Sustainability has become a genuine priority for businesses operating warehouses. For many managers, “sustainability” may conjure up images of costly overhauls, such as new machinery and entire process redesigns. However, some of the most effective ways to green your supply chain cost very little. Cutting warehouse waste is one of the easiest places to start, writes Dan Starnes, Sales Director at goplasticpallets.com.
The latest available figures from Defra put Commercial and Industrial (C&I) waste generation in England at 32.6 million tonnes a year. That alone explains why sustainability needs to sit at the centre of day-to-day operations.
The case for tackling waste goes well beyond the environment too. It saves money and time and makes daily operations more efficient. Fewer wasted materials mean fewer wasted hours, and less to handle or dispose of.
It matters commercially too, since many companies now only work with suppliers who can show genuine green credentials. Poor waste management also tends to go hand in hand with poor housekeeping, cluttered aisles, trip hazards and overflowing bins, which raise the risk of accidents.
What can you do to cut warehouse waste?
Start by walking the warehouse floor and analysing how work actually gets done. How do staff manage waste? Where does packaging pile up? Where has stock been sitting untouched for months? A waste audit like this costs nothing but time.
Packaging is also one of the biggest opportunities. Cardboard is cheap upfront, but every damaged box has to be replaced. Reusable plastic boxes and containers are built to survive thousands of cycles and hold-up far better in damp or variable conditions. The initial cost is higher, but the cost per use drops sharply over the container’s lifespan. Making the switch will also save you the time it takes to regularly reorder and dispose of cardboard.
Choosing the correct sized packaging matters just as much. Oversized boxes and excess void fill waste materials and money, and some carriers charge based on dimensional weight rather than actual weight. Try to use the smallest box that will safely protect your products. This reduces the amount of cardboard, void fill and tape being used across your operation, while also freeing up valuable space on pallets, in vehicles and across the warehouse floor.
Picking the right size of pallet box or container is also important. Foldable containers and sleeve packs collapse down when empty, freeing up valuable floor space. Our CabCube XL range is hugely popular with businesses that have been previously forced to use metal stillages or custom-built wooden crates, which take up far more room and cost considerably more to source. If you currently use plastic pallet wrap to secure your products when in storage or during shipment, then making the switch to sleeve packs will boost your green credentials significantly.
Housekeeping changes will help too. More recycling bins, placed strategically, make staff more likely to use them properly. Clear signage and proper training are a must. Appointing an internal waste champion will help to maintain standards.
Finally, look at who you partner with. Carefully select a waste management supplier with a good reputation or explore what schemes are available with existing partners. At goplasticpallets.com, we have just reached an important milestone – 3,000 tonnes of plastic recycled since 2019 – the equivalent of taking 640 cars off the road for a year.
Cutting warehouse waste does not demand a complete operational overhaul. Small, low-cost changes can be rolled out almost immediately. Meanwhile, investment in reusable packaging pays for itself many times over through reduced costs and less waste sent to landfill.
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