Most companies are unaware of the true cost of waste to their business. Figures of 4-5 % of turnover are generally quoted but it may be higher and as much as 10% is not unusual.

The ETBPP guidance GG38 suggests that most companies can reduce operating costs by at least 1% of turnover by implementing fairly simple waste management controls.

Companies often feel that introducing waste management programmes or improving environmental performance will cost money rather than saving it, but a good waste minimisation programme will review how waste arises in the business, help the company to develop solutions and both reduce costs and improve environmental performance.

The table below indicates some of the savings made during the Dee Catchment Waste minimisation project, which ran for 18 months. As can be seen from the table the method is beneficial to both small and large companies.

Company

£ achieved Savings/annum

Number of opportunities identified

Number of employees

British Aerospace Airbus

126,000

3

2200

British Steel, Shotton

784,000

5

1,600

GS Packaging

516,000

10

100

Kimberly-Clark

397,000

4

85

Kronospan

811,000

6

460

KnitMesh

125,000

9

220

Mixalloy

392,000

5

75

Optical Fibres

510,000

18

550

Owens Cornong

340,000

25

530

Rexam Cutsom

210,000

120

100

Royal Ordnance

91,000

8

580

Sharp Manufacturing

100,000

10

1,100

Tarmac Quarry Products

161,000

8

16