| Manufacturing of any product produces a magnitude | | | | I have seen them pull roll-offs when they weren't |
| of waste. I have been in the waste industry for over | | | | even a quarter full. And you the customer still have |
| 20 years in the USA and in Europe. So, as and expert | | | | the full charge to pay. Remember, we are talking |
| in the waste industry, I have seen the sheer | | | | about waste haulers and they are charging you |
| enormity of waste produced by manufacturers. The | | | | every time they hook up to that roll-off and haul it |
| amount of waste produced in the production of most | | | | away. There is the tonnage charge for the waste |
| products is an enormous problem for the | | | | that is in the roll-off. But where the waste hauler |
| manufacturer. | | | | really makes his money is with the haul charge. So, |
| As the producer of large amounts of waste, you | | | | the more times he can haul a roll-off away with the |
| have the issues of health and safety, pollution | | | | least amount of waste the more money he makes. |
| control, equipment needed to remove the waste, the | | | | Let's take it a step further. Let's say that as the |
| placement of equipment for ease of use, the cost of | | | | customer you saw this was happening and |
| complying with state and local regulations and the | | | | confronted your waste hauler with it. I can tell you |
| removal of the waste. The waste industry knows | | | | right now that they have a myriad of canned |
| what a huge problem this is for manufacturers and | | | | excuses that have been researched. |
| they do their best to keep it that way. I don't say | | | | These are excuses that you, as the customer, can't |
| that in a malicious context. | | | | really argue with. Let's just name a few: |
| I say it because it's the way the waste hauler makes | | | | 1) we just wanted to make sure you weren't left |
| its money. After all, they are called waste haulers | | | | with a roll-off that was overflowing; |
| because they haul your waste away. And the more | | | | 2) you are on a scheduled time for pick up and my |
| waste you produce, the more profit they make. I'm | | | | drivers don't have time to climb out of their truck to |
| sure that you have sat across the table from your | | | | see how full your roll-off is; |
| local hauler and heard them tell you how they can | | | | 3) We are just trying to give you the best service |
| move your waste and comply with all the legal issues | | | | we can. |
| that you have concerning the waste you produce. | | | | If you where to push them for a solution to the |
| And they can. I'm not disputing that at all. | | | | problem. They will offer you a ram compactor for |
| What I am disputing is the image that they portray | | | | what they consider to be a reasonable cost. They will |
| as the people that you can trust to do the job in the | | | | sell it to you as the best way to get as much waste |
| most cost effective and environmentally friendly way | | | | into a container as possible and reduce the number |
| possible. In the twenty years that I have been | | | | of pulls for which you are charged. |
| helping manufacturers deal with their waste removal, | | | | Again, sounds good, doesn't it? This will reduce the |
| the one thing they have all said to me is "I believe | | | | number of pulls slightly and your cost per month will |
| that I am paying way too much to remove my | | | | go down slightly. But they know that they will make |
| waste". The truth is they are! It is not in the best | | | | that lost revenue back when they raise your cost |
| interest of the hauler and its profits to be or to even | | | | per pull which they do at least once a year anyway. |
| offer a way to be efficient. Quite frankly their | | | | Let's ask ourselves, why didn't they offer a ram |
| unscrupulous strategy is to be as inefficient as | | | | compactor sooner? Why did you have to push them |
| possible. | | | | for a solution to a problem they created? Answer: |
| Today's waste haulers are in an industry that | | | | PROFIT! Let's also ask ourselves, why is the ram |
| produces billions of dollars. They have done their | | | | compactor the machine of choice for the waste |
| research and planned ahead for the best ways to | | | | hauler and not some of the other waste handling |
| keep their profits up and grow their business in the | | | | machines out there? Answer: The ram compactor |
| same way that you have. The difference, in my | | | | has been around for 50+ years and is inefficient. |
| opinion, is in the unscrupulous strategies they employ | | | | It is very old technology. The hauler knows how to |
| to achieve there goals. To give you an example, a | | | | turn the pressure down on them if they chose, to |
| waste hauler will tell you that the best way to handle | | | | where they are not much better than an open top |
| your waste is to use open-top roll-off containers and | | | | roll-off. And they can still control how often it gets |
| that this is the way you can keep your cost down | | | | hauled. Because you can't see the inside of a ram |
| by fitting a lot of waste into one container. They will | | | | compactor, you can't tell if it is full or not. So you get |
| only charge you for the pull plus tonnage. On the | | | | charged accordingly. |
| surface this seems reasonable. But here is where | | | | The big issue here is not the haulers' using |
| there unscrupulous strategy comes in. They will place | | | | unscrupulous tactics to make their enormous profits |
| a roll-off container on your site. You start to put | | | | but that the manufacturers are forced into the |
| your waste in to it and they come and haul it away. | | | | position of trusting that the advice of the hauler is in |
| Sounds good right? They are pulling the "full" roll-off | | | | their best interest. They believe the image that the |
| away and replacing it with an empty and charging | | | | haulers are being efficient and fair with the service |
| you each time they pull it. | | | | they are providing. There are answers out there that |
| What you don't realize is that the "full" roll-off they | | | | stop the haulers from using these tactics. The trick is |
| are taking away isn't full (not sufficient tonnage in | | | | to ask for the answers from someone in the |
| container to be considered full)! The hauler will come | | | | industry other than the same hauler who stands to |
| in and pull that roll-off as much as he possibly can. | | | | profit the most. |
| The least amount of waste in the roll-off the better. | | | | |