How to Start a Recycling Program at your Business

Businesses that recycle give back to their community by protecting natural resources and reducing the impact they have on the environment. Implementing a recycling program is something every business can do and doesn’t require a lot of effort on your end. With just a few changes and new habits, your business can start a recycling program in a matter of days. The type of program you use will partially depend on the kind of business you have. For example, offices will have a much different program than manufacturing plants. But, these general guidelines can be applied to most businesses and you can make changes as needed.

Decide what you Can Recycle First, think about products and materials your business uses on a regular basis that can be recycled. For an office, recyclables may include paper, cardboard, plastic and aluminium cans. If you have a warehouse or production plant, you may use these materials as well as plastics and metals. Remember that even things you don’t normally associate with recycling can be recycled. Things like printer cartridges, paint and even some old electronics can be recycled. In some cases, the manufacturer will recycle items if you return them and in other cases you will need to look into recycling options in your community. Make a comprehensive list of products and materials you use regularly that you would like to start recycling. This will give you a starting point when you start creating a program.

Check Local Services and Regulations Now, look into local recycling services. Some communities actually come pick up recycling bins when they are full and others have plants you can bring your materials to. Find out where these locations are and what kinds of requirements you need to meet to participate.

For example, in some areas you might be required to use a special bin to collect materials while in other cases you may only be able to recycle certain items. Find out where nearby recycling plants are and how they can help you make recycling easier. Also keep in mind local regulations. For example, some plastic recycling plants will only accept certain types of plastic and some require you to wash out containers before you drop them off.

Set up Recycling Stations Once you know what kind of materials you can recycle and what special regulations you will need to follow, you can start setting up recycling stations at your building. Use the containers provided by the recycling plant or find some bins that are practical and easy for your employees to use. If your work in an office, set up recycling bins next to garbage cans, printers, supply rooms or break rooms and anywhere else that makes it easy for your employees to recycle. For warehouses, set up bins or large skips in areas that won’t interfere with your processes and won’t jeopardise the safety of your employees. Remember that if recycling is made easy your employees will be much more likely to participate. If recycling paper, containers and other supplies is too hard for employees or takes too long, people will skip it and go straight for the garbage bin.

Make Employees Aware Now, make employees aware of your recycling program. They need to know that the program exists and how they can participate. Tell them about why your business is recycling and how they can make a difference. Making people aware means telling them where recycling bins are and what kinds of materials they can recycle. It also means making sure your employees understand any special guidelines you need to follow. For example, if you are recycling water bottles, but the labels need to be removed before they are dropped into the bin, people need to know about that. The way you make people aware will depend on the way your business runs. You can send emails, include recycling facts in your company newsletter, make announcements at meetings or even hang signs. If you want your customers to be able to participate, tell them about your program through signs, fliers or mailers. You can also find fun ways to do this, like holding a kick-off event, setting goals or even holding competitions between departments to see who can recycle the most.

Add Recycling to Processes You can also make it easier for people to participate by adding recycling to your regular processes. An easy way to do this is to assign an employee to make sure bins are where they need to be for weekly pick up. If you have a warehouse, include taking recyclables to your local plant in your list of monthly tasks. When you include recycling in your business’ processes and systems, it will become a habit and before you know it recycling will be fast and easy.

Find more Ways to Protect the Environment Once your recycling program is off the ground and your business is regularly recycling things like paper, plastic, and aluminium, instead of throwing things away, you can take things to the next level and find more ways to protect the environment. One of the best ways to do this is to assess your water usage. You might be surprised at how much water business across the country waste every year. This wasted water comes from leaky pipes, broken appliances and ineffective systems. Wasted water isn’t good for the environment and actually costs you more to run your business. The best way to find out if you are wasting water and discover ways to use less water is to schedule a water audit. A professional will visit your site and identify sources of wasted water and how you can fix them. Then, you can have a water monitoring device installed so you can keep a close watch on how much water you use. Other ways to protect the environment include cutting back on energy use, using recyclable materials and using land and resources wisely. Recycling is just the first step. After you have implemented a successful recycling program at your business, branch out and look for more ways to be kind to our beautiful environment. If you wish to find out more please see http://www.h2obuildingservices.co.uk/