By Teem Services
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June 18, 2018
Leftover waste is a continual problem, across all exhibitions and all industries we operate in. Venues are charging ever-increasing fee's for waste clearance, meaning Organisers are left with astronomical costs to dispose of stand building refuse and product packaging waste which isn't theirs. We are still, sadly, having the same conversations with the same companies about taking responsibility for the waste they generate. To take responsibility, is to completely remove all waste from site, and dispose of it in an environmentally manner. On the surface of things, it may seem like a more cost effective manner to leave carpet tucked just out of sight, or leave your leftover chipboard in a void or just outside a VE door. There are hundreds upon hundreds of reasons to act responsibly, but to tackle the "it's cheaper, out of sight out of mind" mindset which many contracting companies adopt, these are our top 3 reasons why it's more financially viable to think green. 1) Primarily, you avoid the charges! If we can identify the waste which has been left behind onsite, we can provide that information to organisers for them to recover the waste clearance charges from the client. Due to the extra steps involved, there's a call for those charges to be increased due to the extra costs off labour. 2) There's pressure from every angle for companies to run sustainability initiatives and act greener; and this is an ethic which will extend into contractor selection. Should word get out that a contracting company is known for fly-tipping in favour of lower costs, the chances of that company having a successful bid for tender are drastically reduced. Conversely, promoting sustainability initiatives can be a great pull for new clients and boost your business. 3) It's a case of the many paying for the few. The costs to dispose of the waste you leave behind is directly left with the organiser. Higher costs fro the show, means a call for higher prices to exhibit. Frankly, it's unfair that these effects across the board are a result of the few companies who are favouring their own quick cost savings over aiding in the solution to the problem. In essence, this is a call for companies to do the decent thing and take responsibility for your own waste. There are benefits of thinking green, but moreover to deliberately choose to leave waste behind is to choose an irresponsible and shoddy solution to something which shouldn't be a problem in the first place. If you're looking to continue looking at implementing greener processes for your business, first of all thank you, and secondly have a browse of the following to get you on your way https://www.gov.uk/topic/environmental-management/waste https://www.gov.uk/browse/environment-countryside/recycling-waste-management https://environmentagency.blog.gov.uk/2015/09/17/who-is-responsible-for-waste/ http://www.hse.gov.uk/waste/index.htm