At HSR Services we have trained Zero Waste Business Associates who are experienced in providing expert advice regarding Zero Waste programs. Our Zero Waste Business Associates are able to guide you through the process of Zero Waste Recognition and/or Certification.
A Zero Waste Business Associate is an individual who is trained in international Zero Waste policies, principles, programs, and systems.
A Zero Waste Business Associate guides organizations and communities towards achieving their goals on the road to Zero Waste by using internationally recognized Zero Waste policies, principles, programs, and systems.
A ZWBA can help your business by:
A waste audit is when your waste going to landfill or incineration is sorted into a list of different categories by weight. A report is then created to determine how each category could be recycled or eliminated from the waste stream altogether.
1. Visual Audit – Our Zero Waste Business associates will first perform a visual audit following an initial reconnaissance visit of your facility.
2. Facility Audit – We will then identify key organizational operations, where they are situated and how they contribute to the make-up of your business’ waste.
3. Residual Waste Audit – We will perform an audit of your general waste stream destined for disposal.
4. Overall Waste Audit – We will perform a detailed audit of all existing waste streams, highlighting each category of waste and in what amounts they are present.
This baseline information will be vital in effectively informing targeted action and measuring progress.
By having another party analyze your waste going to landfill or incineration you will get an outside expert opinion on how to manage this material differently. Through recycling, elimination or substitution, your organization will save costs through avoided disposal options, such as landfilling.
An audit will also help you find solutions to help internalize the disposal cost of potentially hazardous materials that should not be disposed of in a landfill or burned in an incinerator. This will improve your organizations’ overall environmental performance which, if marketed appropriately can increase your customer base.
A Zero Waste facility is a facility that has been recognized or certified as following internationally accepted Zero Waste principals and policies, while diverting 90% or more of its discards away from incinerators and landfills.
Recognition requires only a verification of documents whereas certification requires a facility audit.
For facilities that require in-depth & regular attention, HSR Services offers on-site programs with sorters and program coordinators to manage the waste program at our customer facilities, thereby reducing contamination, transportation costs, and providing regular feedback and suggestions on program improvement.
1. Environmental: Situating your business within the realities of its larger context. Since the 1970’s the world has been in ecological deficit, with an annual demand on resources exceeding what Earth can regenerate each year. Today our global population uses the equivalent of 1.6 Earths to provide the resources we use. This means it now takes the Earth one year and six months to regenerate what we use in a year.
2. Economic: Cost reduction and value-added opportunities.
Fiscal measures are rendering end-of pipe solutions such as landfill and incineration increasingly costly, while a recognized or certified Zero Waste Business is at a competitive advantage and may market themselves accordingly.
3. Social: Leading communities to Zero Waste.
Private sector leadership is necessary in generating the appropriate behavioural changes and lifestyles among communities and systems of consumption & production for a Zero Waste society and circular economy.