Around this time last year, we discussed a few tips and trends that would help give businesses the chance to re-evaluate their waste management programs and provide them with a fresh perspective. New year, new waste management; seems a little overwhelming, but let’s reflect on those tips that got us to where we are today and could help you in the new year.
Tip: Only Pay for the Services You Need
As a business owner, you work hard to anticipate challenges and implement strategies that help you achieve your goals. With so many day-to-day operational duties begging for your attention, managing a variety of waste management vendors—each with their own terms of service and expiration—can make your head spin.
Partnering with a managed waste service provider takes the burden out of waste management by giving you a centralized source for waste and recycling needs. Customers have one point of contact and one invoice for all waste management needs, giving you time to put back into your business. Your managed waste service provider will work directly with you to understand your business’s unique needs, giving you the ability to easily adjust your strategy as your business’s waste needs evolve. They can help in every facet of your waste management by making sure you’re only paying for the services you need and not wasting your hard-earned time or money on things you don’t.
Trend: Sustainability and ESG efforts
Sustainability and ESG will continue to be hot topics in 2023. Consumers are demanding sustainable business practices because they’re critical to the environment we live in. From companies they do business with to the things they purchase to the products they use in their homes, they want to support companies that not only vocalize their sustainable business practices, but act on them, too.
In the waste management industry, it’s no different. Companies must think about sustainability-focused solid waste programs. It’s imperative to work with a managed waste service provider that has sustainability embedded in everything they do and is ready to help their customers and communities understand and reduce their environmental impact.
But it’s a marathon, not a sprint. Achieving a fully sustainable program will take time and commitment from stakeholders in and outside your business, using unconventional approaches in waste management and reduction.
TIP: Technology and Data Are Power
The world we live in is being transformed by technology and data. Many times, waste programs are, in a way, autonomous after initial setup and equipment delivery. You and your staff dispose of waste and recycling materials and the haulers come on a regular basis to take away the output. But what if you’re not regularly filling the disposal equipment you have? Or you have multiple locations, vendors and invoices to deal with? The key touchpoint that’s missing is regular waste performance analyses, which can help keep track of your waste spend and pinpoint opportunities for cost savings and efficiencies.
A real-time glimpse into your waste program offers the opportunity to uncover any obvious inefficiencies. Keeping a close eye on your data will allow you to identify trends and make pertinent updates or improvements over time. For example, having historical data for your waste program will help you prepare your waste needs ahead of time for peak spikes in business or seasonal changes.
By evaluating elements such as fullness status and tonnage monitoring, you can better understand if there are any rightsizing opportunities at your locations. Smart waste technology can help you determine whether you’re maximizing the tonnage of your equipment to best control the frequency of hauls, ultimately improving your bottom line.
TREND: Pallet Recycling is No Longer an Afterthought
Pallets have historically been one of the most overlooked parts of the supply chain, but have quickly come to the forefront of the conversation. They continued to rise in demand and became the new gold of the supply chain this year. Companies had to look at alternatives by tapping into refurbishing used wooden pallets or procuring ones that were made from recycled materials.
That’s where a managed waste service provider can help your business develop a comprehensive pallet management program in 2023. They can help consolidate sustainability efforts, provide a means for other recyclable materials to be removed, save your business storage space and time, and provide rebates that are not possible if materials are sent to the regular waste stream.
Michael Hess is founder and chief executive officer of Waste Harmonics, a Rochester, New York-based company that provides customized waste and recycling management solutions for businesses across North America. Michael leads Waste Harmonics’ team of waste/recycling, technology, logistics and customer service experts who manage waste and recycling services—which deliver significant costs savings—for single- and multi-location businesses in a wide range of categories, including retail, grocery, restaurant, travel center, logistics, distribution and shipping.
Prior to founding Waste Harmonics, Hess served as vice president of U.S. operations for Capital Environmental Resource Inc., a solid waste collection and disposal company with $120 million in revenue and operations in the Northeastern U.S. and Canada. During his tenure at Capital Environment, Hess served as an integral part of the acquisition, startup and integration of 11 solid-waste companies for more than two and a half years. Michael acquired Waste Harmonics from Capital Environment in 2001 and has since grown the business from a solely Northeastern U.S. focus to serving customers throughout the U.S. and Canada. For more information, call 585-924-9640, e-mail [email protected] or visit wasteharmonics.com.