Each year, the average office worker uses 500 coffee cups, all of which are sent to landfills!
Imagine how much waste can be generated from paper, food, and plastics at every workplace in Canada.
Limiting the amount of waste your office produces can be challenging, but investing in a baler and implementing easy-to-follow recycling tips.
We put together some tips for your business to improve office recycling.
Recycling Bin Locations
Consider having recycling bins throughout the office, not just in a break room. Have a paper-only recycling bin, neat photocopiers, printers and employee desks. Consider bins for plastic in the hallways. Keep organic containers in the breakroom so staff don’t leave food around their desks.
Promote Recycling
One of the best recycling tips is to give everyone a specific goal each month. You can consider focusing on paper, plastic, cans, or other materials. Consider running weekly recycling challenges with a reward. Or create levels of recognition – inter-departmental & consecutive wins. Not only will you be improving your office recycling practices, but you’ll also be improving your brand loyalty.
Another fun way is the ‘zero-to-landfill’ competition, where each team or department has to minimize their general waste. At the end of the month, the team with the lowest waste weight or fewest bags will win.
By making recycling a team effort, you’ll get closer to achieving it. Pick a spot in the office to showcase your goals or send quarterly company-wide emails.
Have Clear Signage
Help your staff navigate the dos and don’ts of recycling at the office. Send out an email to remind staff what can be recycled and which bins to use. Set up posters that outline clearly what can go into which bin and if items should be rinsed or need another step to ensure proper recycling. Show stats about the benefits to the environment and workplace.
Create A Green Team
Allocate a team to lead your sustainability activities, goals, and resources. Take time to meet with your green team and decide what concepts to implement and accelerate results.
Buy Recycled Products & Offer Programs
Consider where you are buying your products from. Switch to sourcing recycled paper and consider having a battery drop-off to improve electronic waste from their homes and your office.
With these tips, your office recycling program will become an integrated part of your company culture. It’s essential to understand how your company can implement green initiatives and yield results.