What is it?
Cutting waste. It’s not just turning off lightbulbs. Or fixing leaky taps. It’s reducing production, use or disposal of anything that isn’t reused or sold by your business.
Recycling, important though it is, isn’t waste minimisation. Waste minimisation is all about reducing waste at source — not creating it in the first place. Waste can be designed out. Make less. What you don’t make, you don’t need to recycle.
- Did you know... 87 million tonnes of solid waste goes to landfill each year.
It's not just manufacturers or big companies that can make a real difference. Every business produces waste, and every business can cut it.
Think about your own organisation. Which of these do you use or produce?
- Water
- Paper, board & packaging
- Solvents
- Gas
- Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)
- Electricity
- Inks & paints
- Office & computer equipment
- Solid waste
A good waste minimisation programme will look at the whole of your business — from what you buy from suppliers, to manufacturing, right through to waste disposal. If you can cut down on waste anywhere within your business, your savings will go straight to the bottom line, and you’ll reduce negative impact on the environment.
- Did you know... Waste typically costs companies 4.5% of turnover.
Next - Why bother with waste minimisation?