How to Encourage Recycling in the Office

How to Encourage Recycling in the Office

It doesn’t matter what sort of business you run or the size of your premises – all offices in the modern world should be encouraging recycling on some level. Unfortunately, though, providing the facilities for recycling and actually making it work are two different things. I’ve worked with everyone from digital marketing companies to small retail businesses, and I’ve picked up numerous techniques to encourage recycling and minimize the amount of waste you send to landfill.

In the rest of this article, I’ve outlined some of the best ways to encourage your employees to recycle. Remember, awareness is the key to action. If people understand why they should be recycling, they will be much more likely to do it. Encourage recycling by:

Ensuring Bins Are Place in Strategic Locations

It’s extremely important to make sure your office recycling bins are placed in smart, easy-access locations that people notice. Consider adding separate bins for paper and other recyclables, and ensure there’s at least one in each room.

Recycle as Much as Possible

Sure, you’re probably already recycling old paper and soft drink cans, but that’s only scratching the surface. Many of the things you send to landfill can probably be recycled or repurposed in some way, even if you don’t know it yet.

For example, things like e-waste (old devices and appliances), light bulbs, batteries and printer cartridges should always be collected and delivered to a dedicated recycling point. Here, they will either be refurbished, broken down and recycled or sent overseas to a facility that’s equipped to deal with them.

Add a Compost Bin

Okay, composting isn’t quite the same as recycling, but the basic idea remains the same. Everything you compost is one less thing that’s going to landfill, and in the end, that’s the ultimate goal.

It could be a good idea to ask around the office to see if you have any keen gardeners amongst your employees. If you do, they might jump at the chance to collect organic waste for composting at the end of every day and/or week. Otherwise, consider installing your own composter and using the final product on your office gardens.

Eliminate Single-Use Items

Once you start eliminating single-use items that can’t be recycled, you will be well on the way to increasing the percentage of your waste that’s recycled. Some things you should look at getting rid of include:

  • Disposable pens and other stationery. Replace them with more durable items that are reusable and/or refillable.
  • Ban single-use coffee cups and discourage disposable water bottles. Once again, awareness is the key here. Encourage people to bring their own water bottles and coffee cups.
  • Use less paper. Okay, paper can be recycled, but using less is an even better option.

Start Recycling!

Now that you know the basics of improving your recycling in the office, it’s time to get out there and start implementing a few new strategies. Remember, it’s okay to start small and improve over time – every little bit makes a difference.

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