How Does Commercial Waste Collection Accelerate the Circular Economy?

Circular Economy Waste

Commercial waste collection accelerates the circular economy because businesses are responsible for the vast majority of all waste: 80 to 95 percent in the Netherlands and 92 percent in Belgium. Whether you work in logistics, mobility, healthcare, or construction, valuable materials are generated at every business location. Whether those materials are lost or given a second life depends largely on how they are collected. The better the waste is sorted, the purer the stream and the higher the quality of the material that can be recycled.

What do waste and circularity have to do with each other?

In a circular economy, waste is not an end point but a source of new raw materials. This differs from a linear economy, where raw materials are extracted, turned into a product, and then discarded after use.

Circularity is about the use of raw materials, not about consumption. Materials remain in circulation for as long as possible through reuse, repair, and recycling. Waste also contains usable materials. If these are collected separately and recycled, they are not lost and can be reused. In this way, waste collection directly contributes to the circular economy.

Why does commercial waste collection, in particular, accelerate the circular economy?

Because businesses generate the largest volumes of waste—and thus the most raw materials. Households typically generate small amounts of waste, as the figures show. Businesses often have large waste streams at a single location. Think of cardboard boxes in a distribution center, plastic film in a production hall, or wooden pallets at a construction site. If waste collection at businesses is well-organized, more raw materials can be reused, which directly contributes to the circular economy.

What are the benefits of commercial waste collection for your organization?

Structured waste collection and effective waste management provide an organization with immediate economic, environmental, and operational benefits. Residual waste is the most expensive waste stream: incinerating it costs money, raw materials are lost, and it emits CO2. By better separating waste streams, you reduce the volume of residual waste. This not only means lower costs but also a positive impact on the environment.

Your company’s environmental impact is becoming increasingly important. Governments are imposing ever-stricter requirements on businesses. For example, large companies are required to report on their impact on people and the environment under the CSRD. Companies must report the exact total amount of waste produced in metric tons or kilograms. In addition, they must also specify what percentage of the waste is actually recycled and reused.

By organizing waste collection in a structured way—for example, by placing waste bins where waste is generated and collecting waste only when the containers are full—you can further reduce your environmental impact. Less transportation means lower CO2 emissions and lower transportation costs.

Which raw materials are in your waste?

Every business location generates different waste streams. In the Zero Waste Workshop, you’ll discover which waste streams your organization generates and how to separate them more effectively, so that more material gets a second life.

FAQs about commercial waste collection

What is commercial waste collection? +-

Commercial waste collection is the collection and processing of waste generated by businesses and organizations. Unlike household waste, it is not arranged by the municipality: a business is itself responsible for having its waste collected.

Is waste separation mandatory for businesses? +-

Yes, in the Netherlands and Belgium, businesses are in principle required to offer their waste separately. In the Netherlands, this is laid down in the National Waste Management Plan (LAP3); in Flanders, in VLAREMA. Exactly which streams must be separated depends on the type of waste and the quantity generated.

Which waste streams can a business collect separately? +-

Almost any stream that is generated in large or uniform quantities can be collected separately. Think of paper and cardboard, plastic film, wood, metal, glass and swill (food waste). But less obvious streams such as Styrofoam, strapping and electronics can also get a second life.

Is recycling the same as circularity? +-

No. Recycling is part of the circular economy, but it is not the same thing. Recycling only starts once a product has already been thrown away. Circularity covers the entire life of a product: from design to reuse and repair. Recycling captures what is left after that.

Why is residual waste more expensive than separated waste? +-

Residual waste usually goes to the incinerator, and you pay processing costs and waste disposal tax on it. Separated streams such as cardboard and metal, on the other hand, have value as raw materials. The more you separate, the smaller your residual waste stream and, in most cases, the lower your waste disposal costs.

What does waste collection have to do with the CSRD? +-

Companies that fall under the CSRD must report on their waste. This is covered by the standard for resource use and circular economy (ESRS E5). Among other things, they must state how much waste they produce and what share of it is recycled or reused. Without separate collection and reliable data, this is difficult to substantiate.

Stay informed

Follow us on LinkedIn. Here we share the latest news on regulations, circular topics and developments in the industry. You can also subscribe to our newsletter. Curious what Milgro can mean for your operations and waste processes? Feel free to get in touch.