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All businesses produce waste, whether this is solid waste for recycling or disposal, emissions to air such as gases, or waste water. Arranging for the disposal of these wastes and complying with legal requirements can be costly and time-consuming. But the true cost of waste is much more than the cost of its management and disposal.

There is a 'hidden' cost to the waste businesses produce. This includes the loss of raw materials (which have been purchased in the first place, but which end up as waste), as well as the time and energy invested in processing the raw materials. It has been estimated that UK businesses lose up to 4.5% of annual turnover every year through avoidable waste.

Reducing your waste is about being efficient. Put simply, reducing your waste means that you use less (and therefore spend less), get more out of what is used, and reuse or recycle any unavoidable wastes. By increasing efficiency in this way, businesses can maximise their outputs and increase profits, whilst also save valuable resources and help the environment.

So saving resources and cutting down on waste not only makes business sense, but also helps keep our environment clean and safe!

Businesses are recognising the important role they have to play in helping the UK to achieve more sustainable patterns of production and consumption. Depending on the business and the activities undertaken there are a variety of ways in which products can be manufactured, or goods/services provided, in better ways, using fewer resources. Some of these are simple to introduce and will have immediate benefits, such as making better use of paper in the office or implementing water saving measures. Others may require more effort but are likely to bring significant benefits in the longer term, such as changing a process so that fewer resources are used or redesigning a product so that it is easier to repair or dismantle.

There are many ways in which businesses - producers and retailers alike - can become waste-wise. Here are some simple first steps

identify areas for waste reduction and implement a waste reduction strategy

support re-use, take-back and refurbishment schemes

identify the non-hazardous wastes produced by your company which can be recycled and set up a recycling scheme

encourage employees to reduce, re-use and recycle at work and at home

keep abreast of - and be compliant with - forthcoming legislation

For further information and advice on how to reduce your waste, contact envirowise, Wastebusters or the Environment Agency.

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