In order to maximize profit, businesses look to cut costs at every possible point in their operations. For businesses hoping to save money and grow revenue, sometimes all they need to examine is their waste. 

That’s right—your business could be losing money by neglecting your waste management strategy. Recycling for businesses is an often overlooked method of reducing waste and cutting costs.

Let’s uncover exactly how businesses can save money by recycling.

How Commercial Recycling Can Save Your Business Money

1. Reduce Waste Management Costs

Diverting any level of waste from your trash bin is a quick and easy way to lower hauling costs. 

Trash disposal costs are directly linked to how often your business requires pick-ups, as well as your total volume of waste. By implementing a commercial recycling program, you are sure to decrease the total amount of waste your company sends to the landfill. This, in turn, lowers the frequency of trash pickups and drives down hauler costs.

You may be surprised how much of the waste taking up valuable space in your trash can actually be recycled. Try partnering with a recycling service for businesses to audit your waste for recyclable items.

Wondering what makes something recyclable? Head to our recyclable material guide to learn more. 

2. Longer Product Life Cycles

Businesses can save money on frequently-bought supplies when they prioritize recycling and waste reduction.

For instance, buying reusable products like glassware once will reduce the need for your office’s quarterly purchase of single-use plastic cups. 

Aside from purchasing reusable products instead of single-use, businesses can also reuse existing material to fully replace any new purchases. For example, try reusing cardboard boxes for your next shipment, or use them for office storage. Or, try saving your shredded paper to use as shipping padding.

Bottom line? Save money on supplies—and purchase new products less—by prioritizing commercial recycling.

3. Selling Valuable Recyclables

Outside of cutting waste management costs, some recycling initiatives can even make businesses money. 

You know what they say: one man’s trash is another’s treasure. This is also true for your business’s trash. In fact, it’s likely that a lot of the waste your business produces can be sold to recycling facilities as a means of extra revenue. 

Audit the type of waste your business currently produces so that you can begin to identify any potentially valuable materials. 

Materials that can be sold to recyclers include:

4. Avoid Fines and Stay Compliant

Recycling for businesses also provides insurance against the ever-changing regulations of commercial waste management.

Waste management regulation typically happens on a local scale, and readily impacts businesses in the area. Depending on your municipality, your business could be at risk of violating waste regulations across a variety of areas, including:

  • Mandatory recycling laws and landfill bans
  • Electronic waste regulations 
  • Hazardous waste disposal
  • And more.

By prioritizing the proper sorting and recycling of all materials, you minimize any regulatory risks or missteps within your local waste regulations. 

Optimizing your business’s waste streams now can also provide a great foundation to prepare your company for any future regulatory restrictions. 

Many businesses see waste management as an inevitable, sunk cost. In reality, every business can take steps to optimize their waste streams, increase recycling rates, and drive down costs. 

At Rubicon, our mission is to end waste. We’ll find a place for every piece of waste, regardless of size or material composition. Contact us today!