Recycling and waste reduction is the hot topic right now, as a result of the government announcing their restrictions on sales of plastic straws and cotton wool buds alongside the complete ban of plastic stirrers by 2020. In addition, businesses are starting looking at how they can help reduce their waste. But how can businesses help with the plastic problem in the workplace? Ultimately, by reducing waste and encouraging your office to recycle. Getting your office recycling and reducing waste isn’t as difficult as you may think!
Steps to reduce office waste;
- Become Paperless. Becoming a paperless company means only printing documents when required. Therefore, reducing paper usage.
- Reduce paper usage. When documents are being printed, printing double sided and using smaller fonts can reduce paper usage. Furthermore, turning waste documents into scrap paper also helps to reduce single use paper.
- Use e-bills. Requesting e-bill invoices instead of receiving paper invoices regularly, will in turn reduce paper waste.
- Stop using staples. Use paperclips instead of staples, this reduces the wasted staples once documents are no longer required.
- Reuse office stationary. Reuse file folders and metal clasped envelopes by relabelling.
Creating an Office Recycling Plan;
- Waste Audit. Conducting a ‘waste audit’ gives an overview of how much waste the business produces. Reviewing employees waste also will help give an accurate review.
- What can be Recycled? Reviewing the ‘waste audit’ will allow you to work out how much of the waste produced can be recycled.
- Find Recycling Collections. Contact your local council to request information about recommended local services or contractors for the recycling collections. View the GOV website for a list of contractors that specialise in recycling collections.
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/access-the-public-register-for-environmental-information - Informing Staff. It is important to inform the whole business of the new recycling practises and encourage them to all participate.
- Cut Waste. Review if there is any unnecessary waste being produced within the business and can this be reduced? Can the company swap out those plastic cups for mugs or paper towels for a towel or cloth.
- Providing Bins. Providing accessible recycling bins for all employees will encourage them to recycle. This will encourage the office to change their habits and behaviour. Perhaps removing desk bins and having one main bin per office alongside the recycling bin.
Now you have all the information you need, you can now get your office to ‘go green’. Get your colleagues involved in the office recycling plan, this will help encourage staff members to change their habits. See below our range of recycling bins, with many more styles and sizes available!
Rubbermaid Recycling Wheelie Bins
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Self Closing Steel Recycling Bins
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Square Recycling Litter Bins
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