing down productivity and causing safety concerns. While this is good in theory, it could potentially be costing you a lot of money. Right-sizing your trash is all about getting the greatest value from your hauling service by maximizing your container size and minimizing your number of pick-ups. First, make sure that everything in your bins is actually trash. In our waste audits, we find that about 50% of what businesses throw away is actually recyclable and can be diverted from your waste stream. Then, renegotiate your waste contract to call for pick-ups.
Saving on landfill tipping fees
One reason that recycling cardboard and LDPE and LLDPE plastics such as stretch films is always cost-effective is that you get to skip the expensive landfill fees. It’s simple. When you landfill, you pay for transportation and for landfill disposal—typically between $40 and $50 a ton. When you recycle with a broker like Recover, you pay only for transportation, which is usually more than offset by the value of the commodities in your waste stream.
Baling more material
The most expensive garbage to haul is nothing at all. If your company has invested in a baler but you’re only using it for cardboard, you’re missing out on a huge potential for savings. Stretch film, foam, fiberglass, broken pallets, and even crumpled paper could all be taking up valuable space in your bin. Try this experiment one week: remove all liquids, hazardous waste, and recyclables from your waste stream, then throw the rest of your commercial waste into your baler before it goes in the bin. Some of our customers have found that they can save on the price of 6 or 7 hauls a week just by baling their trash. If your company hasn’t invested in a baler yet, we can help you pick the right tool for your needs and install it for you at a reasonable price—often less per month than you’re bringing in by recycling your valuable commodities. Companies benefit from the lowest combined total costs of collection, baling, and transportation. Let us do the calculations for you to determine if a baler will decrease your waste costs by a significant enough margin to make investing in one a sound financial decision.
Long Term Benefits of Industrial Recycling Programs
Of course, many of our clients also achieve greater efficiency, a more sustainable corporate culture, and a safer, more collaborative working environment through their partnership with Recover. These are the kinds of intangible, cultural benefits that build up over time as a company makes a commitment to sustainability.
By starting with the big wins for your bottom line, though, you get to see positive results in just a month or two, building momentum for your program. For example, we will always start with your highest volume, valuable commodities, such as paper, plastics, and cardboard recycling, so that you can achieve buy-in company-wide.
To get started, all you have to do is contact us for a comprehensive, no-cost, no-risk waste audit. We will take a look at what your company is throwing away, calculate the types and volumes of your commodities, and let you know how much you could potentially be earning from your OCC, plastic films, and other industrial by-products.
