Do you want to start a waste management & recycling business and turn waste to wealth? If YES, here are 50 best waste management business ideas.
Every day and in every corner of the world, waste is being generated. Most of these waste items can be potentially harmful; and even when they are not harmful, they can constitute a terrible nuisance to the environment. Also, people throw away a lot of things without giving much thought to their second-hand value.
You can make a lot of money from recycling these items that people discard, just like you can start a profitable business that helps to manage and discard waste in diverse ways. Here are 50 lucrative waste management business ideas to choose from:
Best Waste Management Business ideas
1. Scrap Metal Depot
The demand for scrap metal in the international market is very high. Manufacturers make use of scrap metal to produce diverse products and it’s cheaper for them to use scrap metal than to make use of non-scrap metal.
You can set up a business that involves exporting scrap metal to countries like China and Germany where the demand is very high. You would need scavengers and small scale scrap metal dealers to sell the metal they sourced off the streets to you at discounted prices so that you can export and make good profits from it.
2. Electronic Recycling Plant
Most people just dump their old or malfunctioning electronics in their trash cans. Very few people are aware that these electronics can be refurbished and resold at almost the same price as new ones. You can start an electronic recycling plant to pick discarded electronics off the street, repair them and then resell as second-hand items. Or resell them to manufacturers for refurbishing and resale.
3. Plastic Recycling Plant
Plastic is not an item that goes to waste, plastic can always be melted and remolded into something else. A very good number of the products humans consume today come in plastic bottles, plastic wraps and other plastic packages which are discarded afterwards.
You can start a business that involves picking discarded plastic off the street for resale to manufacturers, or you can have scavengers sell them to you.
4. Rubber Recycling Plant
Just like plastic, rubber can be made into a variety of other products. Rubber can be used to make railroad tiles, floor surfaces, and high-quality plastic to mention few. You can start a rubber recycling plant to collect discarded rubber, and sell it at a profit to manufacturers who need them.
5. Medical and Toxic Waste Disposal Business
The type of waste generated by the medical industry is such that needs to be handled professionally so as to prevent the spread of diseases and epidemics. Medical waste disposal agencies handle things like blood, dead fetus, skin, and other body parts; however they get rewarded handsomely for this service.
6. Oil Spill Clean Up Service
If you live in an oil producing nation, or can get license to do business in one, you can start an oil spill clean-up service to help get rid of spillage caused by offshore oil mining activities.
7. Waste Collection Trucks
This is one of the most common waste management business ideas. It involves having a truck going around collecting and disposing waste from homes and commercial areas, in exchange for a small fee.
8. Waste Collection Center
Another lucrative idea is to start a waste collection center business. You can have people come and dispose their waste at a central collection center which you would provide, and then collect a small disposal fee from them. This can be a very great Business model for people who cannot afford their own waste collection trucks.
9. Bio-Fuel Production Business
Waste products can be used to produce bio-fuel, which can be a good substitute for diesel, petrol or kerosene. You can start a bio-fuel production business which involves collecting waste, and then converting it into bio-fuel for sale.
10. Vessel Cleaning Service
Another lucrative business idea is cleaning and disposal of waste for large vessels, ships, and tanks. You can service the oil and gas, or the shipping industry with this business.
11. Mobile Toilet Rentals
Mobile toilets are on high demand on camp sites, picnic areas and outdoor parties. You can invest in a few mobile toilets, which you could rent out to these categories of people in exchange for a small fee.
12. Manufacture Waste Disposal Bags
Waste disposal bags are used in almost every home to collect waste for disposal. You can make good money from manufacturing and selling these bags to supermarkets, grocery stores, and consumers. Make sure they are biodegradable and environment-friendly because many consumers now choose environment-friendly products over others.
13. Sell Waste Management Equipment
You could also consider selling waste management equipment and supplies to people who are in the waste management business. You can sell waste management trucks and processors, help people set up waste management plants, and render other essential services to people who are in the waste management business industry.
14. Waste Management Blog
If you are looking to become a part of the waste management industry but cannot afford the huge capital outlay, you can settle for writing about trends, and events happening in the waste management industry. You can also give entrepreneurs operating in the industry some tips to help them grow and make more profits from their business.
15. Used Engine Oil Recycling Business
Most people just discard the old engine oil that they drain from their vehicles, however discarded engine oil is still very useful.
It can be used as additives in lubricant and hydraulic oil manufacturing industry. It is also used in the building and brick-making industry. You can start a business that buys used engine oil, and sells them to industries where they are used as raw materials.
16. Paper Recycling Business
Another idea is to start recycling paper. Used paper is used to make tissue paper so you can buy them from people who no longer need them, and then sell it to companies that make tissue paper.
17. Used Clothes Recycling Business
Many people discard their old clothing items however, many less privileged people who cannot afford new clothes can buy them if they are properly cleaned up and resold. You can start a business that involves collecting used clothing items, cleaning them up, and then reselling them.
18. Construction Waste Recycling
There’s a lot of waste that comes from the construction industry, from bricks to metals and floor tiles. The good thing is that these waste materials can be recycled, and used to create something better. You can make a decent income from setting up a construction waste recycling business.
19. Industrial Waste Disposal Business
Another lucrative business idea is to start an industrial waste disposal business. You can target manufacturing companies who usually churn out enormous amounts of waste. You can either discard these waste materials, or recycle some of the useful items that are usually discarded by manufacturing companies.
20. Battery Recycling Business
Battery recycling is a very lucrative business. You can buy damaged batteries from people and recycle them for resell.
21. Residential and Commercial Cleanup Service
You can help to get rid of the waste in people’s homes and offices by starting a residential or commercial cleanup service.
22. Construct Public Toilet and Bathrooms
Public bathrooms and toilets are also part of the waste management industry as they help to manage human waste which can be highly toxic. You can construct public bathrooms and toilets, and then have people pay you to make use of them.
23. Waste Water Recycling
Another business idea is to recycle industrial and municipal waste water, and purify it for drinking or industrial use. A lot of countries and cities in the world suffer from water shortage problems and this is one business that can help to manage this problem.
24. E-waste Recycling
E-waste is one of the most potentially dangerous waste problems in the world. Almost everyone uses a smart phone or computer today, so what happens to all the old ones that are being discarded yearly?
E-waste recycling businesses help to get these items off the streets, and recycle them to manufacturers or people who may need them for other purposes.
25. Mining Recycling
The mining industry also generates its share of waste items. For instance, after gold is mined and processed, it leaves behind some by-products which are also useful for making items of lower quality. You can start a business that involves collecting useful mining waste, and selling them to businesses that can make use of them to create something useful.
26. Cartridge Recycling Business
Toners and inkjets can be recycled and resold to manufacturers who would refurbish and resell them.
27. Tire Recycling Business
A lot of people discard their old tires unaware of how useful old tires can be. Old tires can be refurbished and used to make new tires. They are also being used in the furniture making industry to make trendy furniture. You can start a business of collecting waste tires off the street, and reselling them to businesses that need them.
28. Cooking Oil Recycling
Cooking oil used in food manufacturing companies or in restaurants and bakeries can also be recycled after being filtered. You can start a business of recycling used cooking oil.
29. Composting
Composting involves collecting and recycling human and animal waste and using it to make fertilizer for boosting the growth of plants.
30. Copper Recycling
Another idea is to start a business that involves buying discarded coppers items, and reselling them to electronics manufacturing companies.
31. Cardboard Recycling
You can also recycle cardboards. A lot of educational institutions use a lot of cardboards; you can buy discarded cardboards from them, and sell to companies that make book binders and covers, folders and other related items.
32. Vehicle Recycling
Every year, thousands of vehicles are discarded by their owners. Damaged vehicles still have a lot of useful materials in them so you can start a business that involves buying discarded vehicles, taking them apart to take out the useful items, and then selling the useful items to used spare parts dealers, auto repair workshops, and vehicle manufacturers for a small fee.
33. Wire Recycling
You can make money from recycling electrical wires too. Millions of old wires are discarded yearly because many people have no idea what to do with the wires. You can collect these old wires, and resell them to wire manufacturing companies who would strip them, and use them to make new electric wires.
34. Diaper Collection and Disposal
Diapers are one of the most problematic waste materials in the environment because most of them are not biodegradable, and can take hundreds of years to decompose. You can start a business that involves collecting and disposing diapers in a way that is safe and environment-friendly.
35. Sawdust Recycling
Sawdust is a by-product of the wood processing, and furniture making industry. Sawdust is very useful in the poultry and animal rearing industry. It can also be used to make low-quality furniture.
36. Glass Recycling
You can have people pick up broken bottles and glass off the street, and sell them to you so that you can resell them to glass manufacturing companies for a sizable profit.
37. Bottle Cork Recycling
You can make money from recycling bottle corks too. Crafters make use of wine corks for different projects, and you can earn a decent income from gathering your bottle corks, and reselling to them.
38. Pet Poop Scooper
Another waste management business especially for students or people who want a part-time waste management business, is poop scooping. Many pet owners barely have the time to scoop and discard their pet’s feces. You can make money from scooping pet poop, and selling it to composting businesses.
39. Book Recycling
You can also collect and sell old books. Although eBooks are more popular nowadays, many people still find pleasure in collecting and reading hardcover books.
40. Wood Recycling
Wood recycling is another lucrative waste management business to look into. Regardless of its form or shape, old wood is never useless as it can always be broken down, and used to make something useful.
41. Human Hair Recycling
People pay good money to buy human hair, which is then processed into weaves and wigs. You can earn decent income from buying human hair from salons, processing them, and then selling them to human hair manufacturers.
42. Furniture Recycling
Another lucrative business idea is to collect discarded furniture, remodel them, and then sell them for good profit.
43. Game Disk, DVD and CD Recycling
Millions of DVDs, CDs and game disks go to waste every year. These items can be collected and sold to junkyards in exchange for a fee.
44. Wool Recycling
The wool in mattresses and sofas can be used to make pillows and other items. You can buy discarded mattresses, and process the wool into pillows, and other useful items.
45. Collect and Resell Used Fluorescent Bulbs
Another business idea is to collect fluorescent bulbs and resell them for a profit. They contain a tiny bit of mercury which can be either useful or harmful. Companies like Home Depot and Ikea will buy your florescent bulbs for half of the price of a new one.
46. Rotten Food Collection and Resale
Rotten food can also be collected and sold to companies who make bio-fuel and companies that make manure.
47. Paper Shredding
You can start a paper shredding business or sell paper shredding devices to companies that deal with heavy amount of paper.
48. Cosmetic Packaging Recycling
You can recycle deodorant sticks, antiperspirants and hairsprays in aerosol cans, or tubes used in packaging cosmetic products.
49. Carpet Recycling
You can buy or collect discarded carpets and resell them to carpet manufacturing companies for a fee.
50. Christmas Tree Collection and Recycling
After the festive season, you can collect Christmas trees from holiday makers and sell them to companies like Home Depot.