Businesses could save an average of 4-5% of their turnover through avoided landfill costs, according to the UK's environmental regulations advisor NetRegs. Among those quick to cash in on the savings have been United Biscuits, PepsiCo and InterfaceFLOR, using techniques such as recycling, composting and waste-to-energy incineration.

For example, leading snacks manufacturer, United Biscuits, achieved its target of zero food waste to landfill in 2009, and in the same year cut non-food waste to landfill by 44%, on track to cut out landfill altogether by 2012. They employed a mix of tactics including improving recycling facilities across all sites, making packaging out of recyclable materials, printing boxes in house according to demand, as opposed to buying them in pre-printed and quickly out-dated bulk, and working closely with suppliers to eliminate inefficiencies right down the chain.

Meanwhile, the UK's landfill tax offers a sturdy stick to drive the change, with planned increases of £8 per tonne each year until 2013, from the current rate of £48 per tonne.

(Source: Businesses profit from reducing landfill waste [Guardian])