National Waste Associates Saves $1.4M for Logistics Client
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Over a three and a half-year period, National Waste Associates (NWA) saved a contract logistics firm $1.4M in waste expenditure by creating an integrated waste management solution focused on load optimization and cost avoidance.
Quick Hits: What You Need to Know
- NWA helped a logistics client save more than $1.4 million over 3.5 years.
- Load optimization and right-sizing generated over $1 million in combined savings.
- Invoice auditing prevented unauthorized price increases and hidden charges.
- Waste diversion rates increased from 65% to 72%, reducing trash in landfills and lowering disposal costs.
- Continuous service optimization improved efficiency while reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
- NWA maintained a 99.87% on-time service rate across 58 locations.
The Challenge
When NWA took on the waste management contract for an international logistics firm, the business needed expert help to take control of their waste operations across 58 of their North American locations. Specifically, the business needed NWA to work in three core areas:
- Conduct a thorough analysis of all hauler invoicing to prevent uncontrolled price increases
- Optimize container tonnages to reduce operational costs
- Increase recycling rates and divert more material from landfill through improved sustainable waste management practices
The Solution
Load Optimization. NWA’s waste experts reviewed the waste tonnages for every single container at all of the facilities in the contract portfolio. We then implemented an optimization program that maximized compactor tonnage, resulting in a year-on-year increase in average tons per haul and saving $790,000.
We first targeted the locations with the greatest waste activity and the highest spend, in order to generate the fastest savings. Frequent tonnage analysis then ensured continual load optimization.
Right Sizing. Using our bespoke tonnage analysis methodology, the team also identified situations at sites where significant savings could be made by changing the waste storage and handling systems. These alterations improved service efficiency and reduced haulage costs by $266,000, together with a reduction in associated greenhouse gas emissions.
Together, NWA’s load optimization and right sizing analyses generated cumulative savings of $1.05M.
Diversion from Landfill. NWA’s waste experts surveyed our customer’s locations for recycling, diversion, repurposing and reuse opportunities that went beyond what was required of them by local, state and federal legislation. We then used our vast network of suppliers to find the top professionals for each aspect of the process. This resulted in a 65 to 72% landfill diversion rate across the entire portfolio, reducing the carbon footprint and environmental impact of their operations, and equivalent to taking 11,000 cars off the road each year. The additional waste diverted also supported the client’s broader sustainability and waste management objectives.
Cost Avoidance Through Invoice Management. The waste industry has a reputation for erroneous fees and price increases that are outside of the agreed terms. Over the duration of the contract, NWA achieved over $26,000 in cumulative cost avoidance through our triple-check invoice management process. NWA’s accounting team first thoroughly audited every single hauler invoice every month. Any un-negotiated price increase was then sent to our vendor services team who contested the price increase for our customer. Finally, all invoices were checked by the customer’s dedicated Account Manager to ensure they met with their approval.
In addition to NWA’s process-driven savings, we also negotiated a $60,000 per month cost saving at just one location, the result of a year-long battle with the hauler to agree to a rebate and tonnage cost settlement.
Service Excellence. While delivering these cost savings and service optimizations, NWA remained laser-focused on service consistency. Over the course of the contract, we achieved a 99.87% on time service delivery record across the entire portfolio of sites, spanning the length and breadth of the country.
The Results
Through this integrated waste management strategy of load optimization, invoice scrutinization and landfill diversion, National Waste Associates reduced our logistics client’s waste expenditure by over $1.4M.
As well as significantly reducing their operational costs, these service optimizations also reduced their carbon footprint and improved their environmental profile by eliminating unnecessary and premature hauls and diverting valuable materials away from landfill.
The project demonstrates how a proactive professional waste management partner can improve operational efficiency, environmental performance and long-term waste cost solutions across large multi-site logistics operations.
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Frequently Asked Questions
NWA implemented a comprehensive waste management strategy that combined load optimization, right-sizing waste services, invoice auditing, landfill diversion, and vendor negotiations. Together, these initiatives significantly reduced disposal costs while improving operational efficiency.
Load optimization involves analyzing the actual weight of waste hauled from each location and adjusting collection schedules to maximize container capacity before pickup. This reduces unnecessary hauls, lowers transportation costs, and improves overall waste management efficiency.
Waste invoices often contain unauthorized price increases, billing errors, or unexpected fees that can go unnoticed. Regular invoice audits help identify these issues, dispute incorrect charges, and ensure businesses only pay the rates agreed to in their contracts
Recycling, reuse, and other diversion strategies reduce the amount of material sent to the landfill, lowering disposal fees and creating opportunities to recover value from recyclable commodities. Diversion programs also help businesses meet sustainability and ESG objectives.
Yes. Companies operating dozens or hundreds of facilities often experience inconsistent waste services, pricing, and vendor performance. Centralized waste management and continuous optimization help standardize operations while uncovering substantial cost-saving opportunities across the entire portfolio.
Absolutely. Optimizing waste services doesn’t mean sacrificing reliability. In this case, NWA achieved significant cost reductions while maintaining a 99.87% on-time service rate, demonstrating that operational efficiency and excellent service can go hand in hand.
National Waste Associates helps logistics companies reduce waste costs through ongoing rightsizing, load optimization, invoice auditing, vendor management, landfill diversion programs, and regulatory support. By continuously monitoring waste operations across every location, NWA helps businesses improve efficiency, reduce costs, strengthen sustainability initiatives, and maintain consistent service nationwide.
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