Rightsizing Your Service & Container

Being able to estimate how much recycling your business is going to produce will ensure that you maximize the savings available to you from recycling.  By ‘rightsizing’ the container to your needs, you can avoid overflowing or underused containers-- and avoid paying for them.  The same rule applies for the frequency of service. 

The following general guidelines apply:

• Total solid waste should fit the containers provided to you by your hauler. No waste should ever "sit" on the ground inside or outside enclosures.
• Your dumpsters or carts should generally be full by pickup day. If you notice quite a bit of room left over on collection days, contact your waste hauler(s) to discuss smaller containers. 
• If you have space limitations, and therefore require a smaller container, be sure that your hauler picks up frequently enough that your containers do not overflow.
• Always request for extra containers to be removed from your property. You don't want to pay for anything that you do not need.
• It is not necessarily true that your waste will increase as your business does. Aim to keep your total waste static, or to reduce it. This will lower your collection fees and allow you to keep more of the profits.
• As you increase recycling, your should see garbage decrease. Make sure to ask for new small garbage containers so that you do not pay for excess capacity.
• When calculating the size of the recycling container you will need, be sure to subtract out the recyclables that you send directly to processors. For example, if you have an agreement to send pallets or ink cartridges directly to vendors who re-use those, you should not include them when calculating the waste picked up by your hauler.

Talk to a licensed waste hauler to help determine the size and collection needs of your business.  Remember, you don’t have to use the same hauler for waste and recycling, so be sure to call and get quotes from several haulers. Be sure to read contracts carefully. Look for information regarding container size. Before you sign, make sure you are not locked in to one size container for the life of your contract.