How much is enough?
When it comes to industrial recycling, one of the great ironies is this: the more waste you have, the easier it is to recycle. That may sound counterintuitive, especially in a world that’s focused on reducing waste in the first place. But in the recycling and reuse market, volume creates value—and volume creates access.
For facility managers, warehouse supervisors, and sustainability leads, this insight has real-world implications. The amount of material you generate—and how you manage that material—can directly impact whether a byproduct is recycled or landfilled, and how much it costs (or pays) to move it.
Why Size Matters
Recyclers, processors, and brokers operate on economies of scale. It’s often not worth their time, fuel, or logistics coordination to handle small quantities of material. However, once a company can offer a “truckload quantity,” everything changes. At that volume, markets open up, transportation costs are spread out, and recyclers can afford to be more competitive on pricing or rebates.
So what exactly is a truckload quantity?
At Waste Optima, we generally define it as:
20+ tons by weight, or
Enough volume to fill a 53-foot dry van trailer
This can vary depending on the density of the material (fluffy plastic film will fill up a trailer before it hits 20 tons, while dense powders or metals will max out on weight first). But the concept is the same: once your material reaches a full truckload, you’ve cleared a major hurdle toward viable recycling.
Aggregation Is Key
The implication is clear: to optimize your recycling potential, you need to aggregate individual waste streams into truckload quantities. That means having a system in place to collect, store, and prepare materials consistently over time.
Aggregation doesn’t have to be complicated. But it does require planning and infrastructure. And that’s where many facilities run into challenges.
The Space Problem
Modern manufacturing and distribution operations are designed for lean efficiency. Floor space is allocated to maximize throughput, minimize travel time, and reduce work-in-progress inventory. In many facilities, there’s simply no room for large-scale waste storage—especially when waste is seen as a liability rather than a potential asset.
But that doesn’t mean truckload recycling is off the table. It just means companies need to get creative with how and where they store recyclable materials.
Creative Storage Solutions
Here are a few alternatives we often recommend:
Outdoor Storage: Depending on the type of material and how frequently it's generated, storing it outside might be a viable option. For example, non-hazardous, weather-resistant materials like bales of plastic film, used cardboard, or crushed pallets can often be kept outside for short durations.
Open-Air Covered Areas: For a relatively low cost, companies can erect simple, open-air structures with a roof to protect materials from rain and sun. Think of them as industrial carports—but for your recyclables.
Shipping Containers: Renting or purchasing 20’ or 40’ shipping containers is another common approach. These containers can be placed in a yard or parking area and used to safely accumulate waste until a truckload is ready to ship.
Offsite Aggregation: In some cases, companies with multiple nearby locations may coordinate to bring materials to a central site for consolidation. This works best when there’s a regional warehouse or hub that already receives inbound material from satellite locations.
What If You Can’t Store a Truckload?
If your company simply doesn’t have the space or logistics to store a truckload quantity, don’t despair. That doesn’t mean your waste stream is unrecyclable—it just means your options may be more limited.
Smaller quantities may still be accepted by local recyclers or niche processors, but the economics shift. Without the efficiencies of full truckload pickups, hauling costs go up. Recyclers may not pay for the material—or they may charge a handling fee. This can make a previously profitable waste stream neutral or even slightly negative from a cost standpoint.
The key is to understand the trade-offs. While recycling in smaller quantities may still align with your sustainability goals, you’ll need to evaluate the ROI compared to landfilling or long-term aggregation.
Bottom Line
In industrial recycling, volume unlocks opportunity. The more material you can store, the more markets you can access—and the better your financial and environmental outcomes.
So next time you evaluate a waste stream, ask not just “Is it recyclable?” but also:
“How much can we realistically store before shipping?”
If the answer is close to a truckload, you’re already in a great position. And if it’s not, Waste Optima can help explore storage solutions, logistics strategies, or regional partnerships to get you there.
Because when it comes to waste… sometimes more really is better.