Office Recycling - Top Guidelines

Office Recycling - Top Guidelines

Whilst many business in the UK are now keener than ever to ensure that their office recycling systems are in place and being used by all members of staff, there are some very common mistakes which you'll need to avoid if you're thinking of setting up your own office recycling scheme.

Following these tips should help you through the process.

1. Don't get caught out

The UK government is now keener than ever to ensure businesses are not sending rubbish to landfill that could be recycled via other channels. The taxes on landfill disposal are rising all the time and there are rules and regulations in place, determining just how much companies are allowed to send to landfill.

Before you decide on your office's recycling strategy, ensure you've fully researched all the current legislation.

2. Know your material

There's very little point in your business investing in a metal recycling container if the only waste metal the office has ever produced was that filling which fell out of Brenda's mouth when enjoying a particularly tasty bit of liquorice that afternoon.

When purchasing office recycling bins, make sure you are considering the waste you are actually likely to have. Paper, cans, plastic and cardboard are the most common kinds of recycle bin found in offices.

3. Space Planning

A full set of colourful new recycle bins are going to take up some considerable space in your office. The good news is that the waste will now be more organised and you shouldn't have bin bags over spilling and creating awful smells throughout the office, but you are going to have to ensure a suitable space is dedicated to the new system.

4. Label Well

A variety of different colour bins with recycling stickers, clearly displaying which material should go in a specific bin is the best way of labelling your bins.

5. Size Counts

Make sure you do your research when deciding on which size bins you need. Speak with the people that currently empty the bins and come up with as accurate estimation as possible as to the size of container you will need. If you choose bins for office recycling which are too small you could well find it's costing you a fortune to have them emptied more frequently than is needed. However, if you go too big, it could be a case of them not fitting into your kitchen area.

6. Location, Location, Location

It would be fairly pointless for you to spend lots of cash on an office recycling system only for the bins to be hidden away in some dark corner of the office that's only ever visited during Christmas parties.

Ensure your bins are in the right location, normally a kitchen area or near to external door is the best place. Waste paper recycling bins may be better placed near to desks or printing/photocopying rooms.

7. Raise Awareness - Encourage Action

The likelihood is that most of your staff will already be recycling at home and will be thoroughly up for the scheme. Others may need some gentle persuading. Either way, discussing the new scheme with staff members, better informing them of the business expectations and finding ways to incentivise office recycling will all be crucial to your success.

8. Exit Strategy

The final, and maybe most important element of any office recycling system is how the recyclable materials are removed from your office when your bins are full. A quick online search will call up a long list of companies willing to come and empty your bins to timescales that best suit your needs. Do some thorough research and be aware that in certain circumstances and with some specific materials, you could actually make some money too.