What Can You Recycle in Your Office?

Businesses; what if you could improve your green credentials and save money by making one change? You can. All you need to do is recycle more. Here’s our guide to successful office recycling.

Why Recycling?

According to WRAP, businesses produce a quarter of the UK’s total waste. Imagine the difference you could make by changing the way you do things. Reusing things wherever you can. Reducing energy consumption. As well as these, recycling can have a huge impact on your business footprint.

What Can You Recycle in Your Office?

When it comes to office recycling, you probably know the usual suspects. You know, the items you use a lot of that often end up in the bin, like;

Paper and cardboard

Most businesses keep digital records, but paper is still one of the most common forms of waste. To cut down on paper waste, don’t print unless absolutely necessary. If you do need to print, print double-sided. Use scrap paper for lists and notes. With cardboard, it’s very recyclable which is the good news. However, when ordering supplies, try and buy from companies that used recycled materials in their packaging. You can also work with your supply chain to cut down on unnecessary packaging altogether.

Electrical equipment, batteries, and printer cartridges

You can’t talk about office recycling without mentioning electronics. Own up; who has at least one old computer or printer in a storeroom somewhere, gathering dust? Most electronic waste either ends up stored out of sight or worse, in landfill. Electronics contain precious metals that go to waste. They also contain hazardous chemicals that leach into groundwater on landfill sites.

As a business, you have a legal duty to dispose of electronics correctly under the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment recycling (WEEE) regulations.

Printer cartridges and batteries are often forgotten in office recycling. Printer cartridges can be recycled at recycling centres. Sometimes schools and charities collect them too. Alternatively, you can send them free of charge to organisations like The Recycling Factory which will then donate money to charity. Eco and philanthropic brownie points for your business, it’s a win-win.

Batteries can be taken to recycling centres or to in-store collection points at a growing number of retailers.

Food and drink waste

A hungry and thirsty workforce can generate a lot of waste. From plastic bottles to food packaging, drinks cans, and coffee cups, there’s a lot you can divert from landfill.

However, before you even think about your office recycling, crackdown on waste at the source. Encourage employees to use reusable water bottles and coffee cups, and bring in homemade food and snacks.

Food waste itself can be put on a compost heap or recycled if your local authority offers the service. Office kitchen garden, anyone?

How to Improve Office Recycling

Make Recycling in your Office Easier

We’re not going to sugarcoat it, recycling does take some effort. But there are things you can do to make it easier.

Invest in office recycling bins

From food waste and plastic bins in the canteen to paper bins near the photocopier, they’ll make recycling easier. Recycling containers for batteries and caddies for food waste are also a great investment.

Personally, we think that these office recycling bins are up there with the best! They look fantastic and have a generous 60-litre capacity, the innovative magnetic joining system is the first on the market featuring it.

Work with your supply chain to reduce waste

Talk to your suppliers about reducing packaging or packaging items in recycled materials. Also, think about the items you buy and how easily they can be reused or recycled.

Make an office recycling action plan

Look at your current office recycling levels. How could you improve things? Get staff on board to make it happen. Make sure everyone knows what and how they should be recycling.

Although recycling is a great way to keep waste out of landfill, there’s a caveat. Recycling is not the only thing your business should be doing. Your first goal should be to eliminate or reduce waste in the first place and reuse what you can. This will save you money and reduce your environmental impact in the short and long term.

What can you do to recycle more in your office, starting today? For more interesting articles on all things recycling, check out the rest of our blog.