How to Start an Environmental Waste Business

As standards for waste disposal and environmental maintenance become more strict, the environmental waste disposal industry continues to flourish. Successful environmental waste disposal companies find themselves flush with high paying corporate and governmental customers that create a constant increase in demand. Despite all this, environmental waste disposal is a difficult and competitive business. So, follow these steps to start an environmental waste company.

Instructions

Difficulty: Challenging

1. Do your due diligence. Before you invest time and money into setting up an environmental waste business, you need to do a hefty amount of research regarding the local market and, more importantly, federal, state and local environmental regulations regarding waste. Formulate a detailed and unforgiving business plan before you start the business so you know what to expect.
2. Pick a sub-section of the industry. There are many kinds of environmental waste that need treatment and disposal. It's impossible to start a business that can deal with all kinds of waste, so you need to focus on a particular kind of waste to get going. Consider industrial services like dredging, solid waste disposal, chemical or liquid waste treatment and waste-to-energy conversion services to find the correct niche for your business.
3. Begin the permit process early. To start a environmental waste business you will need to apply for permits from dozens of different agencies and oversight organizations. On a federal level, you should begin the process with the Environmental Protection Agency. Some of the EPA's processes trickle down to the state level. However, you will also have to deal with your state's department of environmental quality (or equivalent agency) and local ordinances regarding business, dumping and waste management.
4. Figure out your disposal strategy. In the waste business, the problem is not the demand (for waste disposal), which is pretty much constant or increasing, but the supply of environmentally and legally acceptable waste disposal solutions. You can look to other large-scale companies like Veolia Environmental Service for ideas. However, if you are not an expert in the subject, you need to hire an environmental waste engineer to help you innovate economically advantageous disposal solutions in order to make your business work.