A drilling rig with rig buffer storage and optional surge tank for receiving and processing drill cuttings and waste made of a drilling rig, having a tank in a frame with an inlet and an outlet, a moveable weir for expanding to accommodate additional drill cuttings, a central sweep member for cutting the drill cuttings and waste opposite a peripheral outer ring with peripheral cutting members, a controller for controlling rates of flow into and out of the rig buffer storage and the central sweep member rotation via a motor with reduction gear and wherein a first transportation system moves waste from the well bore to the rig buffer storage and a second transportation system moves cut waste and cut drill cuttings to a post treatment system, a skip, or a vessel for transport to another location.