GRIDCO Resources
The Waste Hierarchy: A Practical Guide for Businesses
Practical guidance to help UK businesses prevent waste, reuse materials, recycle correctly, recover value and keep disposal as a last resort.
Better waste decisions start before the bin
The waste hierarchy helps businesses decide what should happen to materials they no longer need. It places prevention first, followed by preparing for reuse, recycling, other recovery and disposal.
Use it to guide purchasing, storage, housekeeping, collection layouts and supplier conversations. Keep transfer information and collection records organised, use appropriate containers, and work with a provider that can explain the intended treatment route.
The five stages of the waste hierarchy
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Prevention
Avoid creating waste in the first place by improving purchasing, storage and day-to-day processes.
What businesses can do
- Remove unnecessary packaging and single-use items from regular orders.
- Set stock controls so products do not expire or become damaged.
- Ask suppliers about returnable packaging, take-back schemes and bulk deliveries.
- Track the largest waste streams and set a practical reduction target.
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Preparing for Reuse
Keep products and materials in use through repair, redeployment, return or donation.
What businesses can do
- Create a labelled holding area for reusable furniture, equipment, pallets and packaging.
- Build repair, redeployment and donation into office moves and fit-outs.
- Use returnable crates and still-serviceable packaging where practical.
- Record reused items for internal sustainability reporting.
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Recycling
Separate suitable materials so they can be processed into new raw materials.
What businesses can do
- Place the correct container beside the point where waste is produced.
- Use clear signs and brief teams on contamination.
- Separate cardboard, food, confidential, electrical and hazardous waste appropriately.
- Review accepted materials and collection arrangements when volumes change.
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Other Recovery
Recover energy or other useful value when prevention, reuse and recycling are not practical.
What businesses can do
- Keep recovery as the next option rather than mixing all materials together.
- Ask the waste provider to explain the intended treatment route.
- Review reports showing recycling, recovery and disposal performance.
- Use the findings to move suitable materials higher up the hierarchy.
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Disposal
Use disposal only as a last resort for material that cannot reasonably follow a better route.
What businesses can do
- Keep disposal separate from recyclable materials.
- Record why the material cannot move higher up the hierarchy.
- Keep waste transfer information and collection records organised.
- Identify one product, supplier, container or process to improve before the next review.
Keep on top of your business waste
Nominate someone to own the waste process, brief the people using each container, review waste streams regularly, and keep waste transfer notes and supplier details easy to find.
Download GRIDCO's simpler recycling guide
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Share the recycling guide
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Get help with your waste collections
GRIDCO can help review your collections, containers and practical next steps across the North East.
Frequently asked questions
What are the five stages of the waste hierarchy?
The order is prevention, preparing for reuse, recycling, other recovery and disposal. Start with ways to avoid producing waste; disposal is the last resort when better practical routes are not available.
What is the difference between reuse and recycling?
Reuse keeps an item in use, for example repairing furniture or redeploying equipment. Recycling processes a waste material into a new raw material. Keeping usable items in service can avoid the processing needed for recycling.
Is energy recovery the same as recycling?
No. Recovering energy from waste is an example of other recovery, which sits below recycling in the hierarchy. Ask your provider to distinguish recycling, other recovery and disposal in its reporting.
How can a business put the hierarchy into practice?
Review purchasing first, identify items that can be reused, place clearly labelled containers where waste is produced and brief your team. Track your main waste streams and use collection records to decide what to improve next.
Does separating waste remove my duty-of-care responsibilities?
No. Segregation is only part of managing waste responsibly. Check your carrier and the intended treatment route, describe the waste accurately and keep the appropriate transfer information. Requirements vary by waste stream and location.
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