While the importance of waste management in any sector is clear, sometimes eager entrepreneurs overlook the consideration of its importance when setting up their own businesses. Nowdays, many companies like Reconomy, which is a leader in offering a range of skip sizes, tend to spread awareness across the United Kingdom. This is to solve how different businesses operational in different industries dispose of their waste as well the cost implications taking into account the whole UK. And we have written this article to shed light on how these industries are managing waste.
The secret to success in any business is focussing on the main business activity which brings in the profits, while operational costs should be minimised. Effective waste management is one way to reduce what are otherwise unnecessary costs. You would proceed to work with a waste management company that would create a more reliable and bespoke collection routine which better meets your unique business needs, after having a profile of your business drawn up to calculate the amount of waste your company generates.
How much waste was produced by different industries in the UK (2014)?
- 15.1 million tonnes by the Commercial Sector
- 12.6 million tonnes by the Industrial Sector
- 120.4 million tonnes (over 60% of the UK’s total waste) by the Construction, Demolition & Excavation Sector
- 26.9 million tonnes by the Mining, Agriculture, Forestry & Fishing Sector (in 2016)
- 202.8 million tonnes of total waste was produced in 2014, accounting for a 4.6% increase from 2012.
Here’s a breakdown of the waste produced by sector, which includes food waste as well as how much this is costing them as an industry in the UK:
The Restaurant and Pub Sector
The UK food industry yields 915,400 tonnes of annual waste, including 199,100 tonnes of food waste alone, while the pub industry’s total waste comes to 873,000 tonnes annually. 173,000 of this is food waste.
Food waste management costs in these sectors adds up to 3,500 per tonne, per year.
The Hotel Sector
In the hotel sector annual expenditure on food waste comes up to 318 million, which amounts to 79,000 of the 289,000 tonnes of total waste produced.
The Healthcare Sector
121,000/170,300 tonnes of waste produced by the health sector is food waste and this costs 230 million to manage annually. However, 7% of all the waste in this sector is recycled.
Tackling Food Waste
Businesses have the power to significantly reduce food waste by improving their management of core activities that contribute to waste generation. Simple steps such as downsizing restaurant menus according to customer consumption patterns, reducing portion sizes, and stocking up on food items only as needed can make a big difference. Additionally, donating unconsumed food that would otherwise go to waste can have a positive impact on both the environment and the community.
Furthermore, businesses can opt for refrigeration services at Welch Refrigeration or similar providers to extend the shelf life of perishable food items. This proactive approach helps prevent food spoilage and waste, ultimately saving businesses both time and money. By implementing these strategies, businesses can play a significant role in reducing food waste and promoting sustainability in their operations.
Government Action
As part of the British government’s mission to become a zero-waste economy, responsibilities have been assigned to businesses to keep their waste to a minimum, sort their waste and store it correctly, and fill out waste transfer notes when the waste leaves their premises.
Only certified waste carriers should be made use of. They are then to be reported to Crimestoppers in the event that they dispose of your waste illegally and in a way that can be harmful to the environment.
Naturally waste will still be generated, but the aim is to deploy all resources possible to ensure we get full value out of all the products we use.
