How Small Businesses Can Start Diverting Waste Today

Waste is more than just what ends up in a landfill. Waste is everything you bought, moved, stored, and paid to throw away. For many small businesses, it’s also one of the biggest missed opportunities.
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Every decision we make as business owners (what we buy, how we package, where we toss) has ripple effects. That means every small change has power. Whether you’re a coffee shop, contractor, or corner boutique, this blog breaks down why waste diversion matters, how to get started, and how WasteCap can support you along the way.

​​Why Waste Diversion Matters (Especially for Small Businesses)

Most companies only track the cost of disposing of waste, but that’s just the tip of the iceberg. The total cost of waste includes everything a company spends on materials and labor before those materials are even thrown away. By the time something ends up in your trash can, it’s already burned through enormous amounts of water, energy, labor, and money.

Here’s what the cost of waste looks like:​

1. ~60% of the cost comes from buying materials (like raw goods or water) that end up being wasted instead of used in the final product.
2. ~20% of the cost comes from processing those materials (labor, energy, equipment, and time) before they are wasted.
3. ~10% of the cost goes toward waste prevention and environmental programs, such as training staff or meeting compliance requirements.
4. ~10% of the cost comes from the actual disposal of waste, including hauling, landfill, or recycling services.

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Less waste means lower costs, less risk, and a stronger brand. If you care about your bottom line and your impact, this is the place to start.

WHAT IS WASTE DIVERSION?​

​Waste diversion is exactly what it sounds like: diverting materials away from landfill. That can mean:

• Reuse (giving items a second life)
• Recycling (turning them into raw materials)
• Composting (returning them to the earth)

Waste diversion means redesigning your system so less waste exists in the first place. It means refusing unnecessary materials, reducing what you bring in, and reusing what you already have.

​Want to dig deeper into how to align this with long-term strategy?

Click here to learn more in our Sustainability Plan blog

HOW TO START DIVERTING WASTE

​1. Track What You Use (and Waste)

Use spreadsheets, waste audits, or even visual inspections to get a sense of what’s in your bins. Start simple:

• Pounds of trash per week
• Bags of recycling per day
• % of materials sent to compost

Pro tip: Compare your waste streams against your production or revenue to see where your biggest wins might be.

2. Use the Waste Hierarchy
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Recycling is good. Designing waste out of your system is better.

3. Rethink Processes

Ask:

• Can this material be reused?
• Do I need this much packaging?
• Is there a local supplier with less waste?
• Are my customers asking for sustainable alternatives?

Every system you touch (from purchasing to disposal) has a chance to improve.

4. Train and Communicate

• Post clear signage (in multiple languages if needed)
• Assign someone to track and educate
• Include your plan in team onboarding
• Celebrate progress with your staff!​

5. Quantify the Wins

• What did you keep out of the landfill?
• How much money did you save?
• How much CO₂ did you keep out of the atmosphere?

Sharing these wins not only builds momentum internally, it shows your customers that you walk the walk.

CERTIFICATIONS THAT HELP YOU GO FURTHER

Certifications are powerful tools for small businesses to stand out, stay accountable, and get recognized. 

​Here are a few we support:

• TRUE Zero Waste®: Comprehensive waste reduction across all business systems
• LEED®: For construction, renovation, and building operations
• Lake Friendly: Local, plastic-free program focused on restaurants and food businesses
• STARS®: A transparent, self-reporting framework for colleges and universities to measure sustainability performance
• Living Building Challenge®: The most rigorous sustainable building certification, focused on regenerative design and zero waste goals

Interested in learning how certifications work?

Click here to learn more in our Certification blog

REAL IMPACT IN WISCONSIN

The EPA’s WARM model helps quantify the environmental and economic benefits of putting construction and demolition (C&D) waste to better use.

If we use Wisconsin as an example, the 325,000 tons of C&D material landfilled in 2021 that could have been reused or recycled instead would have:

• Extended the life of every landfill in Wisconsin by one full month
• Spared 3,000 acres of land from being stripped for wood, metals, and stone
• Saved businesses over $12 million in hauling costs

But the ripple effects go beyond cost savings:

• The climate impact would be equivalent to removing 4,000 cars from the road
• The water savings would protect enough clean drinking water for 3 million people
• And local pollution would be reduced across construction-heavy regions

There are also soft benefits: building owners, contractors, and designers that prioritize reuse and recycling position themselves as environmental leaders which is something customers, investors, and communities increasingly care about.

HOW WASTECAP CAN HELP

Sustainability can feel overwhelming, especially when getting into the nitty-gritty of things. That’s where we come in.

WasteCap offers:

• Hands-on training for your team
• Waste audits and clean stream tracking
• Help connecting with local haulers and recyclers
• Guidance through certifications like TRUE and Lake Friendly​
  
• Customized diversion plans

We’ve been doing this since 1995 and we’re still passionate about helping Wisconsin businesses turn waste into resources. We’re here to help you measure what matters, design out what doesn’t, and build a business that aligns with your values and your goals.

🌐 Learn more at wastecap.org
📩Ready to talk about your specific business needs? Fill out our quick interest form here. 
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Let’s make waste a thing of the past.