Commercial waste: here’s what you need to know
If you’ve got a business, big or small, you’ll be producing waste. Commercial waste is a cost that’s often overlooked by businesses, which is surprising given that it’s a guaranteed overhead and has a direct impact on a business’ bottom line.
The savviest businesses plan ahead and make sure their commercial waste disposal is a seamless process. After all, nobody wants to find themselves with unplanned costs when they have a business to run and every penny counts.
Luckily for you, when it comes to commercial waste, we have the answers. Read on to find a commercial waste solution that works for you.
What is commercial waste?
Let’s start with the basics. Commercial waste, also known as trade or business waste, is any waste generated from commercial or business activity. In South Africa, this can also include waste that comes from construction or agricultural businesses.
Commercial or business waste is derived from a business premises that’s used predominantly for trade, sport, entertainment or recreation. It does not encapsulate industrial or household waste; only waste created from any type of commercial activity.
Commercial waste also incorporates refuse created following gardening and building work on a residential property, providing the individual undertaking the work is not the homeowner.
If the waste you create derives from one or more of the following processes, you have a legal duty to ensure it is disposed of in a legal manner:
- Waste from rented properties encountered by a landlord or their letting agent.
- Waste derived at residential properties by contractors and builders.
- Waste collected from a residential property by a commercial organisation in exchange for payment.
- Waste from a residential property brought to a recycling site by anyone other than the homeowner.
- Waste from home-based business activities such as hairdressing, accountancy, woodwork etc.
As a business owner, it is your legal responsibility to ensure all your commercial waste is handled and disposed of properly. You are required to comply with the legislation which demonstrates how commercial or business waste should be stored, transported, disposed of and recorded.
Can I dispose of commercial waste myself?
Yes, you can. Any business that transports or disposes of commercial waste will need to become a ‘registered waste carrier’. You’ll also need to keep written information about your waste disposal for a minimum of two years, and make sure you dispose of the different waste types according to South African rules and regulations.
The waste carrier license will cost a few thousand Rand a year, and on top of this you will have to factor in the costs of running a vehicle, the man hours involved, and the cost of actually disposing of the rubbish. It quickly adds up.
Given the amount of time, resources and money this can involve, many businesses opt to have their rubbish collected by an approved waste carrier.
How much does commercial waste collection cost?
It’s hard to give a precise figure for how much your commercial waste collection will cost without knowing more details about your business and its needs. However, your answers to the following questions will help you determine whether the cost is likely to be high or low:
- How many times a week or month do you need your waste collected?
- What types of waste (hazardous, electrical, clinical, packaging etc.) do you produce?
- How much rubbish do you produce, and how much does it weigh?
- Where are you based?
Naturally, if you need daily collections of large volumes of hazardous waste, and you’re in a remote location, you can expect to pay a lot more than a city-based business which only needs infrequent collections of small amounts paper and packaging.
So, what can you do to get an accurate idea of the cost for your business? Well, the easiest way is to get a tailored quote. You can do this by clicking on this link. There’s no obligation and it only takes a minute.
What happens if commercial waste is incorrectly dealt with?
The government takes a very hard line with companies that dispose of their waste illegally. In fact, companies have previously been fined up to R1,000,000 for dumping their rubbish.
With as much as 37 million tonnes of commercial waste going to landfill each year, every business has a social responsibility to dispose of our waste in the most eco-friendly way possible.
Having an external company manage your waste not only saves you a lot of time and stress, it can also help you reach your green goals, too.
Want to find out more?
We’ve answered some of the most commonly asked commercial waste questions above.
Need a commercial waste management company, but not sure where to start? Contact us for a quotation today