Should You Abandon DIY Approach To Managing Waste & Recycling Program?

DIY may not always be the best option

Managing sustainability in-house sounds good—until you actually try to do it.

Between tracking waste streams, managing dozens of vendors, navigating regulations, and chasing landfill diversion goals, sustainability quickly turns into a time sink most companies aren’t equipped to handle. And while some businesses attempt to juggle it all internally, others are turning to a smarter model: partnering with a Sustainability Managed Service Provider (SMSP).

Like Many Other Indirect Procurement Expenses

• It’s low visibility unless something breaks.

• It’s decentralized across locations.

• It’s small in budget but high in complexity.

• It rarely gets audited or optimized.

  
  

But here’s the problem: waste may be tail spend, but it’s high-impact tail spend. Mismanagement leads to:

• Missed recycling revenue

• Unnecessary hauling costs

• Environmental fees

• Regulatory risk

• Poor vendor performance

  
  

And for companies with multiple locations across different states, it gets worse. Each site often manages its own vendors. This creates a patchwork of services, contracts, and billing formats—none of which talk to each other

The Hidden Complexity Most Teams Miss.

Think managing recycling is as simple as tossing items into bins? Not even close.

There are over 50 recognized paper grades listed by ISRI (Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries), not to mention plastics, metals, organics, e-waste, and more. Managing each commodity type—and maximizing value—requires specialized knowledge, infrastructure, and logistics.

And that’s assuming you’ve got enough volume of any single material. Most businesses don’t. They generate smaller quantities of multiple commodities, which recyclers don’t want unless you can consolidate them efficiently. This is where Mixed Trailer Loads (like those described here) come in handy: they help you recycle more materials without waiting for full truckloads or clogging your warehouse.

The Billing Problem No One Wants to Deal With

Now layer on billing. Thousands of invoices from hundreds of vendors. Different formats, inconsistent pricing, vague line items.

Closed Loop Solutions uses advanced language models and OCR (Optical Character Recognition) to analyze invoices, flag errors, and identify cost-saving opportunities. This automation finds issues that would otherwise slip through the cracks—overcharges, duplicate services, missed rebates. You save money without combing through spreadsheets line by line.

The Value of a Sustainability Managed Service Provider

An SMSP doesn’t just take tasks off your plate—they bring strategy, structure, and results. Here’s what that looks like:

• Comprehensive waste audits to find hidden costs and savings

• Tech-enabled logistics that optimize material movement and reduce landfill dependency

• Centralized vendor management to ensure competitive pricing and service quality

• Regulatory compliance support so you’re never caught off guard

• Data consolidation across locations for full program visibility

  
  

This approach turns chaos into a system—and a cost center into a performance driver.

But let’s be clear: outsourcing doesn’t replace leadership.

Every successful program needs a strong in-house sponsor—someone with the political capital and internal clout to rally departments, align stakeholders, and push initiatives across the finish line. Without internal ownership, even the best-laid plans from your SMSP will stall in the approval pipeline.

The SMSP provides the roadmap. The internal sponsor drives the car.

Focus on What You Do Best.

Today’s business environment is only getting more complex. Talent is stretched, budgets are tight, and sustainability expectations are rising. Companies can’t afford to get bogged down in non-core operations like waste and recycling.

Outsourcing to an SMSP is not just about offloading—it’s about strategically upgrading. You get specialized expertise, modern tools, and measurable impact without dragging your internal teams into the weeds.

Your Next Step

If your company is managing sustainability internally and barely keeping up, you’re not alone. But you do have options.

Start by treating waste and recycling like the strategic lever it is. Closed Loop Solutions can show you what’s possible—whether it’s increasing landfill diversion, cleaning up your invoicing, or unlocking tail spend savings.

Want to explore how an SMSP could drive results for your business? Fill out the form below to get started.