Manufacturing businesses can produce considerable amounts of waste, and managing it isn’t always straightforward. Between everyday packaging, production offcuts, waste oils and potentially hazardous materials, waste disposal can quickly become an expensive part of running a manufacturing facility.
Unlike an office or retail business, a manufacturing site may produce several different waste streams, each with its own storage requirements and disposal regulations. Some materials can be recycled relatively easily, while others need specialist handling and documentation.
Getting waste management right isn’t simply about arranging regular collections. It’s about understanding what your facility produces, keeping your site safe and finding opportunities to reduce unnecessary disposal costs.
In this guide, we’ll look at how manufacturing companies can manage their waste more effectively, what their legal responsibilities are and where improvements can be made.
What Types of Waste Do Manufacturing Companies Produce?
The type of waste generated by a manufacturing business depends heavily on its operations. A food manufacturer will have very different requirements from an engineering company or chemical processing facility.
Most manufacturing sites produce a combination of general commercial waste and recyclable materials. Cardboard packaging, plastic wrapping, timber pallets and production offcuts are common examples. Depending on the materials involved, some of these can be collected separately and sent for recycling rather than being disposed of as general waste.
However, manufacturing facilities can also generate more complicated waste streams.
Engineering businesses, for example, may produce used lubricants, cutting fluids and contaminated materials. Chemical manufacturers may need to dispose of expired products, solvents or residues from production processes.
Other common waste streams include:
- Waste oils and industrial lubricants
- Paints, solvents and chemical residues
- Batteries and electrical equipment
- Contaminated packaging and absorbent materials
- General production and packaging waste
Identifying these materials correctly is important because different waste streams have different disposal requirements. Wastege provides hazardous waste management for businesses dealing with materials that require specialist collection and treatment.
Understanding Your Legal Responsibilities
Manufacturing companies have a legal responsibility to ensure their waste is handled and disposed of correctly.
Under the UK’s waste Duty of Care, businesses must take reasonable steps to prevent waste from being handled unlawfully. This includes describing waste accurately, storing it securely and transferring it to an appropriately authorised waste carrier.
For manufacturers producing hazardous waste, additional requirements apply. Waste must be correctly classified, and hazardous waste movements generally require consignment notes. Businesses should also retain the appropriate documentation to demonstrate that their waste has been managed correctly.
One area that can cause problems is waste classification.
Materials that appear similar may have very different disposal requirements depending on their chemical composition or contamination. For example, packaging that previously contained hazardous chemicals may need specialist disposal, even if the packaging itself appears empty.
Our guide to hazardous waste regulations explains the responsibilities businesses need to understand when handling and disposing of these materials.
It’s worth reviewing these arrangements whenever production processes change or new materials are introduced.
Separating Waste at the Point of Production
One of the simplest ways to improve waste management is to separate materials where they’re produced rather than sorting everything at the end of the process.
When recyclable materials are mixed with general waste, opportunities for recycling can be lost. If hazardous materials contaminate otherwise recyclable waste, disposal can become considerably more complicated and expensive.
For manufacturing businesses, this often means positioning suitable containers near production areas and ensuring employees understand which materials belong in them.
An engineering workshop might need dedicated containers for metal offcuts, separate storage for waste oils and appropriate disposal arrangements for contaminated absorbents. A packaging manufacturer may benefit from collecting cardboard and plastic separately before either material becomes contaminated.
The right approach depends on your production processes, but waste segregation should be considered when designing the workflow rather than treated as an afterthought.
Choosing suitable skips and bins for different waste streams can make segregation easier and prevent materials from accumulating around production areas.
It’s also important to ensure that incompatible hazardous materials are never mixed.
Managing Hazardous Waste in Manufacturing
Hazardous waste is one of the more complicated aspects of manufacturing waste management.
Many industrial processes involve chemicals, oils or other substances that can present risks to employees and the environment if they’re stored or disposed of incorrectly.
Even businesses that don’t manufacture hazardous products may generate hazardous waste through equipment maintenance, cleaning or production activities.
Used oils, for example, may contain contaminants picked up during operation. Solvents used for cleaning machinery can also become hazardous waste once they’ve been used.
These materials need to be assessed and stored appropriately before collection. Containers should be suitable for their contents, clearly labelled and protected against damage. Where liquids could escape, appropriate secondary containment may also be necessary.
Businesses dealing with solvents, acids or other industrial chemicals can find further information in our guide to chemical waste disposal.
Storage is equally important. Depending on the materials involved, manufacturers may require specialist containers, bunded storage or suitable drums for waste storage to prevent leaks and reduce the risk of contamination.
Manufacturers should also consider what happens when waste is collected. An appropriately authorised carrier must be used, and the waste must be transferred to a facility permitted to receive it.
How Often Should Manufacturing Waste Be Collected?
There’s no standard collection schedule that works for every manufacturing facility.
A business operating several production lines around the clock will generate waste at a different rate from a smaller manufacturer operating five days a week. Production schedules, seasonal demand and the materials being processed can all influence collection requirements.
For general waste and recycling, the aim should be to arrange collections frequently enough to prevent waste accumulating without paying for unnecessary visits.
Hazardous waste requires additional consideration. Storage capacity, the properties of the materials and any applicable regulatory requirements will influence how long waste can remain on site.
Manufacturing businesses should review their collection arrangements whenever production volumes change. A schedule that worked when a facility was operating at half capacity may no longer be suitable after expansion.
Equally, if production has slowed or recycling has improved, there may be opportunities to reduce collection frequency.
We’ve covered this in more detail in our guide to how often your business waste should be collected.
Reducing Waste Management Costs
Waste disposal is an operating expense, but it’s also an area where manufacturers can sometimes make substantial savings.
The first step is understanding exactly what you’re paying for.
Some facilities continue using collection arrangements that were established years ago, despite significant changes to production. Others dispose of recyclable materials as general waste because they haven’t reviewed their waste segregation processes.
Looking at the volume and composition of each waste stream can reveal where improvements are possible.
For example, a manufacturer producing large quantities of cardboard packaging may benefit from separating and compacting it rather than filling general waste containers. Similarly, reviewing how production materials are ordered and stored may help reduce the amount of expired or unusable material that eventually requires disposal.
Hazardous waste deserves particular attention because specialist treatment can be expensive. Preventing unnecessary contamination and keeping compatible waste streams appropriately segregated can help avoid additional disposal costs.
A professional waste evaluation can identify where your existing arrangements could be improved and whether your current containers and collection schedules remain appropriate.
What About Industrial Cleaning and Maintenance Waste?
Manufacturing waste isn’t limited to the materials left over from production.
Industrial facilities also generate waste through maintenance, cleaning and equipment servicing. This might include contaminated wash water, residues from tanks or materials recovered during machinery cleaning.
These waste streams can be overlooked when arranging a general waste contract, particularly if they’re only produced during scheduled shutdowns or maintenance work.
Planning ahead is important. If a production line needs cleaning during a limited shutdown window, waste removal should be arranged alongside the maintenance work rather than after it has finished.
For facilities that use bunded storage areas, regular maintenance and industrial bund cleaning can help manage accumulated liquids and contamination.
Coordinating these services with your wider waste management arrangements can reduce disruption and prevent waste from building up during maintenance periods.
Choosing a Waste Management Company for Your Manufacturing Site
Manufacturing businesses often need more than a company that empties bins.
A suitable waste management provider should understand the materials your business produces and be able to arrange appropriate collections without disrupting production. This becomes particularly important when dealing with hazardous materials or waste generated during scheduled maintenance.
It’s also worth considering whether your provider can manage several waste streams. Using multiple contractors isn’t necessarily a problem, but coordinating separate collections and maintaining different sets of documentation can create additional administration.
Before agreeing to a contract, make sure you understand which waste streams are covered, how collections will be arranged and what happens if your requirements change.
For hazardous waste, you should also confirm that the appropriate carrier authorisations and disposal arrangements are in place.
How Wastege Supports Manufacturing Companies
Wastege works with manufacturing and industrial businesses across the UK, providing waste management services that reflect the demands of individual facilities.
Whether you need ongoing commercial waste collections, specialist hazardous waste disposal or support with waste generated during industrial maintenance, we can review your requirements and recommend a suitable approach.
Our team can help identify the waste streams your facility produces, arrange appropriate storage and coordinate collections around your production schedule.
We also understand that manufacturing requirements change. New production lines, changes in raw materials and fluctuations in output can all affect how much waste your business generates.
Rather than leaving your existing arrangements unchanged, we’ll help you review your waste management as your operations develop.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is manufacturing waste?
Manufacturing waste includes unwanted materials generated during production, maintenance and other industrial activities. It can include general commercial waste, recyclable packaging, production offcuts and hazardous materials such as contaminated oils or chemicals.
Do manufacturing companies need a hazardous waste collection service?
Only if they produce waste classified as hazardous. Many manufacturing processes generate hazardous waste through production, maintenance or cleaning activities, so it’s important to assess the materials your facility produces.
Can manufacturing waste be recycled?
Many materials generated during manufacturing can be recycled, including certain metals, cardboard, plastics and other production materials. However, recycling options depend on the material’s composition and whether it has been contaminated.
How can manufacturers reduce waste disposal costs?
Reviewing waste segregation, collection frequency and container capacity is a useful starting point. Reducing waste at the production stage can also lower disposal costs, particularly where expensive specialist waste streams are involved.
Arrange Manufacturing Waste Collection
If you’re reviewing waste management at your manufacturing facility or need a reliable provider for specialist industrial waste, Wastege can help.
We work with businesses across the UK to arrange practical waste management solutions, from routine collections to complex hazardous waste disposal.
Contact Wastege today to discuss your requirements and request a free, no-obligation quotation.