Your company's recycling program is an important part of saving money and improving your business reputation. But if your employees struggle with following through on plastic recycling, what more can you do? Here are five methods to try.
Reduce Use. The easiest way to boost any environmental action is to work to reduce plastic use to begin with. Gather employees, managers, supervisors, and green committee members to brainstorm ways to purchase and use less plastic. It could include opting for different packaging, reusing filler material, or choosing goods with fewer plastic packaging overlays. This has the added advantage of making everyone more environmentally aware.
Buy Recycled Goods. The second step in the "reduce, reuse, recycle" mantra is to reuse items. Start by placing an emphasis on buying recycled office products. Once again, this reinforces your commitment in terms of actual dollars. Don't forget to look for recyclable materials to keep the cycle going.
Create Convenient Locations. The easier it is for employees to find and use a recycle option, they more likely they are to actually use it. Make recycle bins easy to identify, all encompassing, and well labeled for easy use. Place them next to trash bins (or even in place of them). Many businesses find that employees should always be about 30 steps away from any bin area within the office.
Educate About Use. People are creatures of habit. And if you're trying to overturn a lifetime of bad habits when it comes to plastic recycling, continuous education is key. Remind employees what can and cannot be recycled in each bin, what should be removed, and how to tell what's recyclable material. Invite local green initiatives to make presentations and help you do a makeover on your facilities.
Anticipate Usage. You can't foresee the future, but you do know your company's trends. If you're reducing the use of plastics in packaging, will you have a growing need for paper recycling? If, on the other hand, there is a new product line that leaves metal or plastic scraps, how can you find scrap plastic recycling solutions? The best way to form new habits is to catch them when they first start.
When you're ready to find new ways to make the plastic recycling program at your business more effective, talk to the experts at your local plastic recycling service. You're sure to find ways to help your bottom line and the environment in one fell swoop.
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