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Waste Tech Challenges: Exploring the Pitfalls and Frustrations
- Steve Luxford
- Apr 9
- 5 min read
In an era where the importance of environmental sustainability and reporting requirements is escalating, the necessity for accurate and current waste data has become paramount. Current waste management strategies within facilities pose significant challenges and opportunities. Effective waste management can simultaneously reduce your carbon footprint and yield economic savings, demonstrating it's not a choice between one or the other.
The pivot in the utility sector's operations towards enriched data, propelled by digital and smart technologies, is now finding its parallel in the waste management sector. Utilities have experienced notable enhancements in decision-making, operational efficiency and customer relations due to real-time data collection. In a similar vein, some within the waste industry are adopting technologies such as sensor-equipped bins and advanced tracking systems. This shift is revolutionising waste management and signifies a move towards enhanced efficiency, sustainability, and informed management, crucial for modern operational effectiveness.
The Problem
Despite the rollout of more waste technology, industry feedback frequently points to less-than-favourable experiences, such as bin fill sensors issues and the quality and completeness of data. Why is this the case?
Frequently, when a company realises the need to enhance their waste management practices, their initial strategy involves instructing their staff to weigh all waste to gain a better understanding of it. However, this method often does not align well with their particular waste management requirements. Unlike other services such as electricity and water, waste management within buildings involves numerous moving parts and touch points. Processes vary across industry sectors and even within buildings of the same sector and portfolio. Each building has its unique approach to managing waste, making it imperative for implemented technology to integrate with existing waste management flows rather than the reverse. The technology must work seamlessly with building staff, who should not have to alter their practices to accommodate the technology.
To illustrate a variety of waste management situations we've encountered across diverse sectors, we've compiled the following diagrams.
Desired Outcomes
Secondly, the desired outcomes are often overlooked when implementing technology. Generic solutions, like roll on roll off scales, are frequently viewed as a one-size-fits-all answer, which is far from accurate. Companies have diverse motivations for adopting waste technology, which should be thoughtfully considered. Common goals include but are not limited to;
Better data for sustainability reporting
Waste bill validation
Tenant back-charging,
Optimising waste costs
Improving diversion from landfill by using data-driven decisions to understand waste generation sources
Let's examine two scenarios below to determine if implementing a roll-on roll-off scale would be the appropriate solution:
1. Bill Validation Tool : The first critical step involves understanding the type and terms of the waste contract, along with the assets involved. If the billing is based on the number of bins flipped (emptied), there's no need for weighing each bin; simply counting the number of bins flipped will yield the same outcome. If the contract is based on the waste disposal weight, the expenses and effort involved in weighing all the waste must be balanced against the potential benefits of resolving invoice discrepancies. Is this exercise financially worthwhile? In such cases, it might be more efficient to conduct a one-month trial of weighing waste to assess if a larger investment would be cost-effective based on these insights. Alternatively, exploring a weight-based solution that eliminates the need for manual weighing of each bin, or any manual effort whatsoever, achieving the same benefits through a total cumulative weight will again likely yield the same outcome.
2. Encourage Tenant Waste Reduction by Implementing Cost Pass-Through
Again, the first step should involve the review of the waste management contract. If it operates on a per-bin flip basis rather than on weight, then the rationale behind weighing waste to directly recover costs from tenants becomes complex and potentially contentious. This approach would complicate the billing model and not render as a direct pass through cost, leading to potential disputes.
Moreover, it's rare for tenants to have individually assigned and clearly marked bins that are consistently transported to the waste room, making it challenging for cleaning staff or other employees to track the origin of each bin when weighing the bin in the central waste room. In situations where cleaners are tasked with collecting waste in bags and transporting it via their trolleys, expecting them to accurately remember and attribute each bag to the correct tenant is unrealistic and prone to errors.
Considering the installation of scales at each tenant's location on every floor escalates the solution's cost, likely surpassing any potential gains from recuperating waste disposal expenses. This approach not only inflates the cost significantly but also clutters the building with unnecessary equipment, contradicting the core waste management principle of reduction.
The Hidden Labour Costs
A critical yet often overlooked detail in the justification for adopting some of the waste technologies on the market is the significant increase in labour they require. If your strategy involves detailed tracking, like weighing every bag or manually scanning bins, remember the manpower this entails. Someone has to do this work, and staff need to identify each waste item's origin, or else the data loses its value. The introduction of this technology likely necessitates additional training, not just upon deployment but also with the induction of every new employee. Given the high turnover rate in the cleaning industry, a considerable amount of training is inevitable. Don't overlook these added labour costs.
Dependence on Staff Input
Most available solutions necessitate modifications to existing waste management practices, requiring manual intervention by staff for the technology to function effectively. Adding manual tasks raises the risk of inaccuracies. The high turnover among employees tasked with these technologies means ongoing training is essential, increasing the chance of errors. Even a small number of mistakes in waste recording or oversight by a new team member can compromise data integrity, significantly diminishing its value. Thus, these systems require persistent oversight and administration to guarantee their effective and accurate use, leading to extra operational expenses for the organisation.
The Solution
Successful deployment of waste management technology necessitates a tailored strategy that concentrates on the distinct needs and ambitions of every facility. The aim is to advance past one-size-fits-all solutions, guaranteeing that selected technologies align with particular waste management goals, whether that be enhancing sustainability reporting, reducing expenses, or boosting the amount of waste diverted from landfills.
Choosing the appropriate technology requires a deep understanding of a facility's waste management operations and incorporating solutions that complement, rather than complicate, these processes. Ideally, this involves the deployment of autonomous systems that operate seamlessly with staff routines, requiring no extra steps or modifications to existing practices, thus minimising manual effort and simplifying data collection without adding undue workload or significant costs. Don't be afraid of pairing a few different technologies together in order to fit the configuration across your portfolio - good solutions should be able to integrate into a single platform for easy management.
Critical to this approach is evaluating the technology's sustainability and economic impact, including hidden costs like labour and ongoing management. By matching technology to the facility's specific challenges and ensuring it can be seamlessly integrated, waste management can become more efficient, sustainable, and cost-effective, leading to long-term benefits for all stakeholders and the industry.
Steve
Shrunk Innovation Group
Smart waste strategies for complex environments.
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