Ohio businesses must be careful about how they handle their waste.
Disposing of excess products the wrong way could result in massive fines and environmental damage. While there are many valid ways to eliminate waste, one method many businesses utilize is incineration.
There’s so much to know about product destruction to do it safely, especially when it comes to burning your waste. Specifially, you need to know what kinds of materials you can’t incinerate to avoid creating an unsafe environment.
No matter your industry, remembering this information will help you make wise waste management decisions.
Batteries
The main concern everyone has regarding incineration is toxic fume production.
Items that contain volatile chemicals can release gases that harm local communities — this includes batteries and products that contain them.
Lithium or alkaline, household or industrial, you can’t simply burn these items away.
The best way to remove batteries from your facility is to participate in a battery recycling program. This way, professionals can safely repurpose your used batteries in a controlled environment.
Glass products
Another kind of material that can’t be incinerated is glass. This has less to do with environmental issues and more to do with basic science. Glass is inflammable, and no amount of heat will burn it into oblivion.
At best, your glass products will melt, forming a nasty film in an incinerator. Melted glass disrupts incinerator functions, often causing expensive repairs and downtime.
Since this material has an endless lifespan, your glass products are perfect candidates for recycling.
Electronic devices
Businesses that create and use electronic devices sit in a gray area. Most electronics contain glass, batteries, and other materials that aren’t suitable for incineration. However, certain companies with proper e-waste certifications may burn some of their electronic waste.
Businesses shouldn’t take this as a “go ahead” to incinerate their electronic products.
It’s best to hire a waste management service that specializes in Ohio disposal laws.
This way, you can avoid making detrimental mistakes that could jeopardize your operations.
While waste management isn’t the most exciting corporate aspect, it’s just as important as any of your other practices; knowing the dos and don’ts of incineration is essential to running a successful business. Use this information to improve your methods and process your waste the right way.
