You think you’re doing everything you can, but your company is still far from achieving that net-zero or green certification you’ve been striving for.
Despite your best efforts, recycling rates remain lower than expected, and you’re left frustrated and wondering why.
Most often, contamination of recyclable waste in the workplace and changing behaviour towards better source segregation is the barrier to achieving recycling goals and effective waste management.
Nearly one-fifth (17%) of waste from businesses and households in England and Wales is unrecyclable due to contamination and ends up in landfill or incineration.
However, with some strategic actions, you can help reduce the contamination of your workplace recycling and make a positive environmental impact.
1. Educate And Train Employees On Recycling Contamination
One of the most important steps to reducing contamination is changing the behaviour of team members and educating employees on what can and cannot be recycled. Contamination often happens when recyclable items are mixed with non-recyclables or when food or liquid waste is mixed with recyclables. For example, food-soiled packaging or coffee dregs or broken glass are common contaminants that can ruin entire batches of recyclables.
How to get started:
- Host regular training sessions to help employees understand what causes contamination and why it is important to reduce it in order to boost recycling rates.
- Cover common mistakes such as leaving liquids in bottles or adding non-recyclable items like plastic films or dirty with food residue packaging and what they can do personally to contribute to cleaner, more recyclable waste streams.
- Consider offering tailored workshops or virtual training for new hires and ongoing reinforcement. It can help to include correct recycling as part of your induction process for new starters and emphasize it’s importance from their first day…
No matter where you live in the UK, you can benefit from Workplace Recycling Engagement Training Sessions.
2. Audit Waste Streams And Provide Feedback
Conduct regular waste audits to assess the types of contamination occurring within your facilities. By identifying problem areas, you can adapt your recycling practices and address persistent issues, like food or liquid waste getting mixed up in the recyclable waste streams due to uncertainty or lack of education.
What to do:
- Implement a quarterly audit of your waste to catch trends in contamination.
- Provide feedback to teams or departments to encourage ongoing improvements.
- Offer incentives for teams that consistently meet recycling standards to motivate better waste disposal habits.
We offer practical guidance on setting up and managing recycling programs within the workplace, check here.
3. Upgrade Recycling Bin Infrastructure
Encourage employees and visitors to segregate waste correctly and avoid contamination with clear & engaging signage combined with well placed recycling stations that are intuitive to use. Dedicated recycling bin stations with specific and colour-coded waste streams make it easier for users to dispose of waste correctly at source.
Action Plan:
- Replace outdated single waste stream bins with effective recycling stations featuring clear, engaging signage to reduce confusion and encourage proper recycling.
- Remove the ‘2-second pause’ by using specific shape waste apertures colour-coded signage with icons to guide users and reduce the risk of contaminated waste.
- Place dedicated recycling stations in high-footfall areas such as near main entrances, frequented walkways, kitchenettes and break-out areas, where contamination is more likely to occur.
Explore one of our design led, modular recycling stations; Unisort Climate Recycling Station, with interchangeable waste stream apertures that make contamination-free recycling straightforward and easy.
Upgrade your waste management and recycling bin infrastructure while ensuring the responsible disposal of your old waste bins with the Used Bin Takeback & Recycling Service.
For the best results, ensure you choose the most suitable recycling stations based on your industry’s and business’s needs.
4. Provide Food Waste Disposal Units
Food waste can significantly increase contamination in recyclable waste. Providing a dedicated food waste stream that makes it easy for users to dispose of food separately, helps to keep recyclable waste clean.
How to implement this:
- Place clearly labeled, colour-coded recycling stations, including a dedicated food waste stream, in communal areas to encourage the proper segregation of food waste and recyclables.
- Ensure that these stations are emptied regularly to avoid overflow, which can lead to cross-contamination with recyclable materials.
- Encourage employees to clean their containers before placing them in recycling, as even a small amount of residue can contaminate recyclable materials.
For up to 80% savings on plastic & CO2, no more plastic hanging over the bin edges and no more empty air space inside bin bags (which means fewer bin bags needed) consider Longopac Liner Solutions.
5. Encourage Employee Engagement And Ownership
Empowering employees to take ownership of recycling can foster a more conscientious approach to waste disposal. Encouraging a culture of corporate sustainability ensures that recycling isn’t just a task but part of the workplace’s values.
How to promote this:
- Regular refreshers on the environmental and economic impact of recycling and the cost of contamination.
- Consider designating “Recycling Champions” within departments to encourage compliance and answer questions.
- Host challenges or offer incentives for teams that reduce contamination the most effectively.
The Impact Of Reducing Contamination In Workplace Recycling
When waste is properly sorted, clean, and free from contamination, it can be recycled into new products, reducing the demand for raw materials, lowering carbon footprint, and reducing costs.
Reducing contamination makes recycling more effective and decreases general waste disposal costs.
Our range of customised recycling stations, tailored training programs, and infrastructure solutions can support businesses in reaching their sustainability goals with ease and efficiency.
Start your journey in reducing contamination with strategic planning, employee engagement, and the right infrastructure. These simple practices can help your business improve recycling rates, lower waste management costs, and contribute to a more sustainable environment.
Reach out to our Unisan expert team to begin your journey toward sustainable workplace practices.