Recycling is an excellent first step on the way to greening your business. The best way to accomplish this is by getting your office staff to buy into the idea by making them want to be part of the solution. This includes education regarding recycling and seeking their input on how to go about it and what they think can be recycled and what can be put into waste bins. Depending upon the size of your office staff, consider appointing one or two people to lead the recycling campaign.
Here are some helpful tips to get you started:
- Lunch Room and Vending Machines: Make sure that containers marked for aluminum cans, glass and paper product disposal are readily available. Encourage staff to bring aluminum cans from home to add to the recycling container. Use funds from recycling to be earmarked for an employee party as a reward for their recycling efforts. Add Fibrex’s Encore Dual Stream Recycler for collection of recyclables as well as landfill items.
- Paper Products: Each desk should have a recycling container for paper they can empty into a larger office container at the end of the day. Whenever possible, purchase recycled paper products. Encourage employees to print double sided to save paper. They should also be encouraged to use the back of any one-sided previously used paper for notes, etc., as long as no personal information is contained on the printed side. Make sure that all the paper containers are clearly marked for paper. Empty shredded material into plastic bags for recycling. This is the perfect place for a Desk-side Recycling/Waste Bin to catch all of the paper tosses at everyone’s station. Even a Mobius Recycling Station is a great idea in a central location within the office to catch cans, bottles & paper when folks hurry to and from meetings.
- Batteries: All used batteries need to be recycled. Collect them in a container and determine which office supply companies collect batteries and make arrangements for them to be dropped at those locations. Purchase re-chargeable batteries whenever possible.
- Printer Cartridges: Cartridges should be collected in a clearly marked receptacle and periodically refilled. It is less expensive to refill them and reduces waste.
- Shipping Material: Re-use boxes as storage boxes, shipping bags and packing material. New labels can be placed over old labels and postage meter tape can be removed. If you lack packing material, use shredded material you have collected for recycling.
- Office Equipment: Recycle or refurbish cell phones, fax machines, printers, computers and copiers. Buy refurbished products to conserve your budget and reduce landfill space needed. Repair items versus replacing them.
- Office Supplies: Buy refillable pens. Use permanent tape dispenser rather than disposable dispensers. Purchase recycled paper towels for the rest rooms or invest in hand blowers. Recycle the hand towels. Eliminate the purchase of Styrofoam products.
For more information on office recycling containers, contact The Fibrex Group.
Some material courtesy of Ways2GoGreen blog
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