There are significant advantages to working with a waste management service provider as opposed to using trash haulers, especially for large businesses. Trash haulers provide an efficient service that allows the company to remove the waste from their property and reduces the administrative overheads that would be required to properly manage the waste stream.
However, there are many hidden opportunities that can be discovered that an experienced waste management service provider can help you with. This is the case with most businesses struggling to manage waste efficiently. This was clearly demonstrated in our work with a global performance and automotive aftermarket car accessories company based out of California.
This case study will delve into the work we did with them in some detail and explain how our intervention helped the organization gain significant tangible and intangible benefits. Here’s how the intervention happened – a quick case study.
Who is the Client?
The client is a manufacturer of automotive parts that enhances vehicle performance using various components. They are a global player that manufactures these high-end parts in the US and ships them within and outside the country.
With a large e-commerce footprint, this brand is a global leader in the space with its products available in most countries. The organization prides itself on the quality and performance of their products and has been in this space for over 40 years.
The company, owing to its global status, has massive manufacturing facilities that churn out products. The massive capacity means that there is a large waste footprint, as well. The organization is on a massive growth trajectory and required waste management services that would save costs as well as help them recycle more!
The Problem Statement
This problem statement is something that we have seen often from our clients. Working with trash haulers is great if you are small and growing but as you reach a certain size, the services they offer do not fulfill the requirements.
The organization approached us for a solution to their waste stream management which involved various types of materials including polypropylene trays, polystyrene trays, metal scrap, and shrink wrap among other materials. They were struggling to find a vendor who could deal with all the different types of waste materials simultaneously.
The trash haulers were focused on getting the trash out of the property and had suggested a common waste stream including all the waste materials that could be bundled together. They were also cognizant of the regulations and were paying a mixed recycling fee which covered the costs of recovering and recycling the materials at a transfer station or a recycling facility.
Cost overruns and inefficient waste management were commonplace which is when they decided to approach a waste management service provider for help! That’s where we at Waste Control stepped in!
What Was the Solution?
One of the first things we did was take a look at their waste management process for a while and identify the various types of waste that needed to be dealt with in the process. This helped us zero in on the various components that needed solutions.
One of the key issues was to deal with #5 polypropylene trays, #6 polystyrene trays, and LDPE (low-density polyethylene). These materials were currently being thrown into mixed recycling. The issue with this approach was that these materials wouldl not be subsequently recovered or recycled at the materials recovery facilities.
While the organization was paying a mixed recycling fee to make sure that these products do not end up in landfills, the recovery process wasn’t possible. These materials have to be sent to specific recyclers with capabilities to safely recycle polypropylene and polystyrene trays as well as LDPE in the form of shrink wrap.
Additional cost aside, this also meant that the organization wasn’t recycling as much of their waste products as they could and these harmful plastics were ending up in landfills. This was a regulatory issue as well as they had to keep up with the diversion goals for the state.
Here’s what we did.
Single Vendor Pick Up
We ensured the pickup of all the different materials with just one vendor without having to go through the trouble of paying multiple vendors for each material. This was one of the biggest goals that we had when we started working with the customer.
The issues that would arise while working with different vendors aren’t just related to costs, though it is a major factor. There is the headache of sourcing these vendors for the various facilities capable of dealing with the trash in such quantities. This takes up a lot of administrative time as well. These vendors would also have to be managed and then there’s the pain of dealing with multiple contracts and invoices along with overcharging issues and timely waste pickup issues.
Working with Waste Control meant that the client did not have to spend on multiple vendors and only had to work with us to deal with waste stream operations. This was a big cost saving and helped the organization become more focused on its core business.
Waste Segregation at Source
If you are to ensure efficient waste stream management and make sure that the waste materials that are being collected go into recycling, one of the important things to do is to properly segregate waste at the source. Throwing everything in the mixed recycling bin would definitely be easier but it is not efficient at all. We helped the organization segregate LDPE, #5 Polypropylene, and #6 polystyrene at the source and made sure that these materials weren’t contaminated, as much as possible.
This involved placing waste bins at the right points throughout the facility and making sure that all the employees, vendors, customers, and other stakeholders were properly educated. These aspects are very important in any waste management process and help in reducing overheads in the long run as well.
Finding Vendors to Recycle the Various Waste Materials
Finally, it was down to us to find the right recyclers or buyers for the various materials that were being collected throughout the facilities. These vendors could manage the waste materials in large quantities which helped in keeping the overall costs low. Having specialized vendors also ensured that more of the materials were being recycled as opposed to being thrown in landfills. This was also a key aspect to consider as there are strict California regulatory frameworks to adhere to when it comes to industrial solid waste management.
What Was the Impact?
The work Waste Control did with the organization was extremely impactful. Cost cutting was one of the biggest benefits achieved which helped the organization save nearly$2000.00 a month compared to the previous system.
There were also significant savings in terms of the administrative expenses and manpower required to manage the waste supply chain which also resulted in significant savings for the client.
The intangible benefits were also quite stark. A larger percentage of their waste materials are being recycled now. This has a big environmental impact as it takes away a significant amount of materials that would have ended up in landfills.
Closing Thoughts
The comparison between trash haulers and waste management service providers will be one that will keep happening for a long time. However, the advantages of a holistic approach to waste stream management is quite stark. Cost savings and the more intangible benefits of being more green weigh the debate significantly in favor of waste management services.
The above case study shows just how much impact that small changes to waste management can have on the overall business. Waste stream management is a job for the experts and trusting these experts will help businesses save costs and also reduce the amount of time that their employees spend dealing with waste.
Are you still working with trash haulers that are overcharging you for the waste they haul? Waste Control has helped many businesses like this. Talk to us today to get going on your own strategic waste management journey!