The United States generates a lot of trash. The Environmental Protection Agency states that 267.8 million tons of Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) were generated in 2018. That number keeps climbing, as well, increasing from 262.1 million tons in 2015.
With increasing amounts of solid waste to contend with, waste management services are essential. It also means it can be more costly, as well. Americans were spending $12.1 billion on waste management services as of 2019. Clearly waste management isn’t cheap!
We’re going to show you how you can get the best waste removal service possible for the least amount of money.
How To Find The Right Waste Removal Service
There are numerous reasons that finding the right waste removal service is so important. It’s important for the environment, first and foremost, as waste management services usually collect recycling, and sometimes even compost, along with solid waste that’s meant for the landfill. It’s important that trash be collected on a regular basis, as well, as trash and recycling can be scattered all over creation due to inclement weather or scavenging.
Trash becomes litter, at that point. These solid wastes can then be leeched into the soil, where it can taint the ground itself as well as the water table.
Scattered garbage is unsightly, as well. This is another reason that finding the right trash removal service matters so much. You need your garbage to be collected on a reasonable timetable for your particular needs. Otherwise landfill waste and recycling can overflow, causing pollution and acting as an eyesore.
Improperly collected garbage can even become a health hazard, in some instances. Some trash can be physically dangerous, from broken glass to cords or twine that could act as a tripping hazard.
Last but not least, finding the right waste removal service is important for your pocketbook. You don’t want your trash to be collected too regularly, making you pay for services you don’t need. Not having your garbage collected often enough can end up costing you money as well, however. Perhaps you need to pay somebody to clean up garbage that’s been scattered about. Or, in the worst case scenario, you could left with medical bills or even legal fees.
With all of that in mind, here are some things to keep in mind to help you selected the trash disposal service that’s right for you!
Reliability
The first and most important thing in choosing the right waste management service is finding one that you can count on. Reliability is even more important for trash removal than nearly any other utility, apart from maybe electricity. You could probably get by without water or gas for a few days if push came to shove. Missing a trash collection or two could mean being up to your chin in overflowing trash, with all of the problems that come with it.
This means you need to find a trash collection agency you can trust. You should research a waste management service like you would any other business. Start by browsing local job listing sites like Angie’s List or Yelp. Look around at the top rated trash management companies in your area. You should cross-reference those reviews, as well, against another review site. This will help you verify that these reviews are legit.
As with any other business, word-of-mouth recommendations are also invaluable. You should ask other people who work in a similar sector what waste management company they use to see if they have any they could recommend. These reviews are guaranteed to be reliable and trustworthy as they’re not going to be sponsored or paid reviews.
Types Of Waste
Residential and commercial aren’t the only industries that need a trash removal service, of course. Construction companies often need to remove debris, as well. This is especially true if there’s any kind of demolition going on.
If you’re doing a construction or demolition project, you’ll need to check and see if the waste management company handles individual projects rather than having an on-going contract. Check and see if they rent out industrial dumpsters. If they do, see what kind of capacity they offer and use that to approximate a budget for trash removal.
You might want to see what kind of sustainable options they have, as well. Some industrial debris removal companies offer the option to recycle construction materials. Construction waste management companies sometimes specialize in removing and recycling industrial debris. Check out Hcienv.com for an example of what these services can look like.
Some examples of specialized waste that may need a dedicated removal service include:
- Concrete waste
- HVAC debris
- Demolition debris
- Tank removal
Price
Of course, cost is going to be the deciding factor on choosing a waste removal service for a vast majority of people. In today’s hyper-competitive world, we need to save money wherever we can. No one wants to spend unnecessary money when they don’t need to.
Getting the best price on a trash removal service isn’t that dissimilar to any other expense. It does take a bit of work, but it’s more than worth it.
Start by getting a number of bids and offers from a variety of local waste management businesses. Make sure to include dumpster rental and trash hauling services to see what they charge. You should also ask other people you know in your industry and sector to get an idea of what they’re paying.
Don’t neglect smaller or independently-owned businesses, either. Many of the largest trash removal services count on the fact that business owners don’t want to read the fine print on a waste removal contract. They’re counting on you just wanting it taken care of so you don’t have to think about it any longer.
Don’t be afraid to play hard ball, either. Once you’re armed with some actual concrete data and facts, you’ll be well armed to negotiate to get the best possible price. Don’t forget to go over the contracts and bids with a fine-toothed comb, as well. Saving 15% on a two-year contract with a 10% price increase each year means you end up losing money in the long run.
Some waste management companies will offer special incentives to entice new customers, as well. You can leverage those deals for some massive savings, also.
Dumpster Size
Another thing you should keep in mind when seeking out a trash removal company is what size of dumpster you actually need. These are the kinds of details that business owners often overlook, especially if they’re not on the premises that often.
It doesn’t matter how full a dumpster is to the company that’s emptying it. They’ll be just as happy to empty a dumpster with one piece of paper in it and charge you full price.
As we said before, business owners need to save money wherever and whenever they can. You should do a cost analysis of your trash removal expenses to see if you’re really getting the best deal possible.
Say, for instance, you run an apartment complex that’s renting out an 8 cubic yard industrial dumpster. Odds are good that you don’t need that much capacity. A smaller dumpster, like you might see outside of a storefront or restaurant, would most likely suffice. It’s likely to cost far less than a dumpster used to demolition houses!
If you already have a contract for waste removal, odds are good that you signed up for this contract years ago. Your trash disposal needs have likely changed in that time. So has the industry in your area, no doubt.
If you already have a trash disposal contract, it’s time to go over it again. There are likely any number of ways that you could save money, from switching providers to downsizing your dumpsters to reducing how often your trash is collected!
Trash disposal isn’t the most exciting subject on the planet. It can be, though, when you think about it in the right way. After all, who doesn’t love saving money? And how often do you get to save money and the planet at the same time? Taking the time to investigate waste management services is one of those rare moments in life that is a win-win for all parties involved!
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Whether you’re looking for advice on how to save money on waste removal services or the latest news on SaaS, you’ll find something to inspire and inform! Browse the rest of our Business articles to get even more business inspiration!
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