Manufacturing
2 min read
By Pedro Carreira
Updated 25 June 2026
Candle makers generate: wax waste from production (re-melt and reuse), fragrance oil waste (small quantities — check hazardous classification), container packaging, wick trimmings, and general waste.
Wax waste should be collected and re-melted — zero waste potential for this stream. Fragrance oil waste is usually below hazardous thresholds for small producers.
Monthly waste: $50–150 for a small operation.
Key Numbers
- Monthly waste (small operation): $50–150
- Wax waste diversion potential: Zero waste (re-melt)
- Metro landfill levy (2025–26): $169.79/tonne
- 240L general bin (weekly): $35–65/mo
What You Need to Know
Candle making is one of the leaner manufacturing streams — most of what looks like waste is actually reusable raw material. The real decisions are about recovery and one chemical-classification check:
- Wax waste — collect and re-melt; this stream has zero waste potential and never needs to hit a bin.
- Fragrance oil waste — small quantities are usually below hazardous thresholds for small producers, but confirm the classification before disposal.
- Container packaging and wick trimmings — separate clean glass and cardboard for recycling.
- General waste — what is left after recovery is small, often a single 240L bin.
With wax recovered and packaging separated, diverting material from landfill also sidesteps the metro levy, which sits at $169.79/tonne — part of the broader circular-economy push under Recycling Victoria — A New Economy. Bundle Waste is an independent broker: a free invoice audit right-sizes the one bin you keep, compares a network of providers, and we are paid only from the savings we find — up to 30%.
Related Resources
Related Questions
What waste do printing companies produce?+
Print businesses generate: paper offcuts (30–40%), ink waste (5–10%, often hazardous), solvents (hazardous), plastic substrates (10–20%), metal offcuts (5–10%). Ink and solvents are PIW requiring EPA tracking. Monthly cost: $300–1,000.
How should a jewellery workshop manage waste?+
Jewellery workshops generate: precious metal filings and dust (valuable — recover and sell), chemical waste from cleaning solutions and acids (hazardous), polishing compounds, packaging, and general waste. Precious metal recovery can offset costs. Chemical waste requires licensed disposal. Monthly waste: $100–300.
What waste does a furniture manufacturer produce?+
Furniture manufacturers generate: timber offcuts (30–40%), upholstery waste (15–25%), adhesive and finishing chemicals (potentially hazardous), metal hardware waste, packaging, and sawdust. Clean timber offcuts can be recycled at $80–120/tonne. Sawdust extraction systems reduce airborne waste. Monthly cost: $500–2,000.
What waste does a commercial printer or sign shop generate?+
Commercial printers generate: paper/substrate offcuts (30–40%), ink waste (PIW — requires EPA tracking), chemical cleaning solutions (PIW), aluminium printing plates (recyclable at $0.50–2/kg), and packaging waste. UV-cure and solvent-based inks are hazardous. Monthly waste cost: $300–1,200. Paper offcuts should be recycled — baling earns rebates of $50–100/tonne.
How should a timber yard manage waste?+
Timber yards generate: sawdust and wood chips (30–40%), offcuts and damaged timber (20–30%), packaging (10–15%), treated timber waste (CCA — hazardous), and general waste. Clean sawdust and chips have value as landscaping mulch or biomass fuel ($0–30/tonne). Treated timber waste costs $150–250/tonne at licensed facilities. Monthly waste: $500–2,000. Sawdust extraction reduces dust hazards.
See exactly what you are overpaying
Bundle Waste reviews your current waste invoices and benchmarks them against a network of Melbourne providers — free, with a written report in 5 business days. You will see what you pay now, where the hidden charges are, and the rate we can negotiate. You only pay from the savings we find: no savings, no fee.
Get my free waste audit →
Updated 25 June 2026
