What is Waste Management?
Waste management covers all the processes involved in dealing with waste materials properly from the point of production to disposal. There are various aspects of waste management that include waste generation, storage, removal, transportation, recycling, and disposal. Each step combines to form the overall concept of waste management.
It’s a term used within businesses and households to describe how each one handles the rubbish it creates. Waste management for most homes involves putting rubbish in the household bin for the council to collect. For businesses, the stages of commercial waste management involve more steps and processes.
Efficient and cost-effective waste management is important for any company. Understanding what’s involved can help improve how your organisation handles and deals with its rubbish. Find out everything you need to know with these expert answers to common questions about waste management.
Get a free quote
Get a free quote for waste management in the UK
- Free quote within 1 hr
- Any type of waste
- FREE bins and delivery
- We cover all of the UK
Contents
What is business waste management?
Business waste management is how any company creates, stores, and disposes of all the rubbish it generates. This covers every step of what happens to commercial waste, from the moment it’s produced to its final disposal. Various processes and actions make up this journey and define how business waste is managed.
It also covers the actions a company takes to reduce its waste production and improve recycling. Any waste produced by a business is commercial waste and must be managed responsibly in line with regulations such as the Environmental Protection Act 1990 and Simpler Recycling regulations in England and Wales.
The main aspects of business waste management include:
- Production – the types and volumes of waste a business produces and what activities create it.
- Storage – bins and containers used to store commercial waste and any separation.
- Waste collection – removal of business waste by licensed waste carriers.
- Transportation – how and who moves waste from a business to a disposal site.
- Monitoring – ways in which business waste management is assessed for improvements.
- Waste disposal – the final step of business waste management is when the rubbish is disposed of, recycled, reused, or recovered.
Why is waste management important?
Effective waste management is important to protect the environment by reducing the amount of rubbish sent to landfill or for incineration. A strong waste management strategy reduces the amount of rubbish produced and ensures as much as possible is recycled and recovered. This preserves valuable resources and reduces energy consumption.
Sorting rubbish into different streams for storage, so it can be collected and transported to a recycling facility where possible, avoids reusable and recyclable waste ending up in landfill and contributing to pollution. Good waste management also helps protect the health of employees and customers by storing rubbish securely and reducing the risk of exposure.
Efficient business waste management ensures your company complies with government legislation and waste management laws. For UK waste management, your organisation is bound by the Environmental Protection Act 1990. This applies to various steps of your waste control and means you must:
- Minimise commercial waste by applying preventative strategies within your business.
- Reuse, recycle, and recover waste when possible.
- Sort and store your commercial waste safely.
- Keep notes on the types of waste you produce and dispose of, and when.
- Dispose of waste legally, through a waste management company and ensure only licensed waste carriers remove rubbish.
What are the risks associated with
incorrect waste management?
The main risk associated with incorrect waste management is the environmental impact it can have. Lots of waste ends up in landfill that should be recycled – such as glass and plastic waste. Plastic bottles can take up to 450 years to decompose and release harmful gases like methane as they break down.
Incorrect waste management adds to landfill sites, which are already running out of space. Chemicals in certain waste products can also leach and affect nearby water, soil, and air when thrown in landfill. Alongside damaging the environment, it can negatively affect human health and nearby animal habitats – all of which reflects poorly on your business.
Poor waste management also means hazardous, infectious, and dangerous types of waste may not be stored and disposed of safely. This can harm humans who encounter it and spread infections. It may also contaminate other waste types, meaning recyclable rubbish must be incinerated for safe disposal.
Incorrect waste management for business can also mean a failure to comply with government regulations such as Simpler Recycling rules and the Environmental Protection Act 1990. This could lead to prosecution and potential fines, as well as a negative reputation for your business.
What do waste management companies do?
Waste management companies ensure the waste that businesses produce is effectively controlled. Experts can assess operations and advise on the best plan to store, remove, and dispose of any commercial waste. Most waste management companies provide and deliver bins, bags, and containers for businesses to store their waste safely, and arrange removal, and disposal.
Every waste management company consists of seasoned professionals who help businesses develop an effective waste management plan. Waste management companies aim to save time and ensure commercial waste management complies with relevant regulations and laws.
What are business responsibilities for
managing commercial waste?
As a business or organisation that produces any type and amount of commercial waste, you have five main responsibilities to ensure it’s managed safely and legally:
- Keep commercial waste to a minimum – do everything possible (within reason) to prevent, reuse, recycle, or recover waste (in that order).
- Sort and store waste safely and securely on your premises.
- Complete a waste transfer note for every waste load that leaves your premises.
- Ensure you use a licensed waste carrier registered to dispose of waste.
- Ensure the waste carrier doesn’t dispose of your waste illegally – report them to Crimestoppers if this happens.
What are business responsibilities for
managing hazardous commercial waste?
If your business produces commercial hazardous waste, then you have an extra set of responsibilities:
- Classify any hazardous waste.
- Separate and store hazardous waste safely – to avoid contamination.
- Use licensed and authorised waste carriers to collect, recycle, or dispose of your hazardous waste – check they’re registered, and waste sites have environmental permits.
- Complete the applicable parts of the consignment note – keep a copy and provide two copies to the waste carrier.
- Keep records (a register) for three years at the premises where the hazardous waste was produced or stored.
Get a fast and free quote
Get a fast FREE quote for business waste management
- Free quote within 1 hr
- Any type of waste
- FREE bins and delivery
- We cover all of the UK
Published 15th April 2025 by Graham Matthews.