Five Easy Steps To Start Recycling In Your Business

There have been on-going debates over the extent to which recycling materials genuinely benefits the environment. Critics will often suggest that more energy may be used in transporting materials to the facility than is saved through the recycle process. In response to such claims, WRAP (the Waste & Resources Action Programme) commissioned a major international research project, conducted by the Technical University of Denmark and the Danish Topic Centre on Waste. It was the largest and most comprehensive international review of its kind. The study was based on Life Cycle Analyses (LCA), which calculate the environmental impacts of a material or product throughout its lifetime. LCA are an internationally accepted method for reviewing environmental impacts and hundreds were selected for the study. 55 of the most expert LCA were then chosen for a detailed study to compare their findings. Seven key recyclable materials were used in the study; paper / cardboard, plastics, glass, wood, steel, aluminium and aggregates.

Different waste methods ('scenarios') were compared for each material. For example, 'Recycling vs. Landfill', 'Recycling vs. Incineration', and 'Incineration vs. Landfill'. A staggering 83% of scenarios favoured recycling over landfill or incineration. The study also assessed the relative greenhouse gas savings associated with current UK levels. It was found that when these materials saves 10-15 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalents per year compared to landfill and incineration with energy recovery. This equates to taking 3.5 million cars off UK roads!

'The message for policy makers and practitioners is unequivocal. Recycling is good for the environment, saves energy, reduces raw material extraction and combats climate change.'
Ray Georgeson MBE
Director of Policy and Evaluation, WRAP

5 Easy Steps to Start To Recycle in Your Business

1.Analyse your waste - identify the type, quantity and source of different waste streams.
2.Separate the recyclables - select suitable containers, labels, and signage for the storage and handling of each type of waste
3.Find a waste carrier - arrange for all your segregated waste to be collected by an authorised waste carrier.
4.Monitor - keep a record of all waste activities, including costs, to monitor the success of the scheme. Identify areas where improvements can be made and try out new ideas.
5.Motivate staff - educate and motivate staff, involve everyone in the new scheme and explain why it is important. This is the key to a successful scheme.

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If time or funding is a constraint you may wish to start by focusing on the high volume waste materials such as paper, and high value materials such as toner cartridges and aluminium cans.

Remember there is more to a successful scheme than just sorting waste. Purchasing recycled products is vital in supporting the market for them so try to consider areas where they can replace current materials (e.g. paper). Recycled products are usually of equal standard and quality to virgin products and may actually be cheaper to buy. For example, some recycled printer cartridges cost around 50% less than conventional printer cartridges.

How will this benefit my business?

Cost savings - the true cost of waste can be up to 25 times the cost of disposal and up to 4.5% of a company's annual turnover (Envirowise, 2002).
Legislation - ensure compliance with current and future regulations.
Improved productivity and efficiency.
Improved environmental Performance - attract environmentally conscious customers.