1. Carefully review your waste collection contract.
It’s vital that you carefully review your contract with your waste collection company. Most waste contracts auto-renew and include automatic rate increases and sneaky termination clauses that make it costly for you to change collection services.
But don’t let an auto-renewing bill fool you—you should still review it carefully for errors, extra charges, and increased fees. If anything stinks, contact your waste collection company to negotiate the terms. Or, have SM Engineering negotiate for you.
2. Many fees and charges on your garbage bill aren’t legit.
Regulatory recovery fees and fuel/environmental fees sound genuine. But don’t be fooled. Sure, the company can charge these fees, but they are not required by your state or municipality. Here’s a list of the most common charges we see on garbage bills that look required but are in fact negotiable:
- Fuel and environmental fees
- Non-tax fees
- Regulatory recovery fees
- Overage charges
- Administrative fees
- Furniture removal charges
It’s your responsibility as a business owner to understand these fees and charges and negotiate them in your waste collection contract.
3. Separating your waste can save you money (and help you make more money).
If your waste collection company offers recycling and composting, take advantage of these programs. Often, bundling garbage collection, recycling collection, and composting can save you money. Not only are you making your waste collection more efficient, you’re also making your company more sustainable, which is attractive to your consumers.
Many counties offer grants to companies who develop more efficient and sustainable waste management plans. This can include separating your waste, recycling, and composting, and other company initiatives that reduce waste in the first place. Some of these grants offer up to $25,000.
Ready to review your garbage bill but not sure where to start? SM Engineering can help. In our experience, we’re able to negotiate a 20 to 25 percent savings for companies. Contact SM Engineering today for a free review of your garbage bill.
