Tel:0161 766 3330
Open Mon-Fri 9.30am-3.30pm
Selecting a waste management company can be tricky because you're bombarded with misleading advertising, confusing claims, and simply bad information.
With so many companies advertising artificially low rates and aggressive sales tactics, how can you tell which rubbish removal company is qualified, competent and trustworthy.
You can start by reading this guide.
Going through the instructions in this guide will help you:
We put this guide together to help you better understand waste collection services so that, with this knowledge, you can make a wise and informed decision.
If you follow these three easy steps then you will avoid most future waste management related issues because not all Waste Management companies are equal.
In a nutshell, a waste management company is there to help you dispose of waste. They are responsible for collecting, processing and disposing of waste materials. This can include:
They may operate landfills, recycling facilities & other types of waste treatment facilities. They will offer comprehensive waste management solutions such as:
The goal of a waste management company is to handle & dispose of waste in a safe and environmentally responsible manner, while also minimising the impact of waste on communities and protecting the environment.
We understand that running your business is your priority. You have staff to pay, customers to contact, and sales to generate. However, managing the waste you produce can be an oversight that can create unnecessary costs and wasted time. This is why we have created an introductory guide so that you can chose the best waste management company that won't leave you in a mess.
These are some things to consider when getting a quote and choosing your waste management partner. If you're unsure on the answers to the below questions just ask any reputable waste management company and they will be able to advise you based on the experience of dealing with similar companies to your own.
What type of waste will you be producing? (Glass, Cardboard, Food Waste etc...)
How much waste you'll be producing? (How many bin bags do you think per day?)
What size bin that you'll need?
How many bins are needed?
How often the bins will need to be emptied?
How much space you have to store the bins?
Could a bin wagon get access to my site?
Do they have a Waste Carriers Licence?
Do they collect the waste themselves (Direct Collector) or do they sub-contract the work out (Waste Broker)
Where is the waste disposed of once collected?
How much does it cost per month?
Are all costs included in the quote provided?
What services do they offer?
How do you make payment?
Will you be provided with a Duty of Care Certificate?
Do they charge separately for Bin Rental?
Will you be charged excess weight fees and what is the standard weight allowance for your bin?
Do they offer recycling?
Do they have reviews online that you can view?
How long is the contract length?
How would you cancel the contract if you were unhappy with the service?
When it comes to waste management, there are many legal obligations that must be adhered to. In the UK, the Environmental Protection Act 1990 and the EU Landfill Directive are two major pieces of legislation that governs how waste is managed. These laws set out a strict waste hierarchy that must be followed - with prevention, reuse, recycling and recovery all being prioritised over disposal. There are also specific regulations for hazardous wastes which require additional care to ensure their safe disposal. Finally, TEEP legislation promotes a more sustainable approach to waste management through encouraging producers to reduce the amount of waste they produce. All of these legal obligations need to be followed in order to ensure that our environment is protected from potential damage caused by improper waste disposal.
Businesses have a duty of care to follow any laws and regulations related to managing their waste correctly, as failure to do so, could result in fines or other penalties.
You also have a legal obligation to make sure that all your staff are aware of any procedures that they need to carry out in regards to managing your business waste. Make sure that you have information readily available for your staff, so that they can make better decisions when it comes to the removal of waste around your workplace.
We don't want to scare you but it is imperative that you always check to see that you will receive a Duty of Care certificate from the company & if they are hold a Waste Carriers Licence.
As a business you have a legal obligation to manage your waste effectively and correctly, without harming the environment. Find a company who are certified and offer a professional waste service, and you will always receive a Duty of Care certificate. This covers you and the company if anything does go wrong with the waste collected.
All successful waste companies will have to own a Waste Carriers Licence. This is to make sure that these companies are taking all reasonable steps to ensure all waste management needs are taken care of and reported on.
Waste companies will also receive or have to produce a waste transfer note whenever waste is transported and left at another location.
This is the quickest and simplest way to check that they are a legitimate business providing a high level of service to customers.
A key to finding the right waste service for your business is to recognise what potential waste you will be producing, the frequency it will need collecting & the size of the bins you will need. From there, you will be able to choose a waste management company that matches up with what your business needs. There's lots of options to choose from when disposing of waste. Whether that's bags, bins, skips, FEL's, RORO's, Recycling, Waste Compactors or Hazardous and clinical waste. So just check that they offer the service that you need.
Always make sure to find out what areas they operate in and the frequency that they visit that area. Nobody wants to be left with a pile of waste that they can't get rid of! If you're a busy city centre restaurant for example, then you may need a daily collection. Just double check how how you need a collection and if that can be provided.
Ensure that this is either covered within the total price of the contract, or if this is an extra charge. Various companies will provide the Duty of Care free, whilst others may charge for this service as well as charging for the rental of the bin that will be on your premises.
Some waste companies will charge an excess weight fee. If this isn't properly explained to you before, make sure you ask the waste service provider, if there is any charge and if so what that charge is. You may find some companies will give you a really cheap quote with a small weight allowance, resulting in you getting charged more each month. This is a really important question to ask when getting a quote as your monthly bill can significantly increase once the excess waste fee is added. Please always check the small print.
Contract lengths vary for waste providers, but, the usual contract length is 12 months. Make sure that you are aware of the contract length before you sign up, as if you aren't happy with the service, the last thing you want to do is be held within a contract for 2-3 years!
Again, this is another question that needs to be asked when managing your business waste. If the waste provider has a 14 day auto renewal policy, but you have to cancel within 30 days of the auto renewal date, then this can leave you with a couple of weeks to cancel before it auto renews! Always make sure to get as much detail as possible from the waste provider before you sign up to their service.
Good question! Business waste management is a peculiar industry in the way that some companies use brokers/sub-contractors to fulfil waste collections. This means that the waste broker won't own any bins or wagons, they will simply focus on customer service, sign up a customer and then pass them onto one of their suppliers to collect.
If you ever find as a business owner, that the company that you have dealing with, sends another company to collect your waste, then you have most likely been using a broker and the company that collects is the sub-contractor. This is why it is key to choose the right waste management.
The only other industry that uses brokers so predominantly is the Insurance industry, and no more needs to be said about that.
Another crucial question that can often go missed. Managing your business cashflow is one of the most important aspects of business, so it is important that you know exactly when and what amount will have to be paid. It may need paying upfront, in advance or monthly. This will help you in the long run as you will always know what is coming out.
One way to measure how much a waste company values your business is to observe their reaction to your initial contact with them. Large, well-established waste providers may not always prioritise customer service due to the quantity of clients they manage day to day. Alternatively, smaller companies are likely to be more responsive and aim to win your trust by putting in that extra bit of effort!
In our opinion there are 4 different options for you to choose from when choosing a waste management provider.
Local Independent Collector Like Busy Bins | Waste Broker | Council | Large Corporate like Biffa | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cost | Fair pricing as efficient operation with no CEO taking ridiculous wage. | A Broker Fee is charged on top of the collection. | Don't have to charge VAT so an option for Micro Businesses. | Always check for Hidden Fees. |
| Service Levels & Reliability | Reliable as livelihood depends on customers. | Little control or accountability. Providers may change throughout the duration of contract. | Varies depending on the self motivation of the staff on the frontline and the commitment of management. | May neglect smaller customers. May have high staff turnover. |
| Service Options | Less Options (Like FEL's or compactors) compared to large corporates. | One Stop Shop for companies with complex waste management needs | Commercial Waste not offered by all councils. | One Stop Shop for companies with complex waste management needs. |
| Ease | Good online offering and open to working with customers in a flexible way. | As a middleman they can be slow to get a response when a problem occurs. | Not usually at the cutting edge with technology or customer service. | Good online offering but not open to customer feedback. |
| Communication & Customer Service | Easy to get in touch with and quick to respond | Easy to get in touch with but slower to respond as they have to get information back from the company that carried out the actual collection. | Can be difficult to get in touch with. | Can be difficult to deal with an individual who knows your account when you run into problems. |
| Choice of Provider | Direct Collector - 100% control | Less control over suppliers as not carrying out the job themselves. | With privatisation not all councils now carry out collections themselves. | Direct Collector - 100% control |
| Access to Special Offers | Yes | Sometimes | No | Yes |
| Good for the Local Economy | Yes. They use local staff and local suppliers & keep money in the area for longer. | No | Neutral | No |
| Good Local Knowledge | Yes | No | Yes | No |
With all the stresses of running a business everyday, the last thing on your mind is what bin size you will need to collect your waste. Not to worry! The first step to choosing the correct size of bin for you, is to decide what type of waste you are going to be disposing of.
There are a variety of bins & bin sizes to consider when you go to choose a company.
The waste your business produces will differ with each industry.
For example, Schools would most likely produce General Waste, Cardboard, Food Waste & Mixed Recycling but most likely wouldn't need a Glass bin. Whereas Restaurants would have all types of bins and Garages would most likely just have General Waste & Cardboard.
The different types of waste are:
General Waste - This is your most generic waste stream, this is mostly used for non recyclable waste materials. You can't just dispose of anything into a general waste bin though. Construction waste; bricks, plaster, rubble, soil; medical waste, clinical waste, hazardous waste; flammable waste like car batteries CANNOT be put into any bins and need to be collected separately.
Ideal for: Most businesses.
Cardboard & Paper - Simple one. This is a collection of any of your Cardboard & Paper.
Ideal for: Offices, Schools & Education, Retail, Hotels, Manufacturing & Warehousing, Health & Social, Motor & Transport Industry., Domestic Accommodation.
Glass - Collection of Glass and Glass Bottles. (No Bags)
Ideal for: Hospitality, Pubs, Bars, Cafe's, Hotels, Restaurants & Events.
Food Waste - Collection of all food waste products. (Compostable Bags Only)
Ideal for: Schools, Canteens, Hospitality, Restaurants, Hotels, Pubs, Takeaways, Cafes And Food Wholesales or Manufactures.
Dry Mixed Recycling - Collection of Small Plastic Bottles, Food Cans, Cartons, Foil & Aluminium Cans
Ideal for: Schools, Restaurants, Domestic Accommodation, Hotels
Some collection companies may also offer additional services as well, such as, Confidential or Hazardous waste collection.
Once you have decided what waste streams your business creates, you can then look at the amount of waste you think you will be producing each week & what size bin this will need.
You may think every wagon is the same, but you would be amazed at how many different vehicle types are out there! We are fun at parties we promise!
These all relate to how much waste the vehicle can hold.
No doubt the first thing that springs to mind is Google. Which is always a convenient step when looking to choose the best supplier for your business. Just be careful, as some waste suppliers will actively pay to be at the top of the listings, without being as reputable or trustworthy as some of the other suppliers. Make sure to always check reviews & their waste carrier licence.
Alternatively, what you may find to be the most effective way is to have a chat with businesses around you or in your local area when networking. You will always find that similar business industries to yourself, may have different suppliers that they trust, that you wouldn't have ever thought of using. It is important to choose the right waste management company.
Waste disposal can be done in a variety of ways & this will differ with what waste type you are disposing of & what waste collection service you choose. So always make sure to choose the company that offers the right waste management for your business & look around to see what different companies can do for you.
Some of the waste management disposal options are:
When it comes to pricing and how much it costs, there are a few factors that need to be considered, which is why each business will always look at providing a bespoke quote. These factors are:
The factors above are what will go into every single quote from a waste management business.
The costs involved for the waste management company to carry out the service are:
Once all costs are factored in an calculated per bin, the business also needs to make profit so it can reinvest in growing the vehicles, technology, staff training, basic running costs etc. This is included in every bespoke quote.
Various methods can be used to help reduce waste & save money for you and your business.
To read our privacy policy CLICK HERE
