A Guide to Recycling Business Waste

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Reducing business waste has become a big concern most organizations today share. Recycling strategies seem to also have auxiliary benefits, apart from the obvious environmental ones. Apart from helping businesses lower their environmental footprint, they also boost employee morale and help businesses reduce operational costs. Different types of waste demand different recycling protocols and strategies. But, how can business owners assess their establishment’s recycling needs, and how can they put together a spotless recycling strategy? Below we have a small guide where we’ll be answering all these questions.

Why does your company need to recycle?

Considering the environmental discussions that took place in the public space lately, there is no question all businesses have to find a good recycling scheme. As mentioned in the beginning, recycling brings auxiliary benefits, too, apart from the obvious ones. Recycling schemes can help your business save money and boost employee morale while lowering operational costs.

  • It helps your company lower the carbon footprint and cut the amount of waste that reaches landfills, but also the emissions generated by improper waste disposal methods.
  • Recycling strategies can also help you improve your brand’s position in the local market, and your company’s reputation. In the long run, going green can also help your company bond more fruitful and profitable connections with other business with the same mindset.
  • Recycling measures can help you boost employee morale. It has been proven that employees are responsive to positive company measures from diversity measures to volunteering and recycling programs.
  • Recycling will help you reinforce positive company culture and will determine employees who don’t implement such measures at home to change. It also brings a sense of belonging to something bigger.
  • You will save so much money if you implement the right recycling methods for your organization.

Now, that you know how a recycling scheme can help your business, let’s see how you can reach the perfect recycling protocol.

Assess your company’s recycling needs

There are no two businesses alike and because of this reason, you can’t implement the exact recycling strategy as your neighbour. You have to think of the recycling potential of your own business. Are you currently going through immense volumes of paper? Think about going paperless.

Is your company generating huge volumes of rubbles, as a result of the operations taking place within? Think of some smart ways to dispose of it or recycle it more successfully. For instance, a Sittingbourne recycling centre might help you find a better use of inert soils or rubble. Instead of throwing such waste on landfills, similar contractors might help you reduce your footprint significantly.

Is your company producing hazardous waste? Think about how you can lower it and manage it more successfully.

And last, but not least, try to implement the basics. Invest in separate recycling bins for different types of waste.

Reduce, reuse, recycle

The reduce, reuse, recycle paradigm is already popular for a long time. But how can you successfully achieve a good scheme to help your recycling capabilities?

  • Waste reduction – you can easily achieve your waste reduction goals by making some small adjustments. You can start by using copy paper on both sides, for instance, you can invest in some smart light sensors that automatically switch off lights when nobody is using a certain office or room in your company, and so on. You can also be more attentive to what and how much you buy. From raw materials to other supplies, try to limit your procurement behaviour. Manufacturing businesses should also review their processes and workflow and see if there can be brought adjustments to help them reduce material use and waste. Think about packaging, too. This is a huge waste generator in businesses all over the world.
  • Waste reuse – evaluate your production processes and see what waste material you can reuse for other products. Apart from this, other small changes will help you make the most of your company’s waste. Waste paper can be used as note paper, old appliances and equipment can be donated to local charities and greywater can be used as toilet water if you invest in the right water system.
  • Recycle – companies that want to reach a perfect recycling plan must think about proper recycling methods of the waste that can no longer be repurposed. Also, think about investing in different bins to help you and your employees separate waste properly. You have to separate the following: glass, plastic, metals, paper, cardboard, and food waste. Research what are the local recycling protocols and demands, to make things easier.

Inform your employees of the new recycling scheme and train them accordingly

Keep your staff informed of the developments of your company’s recycling strategy and methodology. Organize a general meeting where all the new measures you implement are discussed. Alternatively, use internal communication channels to let your employees know about the latest changes. Try to encourage your workers to recycle as much as possible and offer small prizes at the end of each month for those who show the most recycling initiative.

In most cases, recycling training will be necessary. Not everybody is equally informed on the best recycling practices, to keep them trained. There are programs you can access for similar purposes, some of them financed by local authorities.

Work on your company culture

If you want a successful long-term initiative, you should change the entire company culture and turn it into a greener one. Apart from implementing the measures described above, you should also take part in fundraisings, green activities, you should consider donating to profile charities and offer your employees reusable products: from bottles to coffee cups and straws, reusable envelopes and so on. You might also want to switch to a sustainable energy source. Solar panels or wind power are two amazing options, depending on the climate and weather in your area.

These are some of the simplest guidelines you can follow to turn your business into an environmentally-friendly one and enjoy all the other advantages brought by a recycling strategy.

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Melissa Thompson

Melissa is a mother of 2, lives in Utah, and writes for a multitude of sites. She is currently the EIC of HarcourtHealth.com and writes about health, wellness, and business topics.