How To Reduce Waste at Work

Smart business owners know that reducing waste will not only lower the company’s carbon footprint but will actually save money in the long run. Waste disposal is an expensive service, so anything you can do to reduce and recycle, the better it will be for your bottom line.

Recycle Office Supplies

Many of the office supplies you use every day can be reused many times before they need to be discarded. If you are cleaning out your files, those empty file folders can be recycled. Just put a new label over the old one, and they are as good as new. Plastic binders, which may release toxic chemicals when discarded, should always be recycled.

Set up recycling stations around the plant to encourage employees to recycle plastics, paper and aluminum cans. Consider an incentive program for recycling as well.

Reduce Waste

There are many good ideas for reducing waste in the office.

• Buy supplies in bulk – Not only will you get a better price when you buy in bulk, but you will significantly reduce the excess packaging you get from products packaged in smaller quantities.
• Reduce printing – Instead of printing that lengthy report and distributing it to the team, send an electronic copy to everyone. In cases where you need a hard copy, print on both sides to reduce paper.
• Encourage reusable water bottles – Consider giving each employee a reusable bottle as an incentive to reduce single-use plastic water bottles.
• Stop using K-Cup machines – Since the plastic cups can’t be recycled, you should discourage employees from using them.

Invest in a Baler or Compactor

If you really want to step up your waste reduction program, consider baler and compactor services. These waste-reducing machines come in many different sizes with different functions, depending on the needs of your company. Because these machines reduce the waste into compressed bundles, the resulting waste takes up much less space. The bundles can be stored until a larger quantity is ready to be picked up. This can significantly reduce transportation and disposal costs.

• Balers compress recyclable materials like cardboard, plastic and paper into compact bales for easy stacking and transporting.
• Compactors are beneficial for companies that generate a large amount of waste. The machine compacts all types of waste into a container that greatly reduces the volume of bulk waste.

Reducing waste at the office doesn’t need to be a difficult endeavor. Getting your employees on board with incentives can go a long way in creating a successful program.