Small and large commercial businesses have a unique opportunity to take the lead in improving recycling procedures. Business leaders can help educate on recycling myths, cut down on waste, and find ways to improve the recycling loop.
The success of recycling does not happen overnight – it is a long-term commitment. This is an invitation for businesses to reinvent their relationship with recycling.
Here’s how your businesses can improve recycling.
3 Tips To Support Better Commercial Recycling
- Conduct a Waste Audit
This may sound like an intimidating first step, but hiring a company to support you with a waste audit can help you find gaps and areas of improvement. Audits will analyze what type of waste your business generates and how much.
This data will help you reduce waste, make choosing a baler easier, and understand where it all comes from. Audits can be done on a semi-annual or annual basis.
Waste audits can also support your company in complying with local rules and regulations. Understanding your local and corporate responsibilities can help you streamline your new recycling processes.
- Waste Prevention
You’ll want to invest in proper recycling stations, containers, and labelling. Improving recycling outlets for your employees and more effective procedures can help implement a plan company-wide to lower waste. Create clear signage that everyone can understand. The audit can also help you discover how many recycling stations your building needs.
Once you understand the best system for your needs, you can invest in colour-coded bins to strategically place throughout your building and signage with tips for recycling correctly (such as rinse and dry recyclables, break down cardboard, and replace single-use plastics with reusables). - Commit To Improving Your Practices
As you begin to see improvements or challenges with your new commercial recycling practices, be open to new ways of improving. Work with your employees and experts to share your success and goals. Continue to look for waste management opportunities and track cost savings.
It takes teamwork and commitment to improve commercial recycling. Still, it can be done by tracking your current practices, sharing your success, and connecting with other businesses in your industry to make a difference.