When dealing with your store's trash, you might think that the most inexpensive commercial dumpster will work because no one would possible want your trash. However, there's a whole slew of problems that can arise when your trash isn't properly secured. When you choose a dumpster that locks, you'll be avoiding these five issues that interrupt business.
Identity and Data Theft
Losing sensitive data to motivated thieves is the most serious consequence of an open dumpster policy. Even if you carefully shred every financial statement and mark out details on paperwork, you could miss one or two pieces of information that sink your business. In addition to your business data being stolen and misused, you're also putting yourself, your customers, and your employees at risk for identity theft. Well-meaning dumpster divers who are just looking for free items could end up with phone numbers, addresses, credit card numbers, and more depending on what information your business collects and uses.
Legal Action
If you're a food retailer like a bakery or a grocery store, you may think it's fine to let adventurous individuals dig in your dumpsters for food they're willing to eat. Depending on your local laws regarding liability, you could end up paying a lot of money to a dumpster scavenger who is hurt while jumping in or gets sick from eating spoiled food. While these lawsuits are rare and usually go in favor of the business owner, it's a risk not worth taking when you can find secure dumpsters without shelling out a lot of extra cash.
Don't assume that putting signs up to discourage access or claim a lack of liability will be enough either. Unless you work with a lawyer to make sure you can't be held responsible, you should keep your trash storage areas as secure and safe as the rest of your store.
Messy Premises
You may not mind divers taking your unwanted trash and feel safe from identity theft and lawsuit problems, but do you want to spend hours each day picking up the waste strewn around by inconsiderate visitors? Allowing your dumpster area to get messy can cause further issues like
- Fines from your country or city because you're violating the rules about cleanliness in public areas
- Lawsuits from customers injured or sickened by exposure to the loose trash
- Increased labor costs to get employees coming in early to clean up before you open for the day
- Dumpster contract disputes because the rental company is having trouble getting to the dumpster for emptying.
Pest Problems
Locking bars do more than just keep people out of your dumpster. While a raccoon or possum may not sue you or use your business data for nefarious purposes, they're still pests that carry disease and create messes. Again, your local code enforcement officials may stop by with a hefty fine if your lack of dumpster security is causing the pest problems to grow in your store's area.
Trash Dumping
Finally, locking the dumpster also allows your business to fill up the space instead of losing it to opportunists who need somewhere to stash their trash. Since most public landfills either no longer accept electronics and construction waste or charge high fees for processing them, many people cruise around at night to find alternative options for getting rid of their trash. Letting others fill up your dumpster increases your spending on trash pickup and leaves you holding the bags when you can't fit today's trash in the bin. A locked dumpster costs less to rent in the long run if it means fewer visits for emptying.
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