In a recent survey we asked our customers how they feel about sustainability and recycling. We found that more than half of UK SMEs think it’s very important to their business, but less than half of customers choose to recycle.
There are many reasons not to recycle and the top three, based on an online survey, are: it’s expensive, there is no space for extra bins, and they don’t know where to start. We shared these ways to start recycling with some Wastege experts. Here are their top tips:
Start with more than one material.
It might not seem like it at first, but recycling can be as much or as little as you want. Recycling just one material can help you figure out the best way to recycle for your needs. Recycling a material that is filling up your general waste bin is usually a good place to start. This can help you slim down your bin size faster in the beginning as you assess what’s worth keeping or tossing.
You might not need a large recycling scheme to be successful. Talk to an expert, tell them the amount and type of waste you have, and they can advise on how best to dispose of it. It’s important to remember, even if you have just one of our accepted recyclable materials, it can still go in our dry mixed recycling bins.
Find space to recycle inside
Waste is usually collected at the back of a building, but you can easily rent bins so collection is more convenient.Take a second to think about some of the drawbacks of working outside: the weather is bad, consequentially the back door swings shut and that leaves you open to any potential intruders. That’s not the only downside though! In addition, colleagues will want to get inside as soon as possible due to groundskeeping duties.
Consider bringing some of the components inside your storage such as sorting, labeling, and storage. If you’re recycling in small bins, bring them indoors or closer to the back door. This will increase engagement levels and save time, effort, and space out back. Using smaller bins also means that less wrong materials are accidentally put in the right bin.
Make it simple
Time is precious to any small business. You want to be spending your time doing the things that provide a direct return and not wasting it on something like waste management. However, mixing your recyclables with other materials could create all sorts of logistical and financial problems.
To make recycling easy for yourself and your colleagues, you should position bins close to one another with clear signs. Consider putting your general waste and recycling bins next to one another, with unobstructed access. It’s not always feasible for people to walk to a different location in order to recycle, so anything you can do for your recycling bins is helpful. Introducing clear signs makes it easier for anyone looking at them.
Separate recycling
It’s too expensive to recycle! One of the most common myths about recycling – that’s actually untrue. With recycling, you can actually save money over time.
Many waste management companies charge on the basis of how much garbage you produce. Separating out some materials can reduce this weight and make your collections cheaper. If you use this, it can potentially reduce costs and in some cases also space.