Robust Waste Compliance Standards Can Save Your Company in the Long-Term
Your business success relies on more than the products you produce. In
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 be working with.
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.

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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 important because it keeps plants running safely,” says Jenn Ruminski, Senior Manager of Sales, Manufacturing and Environmental Services, at Republic Services.
The
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
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 safe.
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, which could impact your ability to get rebates for recycling materials.
Your business can avoid risks like these by creating an effective waste compliance program and training employees on how to follow it. When new materials are introduced in the manufacturing process and waste streams, amend 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 create an effective waste compliance program is to create a strategy and identify the why behind the strategy. 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 certain regulations to adhere to those sustainability standards.
It helps to work with your environmental health and safety (EHS) manager or an EHS consultant to determine how waste should be properly disposed of. A
Republic Services can help you create an action plan for how to deal with contaminants and how to identify the root cause of waste problems early. We adhere to the standards set forth by regulatory agencies and help our clients adhere, as well.
With a waste compliance program in place, make sure you educate your team on proper waste disposal. Schedule regular trainings 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
Republic Services Can Help
Republic Services provides recycling and waste management options for all types of businesses, including those in 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.
Republic Services will conduct a Manufacturing
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.
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