5 Ways for Better Waste Management at the Office

It might surprise you to learn that more than 80% of the waste produced in an office can be recycled. What might surprise you even more, is the fact that around 40 to 50% of the waste produced by an office can be avoided.

Waste management is important for any office, for both efficiency, and also to reduce the environmental impact the office has.

So how can office manage their waste better?

1. Be careful about what you print

Before printing anything, ask yourself “Is printing this document really necessary?”. There are times when an email might suffice, and it saves a large amount of paper that will ultimately end up in the waste bin.

It is also a good idea to print on both sides of the paper, since that will reduce the amount of paper required by half. Single-side printed documents can also be used as rough sheets, for taking notes and similar tasks.

2. Sort out the waste properly

An office produces a large variety of waste, ranging from paper, stationery, and plastics to organic waste like leftover food. Different kinds of waste have different processes for recycling and disposal so sorting it is important.

A general guideline for doing this is using three kinds of waste bins: one for paper, one for plastics, glass & metals, and one for organic waste. This will make waste management a lot easier than using a single bin for everything.

Most recycling companies will also require you to sort out your waste before you can collect it and doing this will make the process smoother for both parties.

3. Reuse what you can

A lot of things in the office can be reused to reduce waste volume. Pens can be refilled, cardboard and plastic containers can be reused, and single-sided printed papers can be written on.

Make sure that only things that cannot be reused end up in the trash.

4. Be careful about lights and appliances

Light bulbs and electronic appliances are also thrown out once they stop working, so make sure you use the ones you have to their maximum potential. E-waste is one of the hardest kinds of waste to deal with, so make sure you reduce your output as much as possible.

Turn off all the lights and appliances at the end of the day, and make sure nothing is turned on when it’s not needed. This will increase the lifespan of your electronic appliances, which in turn reduces your waste output.

5. Make a comprehensive plan for waste management

Waste management is a very important factor for all offices to consider. Every office has a CSR to fulfill, and for that, a detailed and comprehensive plan should be made.

Do not make it a low priority task, waste management is extremely important for the smooth operation of the office and also necessary to meet certain health and safety standards. These plans should be formulated along with the company policy, for smooth and effective operations in the office.

In some cases you may want to involve an external waste management company in order to make sure that your plan is appropriate and will suit your objectives.

Looking for a comprehensive and tailored Waste Management Solution for your office?

innovatefm provides small to big businesses with bespoke waste management plans, according to their waste output and convenience. We can handle all kinds of waste, from regular waste like paper and plastics, to more specialised waste like medical waste and chemical waste.

Give us a call on (0161) 724 8999 (option 1) or email us at enquiries@innovatefm.co.uk for more information.