How to Create an Effective Waste Compliance Program

Your business success relies on more than the products you produce. In?manufacturing, proper waste disposal?is paramount. Without clear compliance standards in place, your business risks expense like fines, reputation damage, and complete plant shutdowns.?

There are various federal and state regulations for proper waste storage, treatment, and disposal. There are thousands of different materials and contaminants your manufacturing plant may use in your workflow.

When contaminants infiltrate the wrong waste streams or waste isn’t disposed of correctly, it can result in environmental damage, costly fines for violations, and delays in manufacturing processes. Here’s how a robust waste compliance program can help your business save on costs and other damage.

Do you need to learn about our?recycling and waste solutions for manufacturing? Contact me for a BluePrint? Waste Assessment.?

Benefits of Strong Waste Compliance Standards

When waste compliance isn’t adhered to, that can have detrimental effects on manufacturing operations. Problems in the process can impact employee safety and decrease efficiency.?

Waste compliance is substantial because it keeps plants running safely.        

The?U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) work closely?to inspect worksites, identify hazards and keep workers safe. Establishing a waste compliance program ensures your business meets legal waste disposal regulations. You could also save money and reduce your company’s environmental impact with a proper waste strategy.?

By creating a robust waste compliance program, you can also ensure you’re exploring the best options for sustainability, which could help improve customer sentiment. In July 2020, a?BCG survey?of 3,000 people across eight countries revealed 87% said companies should integrate environmental concerns into their operations, products, and services to a greater extent than they have in the past. The survey also showed 40% of people intend to adopt more sustainable behavior in the future.?

Waste compliance could also decrease manufacturing costs. An effective strategy can help ensure you’re maximizing your reuse of materials and reducing materials usage.?

Waste compliance also helps ensure you have proper waste storage procedures in place that can keep employees and customers safe, including safe handling and labeling processes and standardized containers.?

From optimizing your manufacturing operations to reducing your impact on the environment, proper waste compliance ensures you’re doing everything possible to keep your business and the people who work for it safely.?

What Risks Does a Company Face Without Clear Waste Compliance??

Without clear waste compliance standards in place, costly mistakes could result in months-long downtime, production delays, and up to millions of dollars worth of lost production.?

You could also lose out on potential business savings. Without a waste compliance program, you risk contamination, impacting your ability to get rebates for recycling materials.?

Your business can avoid risks like these by creating a practical waste compliance program and training employees to follow it. When new materials are presented in the manufacturing process and waste streams, revise the program to ensure all waste is properly managed and employees are up-to-date on proper disposal.?

How to Create an Effective Waste Compliance Program?

The first step to creating a practical waste compliance program is to create a strategy and identify the why behind the plan. Motivations like protecting the environment, being a sustainable company, prioritizing employee safety, and maximizing business savings can help everyone stay on track to follow waste compliance.?

As you build out waste compliance standards, use your strategy to define the details. For example, if you want to have a sustainable system, your waste disposal compliance needs to follow specific regulations to adhere to those sustainability standards.?

It helps work with your environmental health and safety (EHS) manager or an EHS consultant to determine proper waste disposal. A?waste partner like Republic Services?can work with your EHS team and provide recommendations.?

Republic Services can help you create an action plan for dealing with contaminants and identifying the root cause of waste problems early. We adhere to the standards set forth by regulatory agencies and help our clients do the same.

With a waste compliance program in place, make sure you educate your team on proper waste disposal. Schedule regular pieces of training and make sure your team is aware of any new materials and possible contaminants that are introduced into the manufacturing process.?

Put the program in writing, so employees can access it when they need to. Training and written communication are also part of?OSHA’s Hazard Communication Standard requirements. Update your written communications and training, so they always reflect your current processes and materials.?

I Can Help?

Our company provides recycling and waste management options for all types of businesses, including manufacturing industries.?

When you work with Republic Services for recycling and waste solutions, you gain a partner that can advise you on proper waste storage and disposal, so you protect your business, workers, and clients.?

We can work together to complete a Manufacturing?BluePrint? Waste Assessment?for your business, a thorough and confidential assessment conducted by a team of industry professionals chosen specifically for your company. It provides solutions for your current and future needs and focuses on your company’s recycling and waste goals. It also ensures you’re getting the best value for the services provided.?

Ultimately, Republic Services is committed to helping our partners achieve their business goals with better recycling and waste management solutions that optimize the manufacturing process and make things easier to manage.?

Learn about Republic Services?recycling and waste solutions for manufacturing. Contact Republic Services for a BluePrint? Waste Assessment.??