High waste disposal costs. That’s the pain point that many companies mention as soon as they first come into contact with Milgro. Residual waste is often specifically mentioned in this context: companies pay to dispose of a waste stream from which they can no longer derive any value themselves. That’s exactly where the problem lies.
On top of that, there’s the waste disposal tax. On Prinsjesdag, it was announced that the planned increases would be partially reversed or eased, but the costs remain high. Companies that have residual waste collected, and households that contribute to waste processing costs through their municipality, will see this reflected directly in their expenses in the coming years.
The question that therefore comes up in many conversations is: How can I reduce my organization’s waste costs?
1. Properly sort waste at the source
Residual waste is the most expensive waste stream. It often ends up in the incinerator. This incineration costs money, results in the loss of raw materials, and emits CO2.
But it is precisely in this waste stream that the greatest savings can be achieved. We regularly see among our clients that waste streams end up in residual waste unnecessarily—think of materials like plastic film, plastic, and cardboard. This is often because there are no specific collection options for these streams, and because it’s often unclear exactly which waste streams are involved.
We’d like to challenge you: take a look at the waste in your general waste bins. Turn the bin upside down and examine the waste—while wearing gloves. Are there any waste streams you could collect separately? By collecting these separately, you reduce the volume of general waste. This not only lowers costs but also reduces CO2 emissions from incineration and increases the reuse of materials. Next, make sure you have appropriate collection containers right where the waste is generated.
We recently did this for one of our clients in the logistics sector through a Zero Waste Workshop. They were looking for a solution for the waste stream of straps, which were ending up in the general waste. Now, the straps are collected directly where they are generated (during the unloading of goods) in separate plastic bags, thereby separating the waste stream at the source. The plastic bags are then sent to a processor that specializes in recycling this type of plastic. Because the straps remain clean and unmixed in this way, they can now be recycled into high-quality products, and this specific waste stream is preserved as a raw material.
2. Smart use of data and tools
High waste disposal costs are often due to a lack of insight into the volume, separation rate, and processing of your waste.
For one of our clients in the logistics sector, the Milgro Online Dashboard revealed this: only 67% of the waste was actually sorted, while the organization itself had assumed this percentage was higher. This involved waste streams such as sticker sheets, cardboard, plastic film, straps, Styrofoam, wood, and recyclables (PMD), which end up unnecessarily in the residual waste. To illustrate: the target separation rate for companies in the logistics sector is 90%.
Based on this insight, we now work with the client to determine which waste streams require extra attention and which collection methods and instructions are appropriate. This includes putting up waste separation posters so that it is clear to everyone which waste stream belongs in which bin. In this way, we gradually increase the separation rate toward that 90% target. A higher separation rate means less residual waste, and thus lower waste disposal costs.
3. Minimizing logistics and transportation
Every trip a truck makes to collect waste costs money, whether a container is full or not. Yet collection frequency is often based on a fixed schedule rather than actual volume, which in practice often results in unnecessary trips.
This became clear through the Milgro Online Dashboard at one of our clients. Our Waste Engineers, who organize waste and raw material streams in a smarter and more sustainable way, analyzed the waste balance. And what did they find? Cardboard was collected twice a week, even though there wasn’t nearly enough of that specific waste stream generated each time to fill the container. The result: trucks driving away half-empty. That not only leads to unnecessary CO2 emissions but also unnecessary costs—after all, you pay for every trip, whether the truck is full or not.
By determining an appropriate collection time based on the actual volume rather than a fixed schedule, you can prevent unnecessary trips. This requires the same kind of insight we’ve already seen in “smart use of data”: you need to know how much waste is actually being generated to determine when a container is truly full enough to be emptied.
4. Less packaging waste
Packaging waste is often the first type of waste generated, even before the product itself has been used. But did you know that you can reduce waste costs here as well? Take black plastic wrap, for example: the dye often prevents sorting machines from properly recognizing the material, causing it to end up as residual waste instead of being recycled. Transparent plastic film is recognized and can therefore be collected separately.
For this reason, it’s worth taking a closer look at your packaging materials. First of all: is the packaging material really necessary? And second: is there an alternative that’s easier to process? If you choose packaging material that can be properly recognized and separated, you’ll prevent it from being disposed of as residual waste—and that immediately reduces waste disposal costs.
Moreover, this consideration is becoming less and less optional. As of August 12, 2026, the European PPWR (Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation) will take effect, which aims to make packaging more sustainable throughout the entire supply chain and reduce packaging waste. For example, starting in 2030, packaging must be at least 70% recyclable. Those who start using more sustainable packaging materials now are not only staying ahead of the legislation but are also immediately saving on waste disposal costs. Curious about what else is changing? Read more: What will change for businesses starting August 12 due to the PPWR?
5. Preventing waste
The best way to reduce waste costs is to prevent waste. Before you look at how to better sort or process waste, the first question is actually: does this waste even need to exist? For example, it may turn out that purchasing new materials isn’t necessary. One of our partners in the construction sector, for instance, was in the middle of preparations for a large-scale renovation. The original plan was to remove and replace existing cable trays—the metal trays that hold power and data cables.
In collaboration with Milgro, a few simple but targeted questions were asked: Are the cable trays still in good condition? Are they technically obsolete? Or can they be reused without compromising quality?
Those questions led to a reevaluation. The client decided to retain the existing cable trays, which yielded immediate results: 7,800 meters of cable trays were retained, resulting in €78,000 in saved procurement costs, plus a comparable amount in installation and dismantling costs. In addition, 11,500 kg of new stainless steel was saved, resulting in approximately 25,000 kg fewer CO2 emissions—comparable to the emissions from 25 round-trip flights between Amsterdam and Barcelona per person.
Five ways, one common thread
The better you understand what’s in your waste, the more you can save. Proper separation at the source, insights through data, less unnecessary transportation, smarter packaging, and preventing waste before it’s created.
Milgro can help your organization reduce your waste costs. To do this, it’s helpful to start with a waste scan. This not only gives you insight into opportunities for improvement across all your waste streams, but also provides optimization recommendations for reducing costs, increasing the separation rate, and more. You can then find all new optimization proposals and insights in the Milgro Online Dashboard.
Start reducing your waste disposal costs today
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