It might be hard to believe where the British weather is concerned, but summer is coming, and temperatures are set to rise. For many, this is considered to be a good thing, but if you have business waste to deal with, it can cause you another headache. That is why it is important to get your business waste processes in place before the heat starts to rise.
In this article, we take a look at the effect that summer can have on your business waste management and what your needs might be during the season, as well as the best ways for you to handle it.
1. Summer weather
So far, we have already seen temperatures soaring, and according to most long-range weather forecasts, we are in for a very warm summer. This year is set to be hotter than average, and even though we can always expect the odd shower, it is likely to be particularly dry as well. It will come as no surprise that this is a trend that is set to continue as a result of climate change, so each summer could well be hotter than the last.
2. Business waste increases
All businesses create some form a waste, and you should already have processes in place to deal with this. This should include as much as recycling as possible and organised waste collections to ensure that everything is taken away on a regular basis.
With many more events taking place, such as festivals and big sporting events, you might find that your business is much busier than normal, especially if you work in hospitality.
3. Summer odours
It might not be something that you have realised before, but during the summer, businesses can often produce more waste than they would usually. This is not just something which is inconvenient but can also create a number of environmental hazards.
Businesses who work in the food industry and hazardous waste can find that the increased temperatures cause a lot of foul smells to start to arise. This is because heat and humidity will allow bacteria to grow faster, causing these odours to occur more quickly than normal, and they can be stronger, meaning that they travel further and hang around for longer.
4. Pests
These smells are not just unpleasant, but they can also attract pests such as flies, rats, mice, foxes and birds. These can cause their own health problems by spreading disease, laying eggs that can lead to maggots and rip open any garbage bags or boxes, causing more mess and disturbance.
5. Hazardous substances
In addition to this, the heat can cause certain chemical reactions to take place. Items such as rags socked in oil, batteries, lighter fluid, aerosol cans and propane tanks can spontaneously combust in the right conditions, whilst others can start to give off noxious gases.
As the summer is set to be dry, you might find that a lot of your waste also becomes dry, meaning that a single spark from something as simple as a cigarette butt could easily start a fire.
This means that your waste during the summer is not just unsightly, but also incredibly dangerous.
6. Summer waste management strains
With added concerns over your waste this summer, you need to make sure that your waste management systems are set to cope. Now is a good time to carry out a waste audit to help you understand what waste you are producing, how you are currently dealing with it and how it is likely to increase over the summer months. This will put you in a better position to prepare for what is coming next and can help you to change your waste management strategy accordingly.
Your first priority should be working out how you can reduce the waste that you create by looking at whether you can use old stock or reduce what you are ordering. When you do order, try to put an emphasis on putting your money into reusable items rather than anything disposable, and see whether there are things on your shopping list that you actually do not need at all.
You then also need to look at your recycling strategies, to make sure that you are recycling everything. This will mean putting in place systems to separate your waste in order to make it easier to identify what can be recycled and then deal with it accordingly.
Once you have examined what you throw away, you need to look at how you do it. During the summer, bin hygiene is more important than ever. You should make sure that all bins and waste containers are thoroughly cleaned and sanitised every time that they are empty to avoid the build up of anything that might cause odours. If you work with a waste management company, they can provide you with the tools to do this and may even be able to do it for you.
It is also important to make sure that your waste is stored safely. Make sure that anything that might be flammable is stored safely away from naked flames, and that hazardous materials are stored in cool and dry locations. Food waste should be put into bins which can be sealed in order to prevent odours from escaping and to keep pests at bay.
Waste management companies can help you to take a lot of this hassle away as they are equipped to perform a waste management audit for you. They can then help to organise your waste, including providing more bins and containers and increasing your waste collections to make sure there are no overflowing bins, and nothing is hanging around for too long.
Summer can put a tremendous strain on your waste management, so it is important to address it before it gets a chance to become a problem. This not only makes your working environment more pleasant but can also mean that you are not creating any health and safety issues that could potentially be dangerous.
Author Bio: Flame UK are independent specialists in sustainable waste management in Nottingham & offer cost-effective total waste management services and sustainable solutions.
