You like to keep on top of a good recycling routine, and you want to encourage your team to do the same, right?
The solution is easy, and one that requires a small amount of effort but yields important results for your business, employees…and the environment.
Starting a recycling scheme at work can be relatively simple, it all boils down to good organisation. By providing a clear and efficient recycling process for your workforce, it’ll soon become second nature to them.
Here’s 5 top tips to help you create a great office recycling scheme:
1. Recycling signage – communication is key! Keep it simple!
The more straightforward you make your office recycling scheme, the greater the chance of success.
Avoid long educational lists that are likely to get lost in the noise, the key is to make it clear and concise. Incorporate recycling bin labels with colour coded signage and bold WRAP colours, icons, visuals, arrows or simple text for the utmost ease of use. Not only does this point out that recycling is available, capturing people’s attention and creating engagement, it also highlights what can be recycled, and where. This allows users to easily differentiate between cardboard, plastics, tins and cans, general waste, and help with waste segregation.
Correct signage make it clear where waste should be disposed, saving on unnecessary waste contamination. To read more about the damage waste contamination has on the recycling of products, you can read more here.
The Unisort Aspire Office Recycling Bin Station makes it as easy as possible for your staff to recycle, and your company to reach the best possible recycling rates while reducing contamination. Fully customisable, from compact single bins to more comprehensive recycling solutions with multiple waste streams, your Aspire Recycling Station can be individually designed and created for any environment with custom colours, graphics and finishes to match any corporate colour palette.
You can even show your brand’s commitment to sustainability with an Aspire Recycling Station worktop made from 100% recycled materials, or from an eco-conscious super-material such as Bamboo. You can learn more about the Aspire Recycling Station options, and create your perfect recycling station here.
2. Intelligently placed recycling bins
Convenience is a leading factor in efficient recycling strategies. Placing office recycling bins and stations in thriving areas such as breakout areas, office kitchens or the very heart of the office makes them difficult to ignore.
For optimal results, recycling bin stations should be situated within 10-15 steps from every employee. This reduces the need for bins under office desks that can be a little too convenient to use at times.
Don’t forget outdoor areas too! Every successful business needs to maintain their corporate reputation and outdoor recycling bins will ensure that you can do this effectively.
Of course, the size of your office space needs to be taken into consideration. In many cases, one recycling station simply won’t cut it. For larger offices, ensure that there are multiple stations covering high footfall areas, even position them throughout busy corridors where they’re hard to miss. If you’re passing by recycling bins regularly, popping your waste in the right place quickly becomes a habit!
Make it simple for employees to do the right thing, and hard for them to do the wrong thing!
3. Nominate a green champion
Recycling doesn’t always go to plan at first. It isn’t uncommon to have the odd team member that continues to load the waste bin with the wrong items. Don’t be disheartened!
If you’re running a business, it can be difficult to keep on top of everything – that’s why it can be useful to appoint a member of staff as a ‘green champion’.
The purpose of a green champion is by no means to nag the team about their recycling habits, that would be detrimental to team spirit. Choosing someone that’s passionate about the cause to communicate and manage the effectiveness of recycling helps change the mindset within a company and can be a positive force for your campaign.
It’s a great way of boosting office recycling as a whole and creating a healthy environment. You can gain a few more tips about appointing a green champion here.
4. Go paperless
The internet has made it much easier to opt for paperless solutions, but you can still do more. One of the best ways to accomplish this is by opting for sustainable items and products that can be easily recycled.
Encourage staff to use non-disposables such as reusable cups and lunch ware. This has the added benefit of reducing office clutter and preventing overflowing bins! Luckily, it’s much easier to purchase sustainable products these days so you’re not asking the impossible.
It’s also a great idea to source your products from suppliers that support sustainability. Most companies have recyclable options these days as it’s beneficial to their business to do so. Monitoring all that comes into your office makes it much easier to take control of what goes out.
To support sustainability, while ensuring recycling is simple and easy for your employees, our Aspire recycling bins are fitted with the Longopac continuous liner system, proven to save on labour and waste collection costs, as well decreasing plastic usage by up to 70%. Each Longopac bin liner takes only 20 seconds to change, saving your time needed to empty bins by around 38%!
See your company’s potential plastic savings here – simply enter the amount of bags you’re using and see potential savings by using Longopac continuous liners!
5. Create awareness
Most of us understand the importance of recycling, but with fast-paced lives, it all comes down to a matter of convenience. Recycling is simply about taking a bit of extra time each day to segregate waste, a process that should be quick and seamless for all.
Make your team aware that you’re keen to make a few changes that will positively impact the environment. You can easily do this by adding recycling posters around the office to raise awareness, particularly those that outline basic statistics and contain engaging facts and infographics. Messages such as ‘if everyone does a little bit of recycling, it goes a long way in saving our environment’, are a great way of making your team consider their part in the process as a whole.
Save yourself the fuss of attaching posters to walls with self-adhesive display frames; an efficient and super easy way of promoting your organisations recycling strategy. You can change or update them as often as you like with minimal hassle.
A more contemporary solution is to fully incorporate your recycling signage into your interior design with a striking wall graphic, or mural. Motivational recycling quotes, startling facts, or simple directional signage, making your recycling area highly visible, and an integral part of your interior design can help establish credibility and make recycling an important part of your business culture.
For more inspiration, or to discuss how recycling can be promoted in your office, or work space, speak to one of our expert design team today:
Contact Unisan
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