How to Dispose of Redundant Packaging and Products

Branded products, packaging, and labels can be a great addition to your business marketing efforts. But what happens when you have surplus goods bearing your brand name, logo, or other details? Disposing of redundant packaging, particularly customised items, is often overlooked, yet it’s essential for a number of reasons. Proper disposal ensures brand security, compliance with regulations, and environmental responsibility.

Let’s explore these reasons and go through the benefits of responsible product destruction practices.

Why is it important to dispose of redundant packaging and branded goods properly?

From coffee cups proudly displaying your logo to staff t-shirts emblazoned with your company name, personalised goods can help boost brand awareness. However, after they’ve served their purpose, or if you end up with excess stock, where should they go?

It might be tempting to put them in general waste, but that isn’t a good idea for myriad reasons, including:

Environmental responsibility

Firstly, responsible disposal can support your company’s environmental policy. Shredding and recycling can help you operate in a sustainable way, boosting your green credentials. With more and more consumers seeking services from environmentally conscious businesses, this can make your brand more attractive.

Diverting the waste from landfill also provides peace of mind knowing exactly where your excess packaging or goods have gone.

Your brand reputation

Branded labels, packaging, and products can say a lot about your business. This is usually positive, helping customers recgonise your brand. If redundant packaging fell into the wrong hands, however, it could damage your company’s reputation. The last thing you want is for your packaging to associate you with:

●      Fly-tipping

●      Pollution

●      Counterfeit or fraudulent products

By ensuring any excess materials are disposed of properly, you can reduce the risk of misuse and protect your reputation.

Data protection

If your packaging also includes personal or business information, for example, branded shipping labels or documents, there’s a chance that improper disposal could lead to data leaks, potentially putting your brand or consumers at risk. Again, this could damage your company’s reputation.

Legal compliance

Depending on the industry you work in, you may have a legal obligation to dispose of materials, packaging, and redundant products in a particular way.

For instance, if you work in pharmaceuticals and have branded products (such as pill packets or bottles), the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) requires you to ensure the packaging is securely destroyed to avoid counterfeiting, which could be dangerous.

How does a product destruction service work?

Along with document shredding, glass recycling, and cardboard recycling, the team at Highlander Security Shredding can provide a responsible product destruction service.

What types of branded goods are suitable for destruction?

Branded items can cover a broad range of goods, from promotional flyers to uniforms. We can collect and handle a variety of types, including:

What you need to do

It couldn’t be easier to arrange professional branded label and goods destruction with us. The first step is to audit your waste to see what there is.

Next, we ask that you separate your items into categories, including paper and cardboard, plastic, promotional items, glass, and so on.

It’s also helpful to split the items into branded and non-branded. Plain card packaging, for example, can be directly recycled, while branded goods will need to be handled more carefully.

If you require regular collections for offsite shredding, we can provide you with lockable bins, enclosed containers, or sealed bags. We can also arrange one-off collections of items in bags, boxes, or on pallets.

Our product destruction process

Once your waste is bagged or boxed up and ready to go, we’ll:

●      Collect it from you: Moffett Mounty vehicles can carry up to 28 pallets of branded goods or redundant packaging for destruction in one go. We can also bring our 45-foot articulated trailers for larger bulk removals. These can carry up to 56 pallets and 28 tons of branded waste in one visit.

●      Transport it: We’ll securely move your redundant packaging and branded materials to our East Kilbride depot. Our drivers are all fully vetted and you’ll receive a Waste Transfer note so you have proof of collection and peace of mind.

●      Shred it: Our experts will ensure your waste is finely shredded using our four heavy-duty shredding machines. These can reduce a range of materials to fragments ranging from 16mm to 100mm. This completely removes the chance of your branded goods being used, so you know they won’t end up in the wrong hands. Anything recyclable will be handled separately from non-recyclable items.

●      Dispose of it: We aim to recycle as much as possible. We’ll take your shredded recyclable materials to be processed into something new. Meanwhile, anything non-recyclable will be sent away to be transformed into Refuse Derived Fuel (RDF). We never send anything to landfill sites.

Branded product destruction made easy with Highlander Security Shredding

With over 20 years of experience in handling confidential and branded materials, the team at Highlander Security Shredding is well-equipped to ensure your redundant packaging and branded products are disposed of in a secure and responsible manner.

Our product destruction service is designed to protect your brand’s reputation, prevent misuse or fraud, and help you maintain compliance with legal and environmental standards. Whether you're dealing with excess stock, obsolete branded packaging, or customised materials, we offer a reliable solution that guarantees complete destruction.

We take pride in supporting your sustainability efforts by recycling any materials that can be salvaged, reducing your carbon footprint. Operating from Glasgow to Aberdeen, we offer flexible collections across Scotland to suit your needs.

To learn more about our secure and eco-friendly product destruction services, please get in touch today for a tailored quote. We’re here to help you safeguard your brand.