Every business in the UK must legally use licensed waste carriers to remove and dispose of any commercial waste they produce. Some organisations may have a team of drivers who are licensed waste carriers, but most don’t. Instead, using a third-party waste management company is the best option for most UK businesses.
There are lots of waste collection companies in Yorkshire and even more across the wider country. Deciding which is right for your needs is tricky, as at their root they should all provide the same service. However, there are some things to consider to make the right choice.
Find the best option whether you run a start-up and need a waste management partner as you launch, or your existing organisation wants to switch to a more reliable and affordable waste collection company. Consider all the following factors to help determine the best waste collection partner for your business.
Waste collection services
The most important thing to check is that the waste management company can collect and dispose of all waste types you produce. Pretty much every waste collector offers services for general waste, glass recycling, paper waste, cardboard recycling, plastic waste, and food waste. If you create a specialist waste stream then you may need to look around.
Clinical waste and hazardous waste types require specific bins, management, and disposal processes, for example. There are also many different types of metal (ferrous and non-ferrous), so you need to ensure any waste management company has the resources and facilities to remove and recycle all waste materials you produce.
Even if you currently only need general waste and dry mixed recycling collections, it’s worth thinking about the future. Should you have plans to expand your business you might need additional waste streams collected. Choosing a partner that offers relevant services may save time, money, and effort in the coming years.
Capacity and volume
You’ll need to ensure that the waste management company can deal with the amount of waste your business generates too. This includes being provided with bin sizes and containers that accommodate the volume of each rubbish stream you produce. If you produce lots of paper waste this could mean requiring a baler, for example.
Regular collection frequencies that suit your schedule and avoid waste piling up and bins overflowing are also vital. Restaurants, hotels, and cafes may want daily food waste collections to avoid bad smells and unhygienic conditions developing. Check the waste collector can handle your waste capacity, volume, and frequency demands.
Sustainability
What happens to the waste once it’s removed from your business? You want to partner with a waste management company that has good environmental credentials and a strong green reputation. This means one that does as much as possible to divert waste away from landfill by recycling and recovering it instead.
For the likes of cardboard, glass, and plastic this means taking it all to recycling facilities so it can be reused. With food waste and garden waste, it could be transported to a composting site or anaerobic digestion plant to generate energy from waste. This helps align with your own green policies.
It’s better for the environment and far more sustainable, which can enhance your own environmental reputation. Plus, recycling and recovering waste should mean you pay less landfill tax as part of your waste management costs. Seek waste management companies that don’t just send all rubbish to landfill.
Legalities
You’re legally responsible for ensuring all commercial waste your organisation produces is stored, removed, and disposed of legally. Failure to manage your commercial waste legally could lead to large fines, suspension of business, and possibly prison time. It’s vital you choose to work with a legally compliant waste collection company.
There are three main things to check:
- Are they registered waste carriers? You can check on the UK government website
- Is it a legitimate business? You can check this on the Companies House website
- Will you receive a duty of care certificate or waste transfer note?
You should receive a duty of care certificate or waste transfer note that shows who removed your waste, and where and how it was disposed of. Some waste management companies may charge for these but at Divert we provide a free duty of care certificate.
Location
Working with a local waste collection company is often best for independent, smaller businesses, and those located in the same town, city, or region. They should know the area well, which helps them offer an effective and cost-efficient service due to their knowledge of recycling facilities and transport routes.
National waste management companies may suit bigger businesses and those with locations in various parts of the country. It depends on your size, but using a local waste management company normally provides you with more personal service and supports the local economy.
Reviews, reputation, and customer service
You want to work with a trustworthy waste management partner that will deliver on everything they promise. A good way to gain such reassurance is by asking for recommendations from other friends and businesses or speaking to existing customers. Search online for any information about the company for some insight into its reputation.
Reading online reviews can provide peace of mind that their customers are satisfied or warn you away from those that have problems. Check their website for any case studies but also look at third-party sites such as Trustpilot and Google Reviews for honest and independent reviews. This gives an idea of their reliability from real customers’ testaments.
If you’ve got a specific need then check the reviews for customers’ thoughts on that – whether it’s price, speed, customer service, or anything else. Reviews also give a true insight into how good the customer service is, which is a key consideration for most businesses.
Unique Selling Points (USPs)
Should you struggle to differentiate and decide between two or more potential waste management companies, see if any of them offer any perks. This could be something as simple as providing free bins rather than charging a fee for rental, delivery, or having to purchase your own bins. The savings soon add up.
Other possible USPs can include the contract length and its terms and conditions, providing a free month if you sign up for a year, or offering a referral fee for recommendations. Some waste management firms may be open for negotiations on various aspects, so it could be worth asking.
Flexibility
Businesses grow, scale down, and change all the time and this impacts their waste management needs. Hotels, restaurants, and even some shops all experience the effects of seasonality. This may increase or decrease the volumes and types of waste they produce.
Check how flexible or rigid any contracts are and whether there are opportunities to adapt the services provided by a waste management company. It could be increasing or decreasing the frequency of collections, adding more or different bins, and changing services. Even options for daily, weekly, or fortnightly waste collections should be considered.
Price
The main aspect you’ll probably look at is how much the waste collection will cost. Request a free quote based on your needs and shop around to find a cost-effective option that fits in with your budget and is a fair price for the services you require.
If you get a quote that’s significantly lower than the rest it could be too good to be true. Double-check what the quote includes, how long the contract is, and that everything you need is covered. At Divert we can provide a free no no-obligation quote tailored to your needs.
Get a free quote for waste collections of any type and amount today – contact us online or call 0333 444 0118. We divert all waste away from landfill and provide free bins – you only pay for collection.
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