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When it comes to being environmentally responsible with your waste, there are many factors for your business to consider. Using a cardboard baler, reducing your paper usage, avoiding single use plastics and recycling as much waste as possible are all great ways to do your part for the environment. However, what you may not have considered, is how the actual collection and transportation of this waste may have a negative impact on the environment as well.

Here, we discuss how the vehicle movements associated with waste collection and disposal impact the environment and suggest a few ways you and your business can help to mitigate this impact.

The environmental impact of transporting waste

Studies show that one fifth (21%) of UK greenhouse gas emissions came from road transport in 2017, with diesel usage increasing by over 200% between 1990 and 2017. The large diesel trucks and collection vehicles that transport waste from millions of businesses across the UK doubtlessly make up a large percentage of this carbon footprint.

The heavy diesel trucks that collect our rubbish and recycling not only contribute to the UK’s carbon emissions, but also release foul odours and particulate emissions into the air, presenting health hazards to the public and polluting your neighbourhood’s air. Large amounts of waste require additional waste collection, increasing road traffic and in turn, air pollution.

So, what can your business do about it?

Implement efficient waste management practices

The first place to start on the road to lessening the impact of these vehicular movements is to implement a waste management system that works for you and your business. While most of us don’t spend the day thinking about the life cycle of our rubbish, taking the time to learn where your rubbish is coming from will help you to maintain an eco-friendly procedure for its disposal.

Ensure your employees are aware of your efforts and understand your new system. Put up signage near the bins so they know what is recyclable and what isn’t. Get your employees involved in the process so they can feel good about contributing to your green efforts.

Use a waste baler

Using a baler to compact your business’ waste can do a lot to lessen and offset environmental impacts of waste collection vehicles. Baling and consolidating waste creates space in your facility, meaning you can go longer before your rubbish requires collection. Increasing the amount of time between collections also means you are reducing the number of trips taken by the collection vehicles. In fact, most businesses are able to reduce collections from once a week to once every 4-6 weeks by switching to a baler for their waste (and also save up to 60% on associated fees).

Consider your waste collector

While it may be simple enough to use the big names in waste collection, take the time to do some research in order to find the right company. You will find that while many of the larger collection companies service a wider area, this means they are driving long distances to collect your waste and increasing carbon emissions in doing so.  Look into whether there is a local service you can use that may be dispatching a bit closer to home, or one that utilizes electric or hybrid vehicles.

Don’t waste your collections

Set up your collections at less frequent intervals, to ensure you are making the most of them. With a baler, your waste will not take up as much space and so maintaining frequent collections means that the vehicles are making more trips than necessary. Now that you’re producing less (and more compact) waste, reducing collections not only helps reduce carbon emissions, but also saves you money.

When considering your business’ impact on the environment, don’t forget to consider the effect that the collection and transport of your waste may have going forward. Making the change to a waste baler can mitigate these impacts and save your business money in the long run. To discuss your waste baler requirements or for more advice on selecting the right baler for your business’ needs, contact the team at LSM UK.