Top Tips for Improving Your Resource Efficiency - Recycling

Reducing waste should be the priority. First think about whether items could be re-used rather than recycled. About 70% of office waste is recyclable. To set up an effective recycling system in your organisation, you will need to: 

• Understand the volume and types of waste you produce and then attribute a cost to this. You will need to understand costs for the purchase of the product and its disposal. Convert these to annual figures to help you understand the impact on your business and which areas you may need to prioritise.
• Clearly label recycling bins to show where and what can be recycled.
• Check the contents of your recycling bins. Are the right materials are going in the right bin?
• Check your general waste bins to ensure recyclable items are not being thrown away. Take daily checks, you might be surprised by what you find.
• Consider removing or reducing the number of waste bins around your premises.
• There is now a legal requirement for the separate collection of recycling. Is your collections company meeting this requirement? In an average office it is usual to have segregated recycling for paper, card, glass, plastic and metal.
• WRAP research shows that people respond better to clearly labelled recycling units and supporting messages. To implement effective segregation systems:
  • Create recycling stations with all the containers in one place.
  • Colour-code the containers to promote consistency throughout your business and avoid confusion about what items go in which bin.
  • Let employees know what they can recycle by implementing an awareness campaign and placing instructions by the bins.
  • Ensure that packaging is flattened so that containers are not filled with air or empty space.
• Cross-contamination increases the amount of waste you send to landfill and could increase your disposal costs.
• To help ensure your recycling scheme is effective, WRAP has two set of bilingual artwork templates you can use for messaging and signage, which can be adapted for your business needs. Visit www.wrapcymru.org.uk/content/recycle-go-wales
• Work with your service provider to ensure you can recycle a wide range of materials and that your waste contract meets the needs of your business.
• Ask what discounts are available for segregating waste. You may be able to reduce the costs of your service or even negotiation an income for segregated or baled materials.
• Ensure you understand the service provided by your waste management company and that it meets your needs. A few key questions to ask are: 
  • How often are bins collected? Are they full when collected? You could be paying for empty or partially empty bins being collected.
  • Are there any discounts available for segregating recyclable waste?
  • Are additional services available to help you manage or reduce your waste such as waste audits or waste prevention planning.
  • How and when will ‘Duty of Care’ documentation will be provided (this must be retained).
• By recycling as much as possible you may be able to reduce your waste disposal costs. Recycling costs less than disposal to landfill, particularly if you segregate your waste