How to Deal With Different Kinds of Waste in the Office

Any office or workspace has a diverse waste stream, depending on what kind of work is done in the office is, and what kind of resources are used the most. Depending upon the kind of waste, the method to deal with such waste varied considerably, and care must be taken to make sure they are dealt with correctly.

Listed below are a few kinds of waste usually produced in an office or workspace, and the methods that need to be undertaken to take care of them.

1. Liquid Waste

Liquid waste includes dirty water, organic liquids, detergents, and even rainwater. These kinds of waste are hard to pin down and can’t be sorted or ‘collected’ in the traditional sense of the term, but needs to be properly disposed of.

There are various methods such as dewatering (removing water from the waste and disposing of the leftover solid waste), sedimentation (separating the solid and liquid parts of the waste in tanks), root zoning (advanced water purification treatment), and other similar methods that can be used to dispose of liquid waste.

2. Solid Waste

Solid waste includes all types of inorganic waste that might be produced in the office. Broadly, solid waste can be of the following types:

Plastic Waste: All plastic waste items such as bags, jars, and bottles fall under this category. Plastic should not be mixed with the regular waste stream since it decomposes at an extremely slow rate and is harmful to the environment. It should be sent for recycling instead.

Paper Waste: Paper waste is one of the most abundant sources of waste in any office or workspace. This kind of waste is easily disposed of as well, although it is recommended that such waste be recycled, since it can be done very easily.

Metal Waste: Metal waste can be found in a variety of forms in the waste stream, ranging from batteries to tins, and cans. Metal waste must be disposed of in scrapyards, where it can be melted and reused.

3. Organic Waste

Organic waste consists of all kinds of food waste. Anything from leftovers to rotten meat can be classified as organic waste. Although this kind of waste does decompose into manure through microbial action, that does not mean that it can be disposed of anywhere.

In fact, organic waste produces methane, which is flammable and very dangerous. It should be sorted separately and dealt with appropriately by composting it.

4. Hazardous Waste

Hazardous waste is any waste that has harmful effects on the human health or the environment. They may be toxic, reactive, corrosive, infectious, or radioactive. This kind of waste is produced in very few workspaces or offices, but in ones that do, they must be managed very carefully.

Hazardous waste must be classified, transported, and then either recycled, treated, or disposed of by specialist teams. Not following set protocols while dealing with hazardous waste is harmful, and most importantly also illegal.

Complete Waste Management Solutions for your business

innovatefm’s trained teams, innovative processes and tried-and-tested protocols makes us capable of managing all kinds of waste, from paper, glass and plastic, to specialist waste like medical or industrial waste.

In situations where certain materials are in large enough quantities, we will even be able to provide you with rebates for the disposal of your waste.

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