5 Questions To Ask Before Buying A Commercial Garbage Bin

Has your facility previously purchased garbage bins on a whim with minimal budget? Before panic sets in and the dread for procurement approval begins, you’ll need to ask yourself these five questions to ensure the same mistakes aren’t made twice.

1. How Big is Your Commercial Office Space?

You need to assess your office space before getting a commercial garbage bin. Is the office a working area with a separate staff dining area? You’re going need a sizeable commercial garbage bin for that shared area, preferably one that gives people the option to throw away regular waste and recyclables.

If your office building is large, then getting wheeled bins for outside may be necessary. If you need an outdoor bin, base your estimate on traffic flow, considering where people congregate and thus where they might want to dispose of something. These areas include entranceways to your building as well as outdoor eating spaces.

2. What Types of Materials Does Your Facility Collect?

Have you considered that your waste disposal issues arose because you don’t have the right streams in place? If your office building primarily recycles paper and bottles, then a double side-load recycling container or a triple-unit recycling container may be best. If you collect biodegradable or organic waste, then you should add organic waste bins to eating areas. Regardless of the kind or number of types of waste your office collects, you can find the right bins and placement to make disposal more tidy and efficient.

3. How Many Employees or Visitors Do You Have?

You might think that the occasional bin will serve the needs of your facility. But do you know where most employees and guests need to throw away garbage? Do you know the areas that are underserved or overflowing with trash? High-density and low-density commercial spaces will have different needs. If you don’t already know, find out how many employees you have and how many visitors your office gets on a daily or weekly basis. Then, map out which areas of your facility are most dense. With these figures in hand, you can plan which types of bins and how many you’ll need.

For example, if you have a lot of employees who are concentrated in one area of the building, then you’ll need to ensure your commercial garbage bins are easy to access. You may need a small number of larger bins to accommodate trash or recycling flow for the areas with higher employee population density.

If you work in an office where employees are spread across a large facility, then base your bin placement on traffic flow, not the number of people who work there.

4. Have You Considered the Climate and Surroundings?

You’re ordering a commercial garbage bin to place outside of your office building, but do you realize how much climate affects the longevity of your disposal units?

If your business is located in a northern U.S. state or Canada, consider harsh winters. Make sure that the material is durable and can stand up to prolonged sun exposure during summer days as well as freezing temperatures all winter. Ensure your bin has accessories such as anchor kits to keep it safe and grounded too.

Furthermore, you may need to pest-proof your commercial garbage bin, so insects and rodents don’t look at it as a food source.

5. Did You Verify Extra Disposal Fees?

You’ve got the receptacles you want in mind and a placement plan designed, but have you confirmed that your waste haul is set up to accept these garbage streams? Some service providers may charge for collecting waste but not recyclables or paper. Others may not accept a recycling stream that you may want to implement, meaning you’ll have to pay extra costs for recycling disposal. Confirm with your provider that they accept all of the streams your office collects. Also, you should make sure that your new bins are compatible with the pickup method of your waste disposal provider.

Now that you know the critical factors that go into a commercial garbage bin purchasing decision, you’re ready to pick out your receptacles and re-organize your office, setting up your colleagues and business for success.

For all your commercial garbage bin needs, Waste Wise Products has you covered!