Preparing Your Business for Extra Waste During the Festive Season

Extra deliveries, busier trading and workplace celebrations can all change the amount and type of waste your business produces during the festive season. 

For some businesses, that means more packaging. For others, food, glass or general waste may increase. Reviewing your business waste recycling and collection arrangements beforehand can help keep bins and storage areas manageable.

Start by identifying which waste streams are likely to increase, then check whether your existing arrangements will accommodate them. 

Cardboard and Paper Packaging

Additional stock, online orders and office deliveries can quickly leave businesses with more boxes and paper packaging than usual. 

Review your business cardboard recycling arrangements before deliveries increase. Make sure staff know where to put suitable materials and how to prepare them for collection. 

Flatten boxes where appropriate, keep cardboard protected from good contamination and avoid allowing packaging to obstruct access routes. If volumes are substantial, ask whether a baler could be suitable for your premises. 

Plastic: Wrapping and Other Packaging 

Protective wrapping, plastic film and mixed-material packaging may also increase during the festive period. 

These materials are not necessarily accepted together or in your usual recycling container. Check what your service accepts and whether any packaging needs a separate collection arrangement. 

Clear instructions at unpacking points can help staff separate Christmas packaging waste correctly. Including temporary and seasonal staff in those instructions makes your packaging waste management arrangements easier to follow. 

Food Waste 

Restaurants, hotels and cafes may serve more customers, while offices and other workplaces may host festive lunches or celebrations. 

Consider whether your existing food waste containers and collection frequency will be sufficient. Position suitable containers where food is prepared or cleared away, with clear guidance on what belongs in them. 

Planning quantities carefully can also help reduce surplus food before it becomes waste. 

Glass Waste 

Festive events and increased hospitality trade can mean more empty bottles and jars. 

Check whether your glass collection arrangements reflect the additional volume expected. Keep glass in the designated containers and confirm which items are accepted, rather than assuming all glass products can go together. 

For premises hosting occasional events, discuss suitable arrangements in advance. 

[h2] General Waste 

Busier premises can also generate more non-recyclable waste. Check that general waste capacity remains appropriate after recyclable materials and food waste have been separated. 

If bins are regularly approaching capacity, discuss container sizes or collection frequency before the busiest weeks arrive. 

Get Your Collections Organised Before Christmas 

Once you have received your waste streams, confirm:

• Whether additional capacity or collections may be needed 
• Your opening hours and any closure dates 
• Collection access and keyholder arrangements 
• Agreed collection dates and any festive service changes 
• Requirements for January deliveries, returns or clearances 

At WM101, we can review your waste types, containers and collection schedule to help you prepare for the festive period. 

If your business operates across several locations, our multi-site waste management service brings everything together through one central point of contact, with arrangements tailored to each site’s waste volumes, opening hours and collection requirements. 

Contact our team to get your festive waste arrangements organised.