5 Proven Strategies to Reduce Waste Management Costs for Your Business

As a business owner, waste management is likely one of your overlooked expenses. Many Canadian businesses overpay by 20-30% on waste services without realizing it. Here are five proven strategies to reduce your costs.

1. Audit Your Current Waste Stream

Before you can optimize, you need to understand what you’re actually throwing away. Conduct a waste audit to:

  • Identify recyclable materials going to landfill
  • Spot opportunities for waste reduction
  • Right-size your bins and pickup frequency

Impact: Businesses typically reduce waste volume by 15-25% after a proper audit.

2. Negotiate Your Contract Proactively

Most waste contracts auto-renew with annual price increases of 5-10%. Don’t accept these blindly:

  • Review your contract 6 months before renewal
  • Get competitive quotes from 3+ haulers
  • Leverage quotes to negotiate better rates with your current provider

Impact: Proactive negotiation can save 15-30% on annual costs.

3. Optimize Bin Size and Pickup Frequency

Are you paying for a bin that’s only half full? Or scheduling pickups more often than needed?

  • Monitor bin fullness for 2-4 weeks
  • Adjust bin sizes to match actual volume
  • Reduce pickup frequency if bins aren’t full

Impact: Optimizing service levels saves $100-$500 per location monthly.

4. Increase Recycling and Diversion

Landfill disposal is expensive. Recycling and composting are often cheaper:

  • Separate paper, cardboard, and plastics
  • Implement organics collection where available
  • Train staff on proper sorting

Impact: Diverting 50% of waste to recycling can reduce costs by 20-40%.

5. Hire an Expert Negotiator

Waste contracts are complex, and haulers know you’re busy running your business. Professional negotiators:

  • Have industry pricing benchmarks
  • Understand contract loopholes and fees
  • Negotiate on your behalf at no upfront cost

Impact: Expert negotiation typically achieves 20-35% savings.

Take Action Today

Implementing even one of these strategies can significantly reduce your waste management costs. At WasteWatchers, we specialize in strategy #5 - negotiating better contracts on your behalf.

Ready to save? Get a free waste cost analysis →