The recycling industry is more important than ever, and this means that it is fertile ground for innovative business owners looking to make a profit. There are plenty of factors that significantly impact a recycling company’s ability to turn a profit. Here is a very quick guide to some of the most important things to consider if you want to go into the recycling business.
Technical Assets
Efficient and profitable recycling relies upon a host of technical assets. Balers need to be powerful, appropriate and well maintained. Sorting machines need to be kept clear of obstructions and be very high quality. Conveyors need to be reliable and easy to maintain – check out Fluent Conveyors for more info on the types of conveyor system available.
Unfortunately, this means that every recycling operation needs significant investment if it is going to succeed. Established operations have a really big advantage when it comes to the acquisition of good quality machinery.
Material Compatibility
Not all materials recycle equally. The recycling industry is far more complex, being completely related to capacity. Take plastics, for instance. There are a huge variety of plastics that can be recyclable, but a surprisingly small amount of them can be recycled together. Emergent recycling operations need to adhere to one of the following two plans regarding material compatibility:
Material limitation
The easiest way of making sure a recycling company can recycle all of its material is to severely restrict the kinds of material it takes on. Plastics are a huge risk, and glass can be a tricky material to purchase if purity is to be ensured. Recycling companies are essentially producers and retailers: they purchase raw materials as products and try and make sure that these products can be sold on in the most efficient way.
Investment in Chemical Processes
Recycling chemistry is crucial to the development of processes for the efficient recycling of diverse materials. Chemists have recently started to develop ways of producing thermoplastic blends using chemical extrusion. Investing in new chemical processes is one way of creating a profitable recycling business, but it does require a huge investment: scientific research is not cheap by any means.
Staff Training
Despite increasing automation in the sector, a great deal of profit relies upon staff training. Staff needs to be able to quickly and effectively sort recyclable materials from each other and identify any problems in a mechanized system.
Staff Satisfaction
Staff working in recycling operations often have difficult jobs. It is essential to look after staff correctly when running an operation. Strikes that result from unfair management, poor wages, bad hours and unsafe work can seriously damage the ability of a company to operate consistently. Waste and recycling workers have good unions that look after members comprehensively. Do not run the risk of becoming a pariah among dedicated workers – the very same people you need on your side the most if you are going to turn a profit.
