Andy Willox: 'We need to tidy up our messy business waste landscape'

AS MSPs debate the Scottish Government's Zero Waste Plan today, I imagine the question with which most will be wrestling is whether zero waste is achievable.

As important as this intellectual debate is, however, many small businesses are focused on far more mundane matters such as: "How can I actually recycle these waste materials without being prosecuted?"

For years, the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) in Scotland has highlighted the need for the authorities to examine how waste disposal options for small businesses can be expanded. We know the business community must play its part in creating a more sustainable Scotland and many small businesses want to do more.

Historically, though, the waste debate has focused on domestic waste. This is mainly down to the fact that this is the area in which government, both local and devolved, has responsibility. Many in the business community have a duty to dispose of their own waste. Also, some politicians and officials may find it easier to understand the difficulties faced by households than, say, a small office.

This has, it could be argued, marginalised the non-domestic waste issue and has left small businesses being lumped in with the rest of the sector. While on one level this might seem logical, the waste management needs of a small business are obviously far closer to those of the family than those of the large PLC or the big public-sector body. They produce a small amount of non-hazardous waste – a bucketful of waste paper and the odd glass bottle.

So what is the picture in the typical small firm? According to FSB figures, most Scottish small businesses pay to have waste collected by their local authority and many are already recycling, even where this is more expensive than standard disposal.

In 2004, data gathered from FSB members showed that 43 per cent recycled some waste. In 2008, more than 80 per cent of FSB members did so. However, more than half of our members in Scotland are dissatisfied with waste disposal in their area. They want more affordable and practical options for recycling.

We need to encourage our smallest business to recycle more – using techniques similar to those we have used for the domestic population. Let's make it more convenient and cheaper to recycle your waste by improving local authority waste services. We should do this in a systematic manner, starting with the local authority with the worst non-domestic recycling facilities. Also, recycling more trade waste helps meet recycling targets and reduces the amount which is expensively sent to landfill.

The other side of this coin is waste advice. There are, at last count, at least seven publicly-funded bodies delivering "environmental advice" to businesses across Scotland, on top of any number of local schemes. Many of these bodies deliver valuable services, but there is a question about overlap and responsibility. Does a busy business owner have time to discern between Waste Aware Business and the Business Environment Partnership? Do they know about each other's services and can they direct business owner/managers in the right direction? Does Business Gateway seamlessly direct the waste inquiry to the appropriate quango?

The FSB has argued we need a more coherent, streamlined approach to ensure business can more easily access advice. Pooling the resources of these organisations, if done properly, can save public money and tidy up the messy waste landscape.

• Andy Willox OBE is Scottish policy convener of the Federation of Small Businesses.