Waste has become an increasingly difficult environmental and economic problem for our world, one which affects us all and one to which we all contribute.   Today’s complex, technologically based society, combined with our explosive population growth, has led to this generation being faced with enormous quantities of waste.

For every ton of household waste produced, businesses (commercial, industrial and construction) produce another 6 tons.   Businesses have a vital role to play in reducing waste and ensuring that as much material as possible that we discard through the operation of our enterprises be diverted away from landfills through reuse and recycling.     The cost burdens of waste disposal is on the rise, and utilizing the earth as one large trash bin for our waste is repugnant when one really things about it.   How long could we keep storing our own personal trash in our individual homes or on our private property before it became a real problem?  How long could we store the waste our businesses generate in the storage rooms of our offices?  Think about it.   The Earth is our home and simply storing our waste in landfills can only be an option for so long. 

Many of us have heard the phrase “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle” as a neat summary of the waste management options available to us before responsible disposal.   It's important to remember that this is actually a sliding scale, with reduction being the first and most sustainable option, and responsible disposal being our last option.    While recycling is certainly a better option than landfill, reusing an item takes less resources and energy than recycling, and reducing what we use at the outset is the most sustainable action of all.  

It’s important to note that waste management is more than simply the fixed cost we pay to have our trash taken away.  Effective resource management requires a more comprehensive and holistic approach that not only considers the disposal costs of discarded material, but also accounts for the accumulated value of all inputs – labor, materials, and process losses such as utilities.   These additional costs are often referred to as the hidden costs of waste, and which is why companies that can find ways to reduce waste and implement alternative waste management options such as recycling also find they end up significantly reducing their overall operating costs as well.

To set up an effective recycling program, you need to begin with a basic knowledge of your waste streams and your existing waste management systems.   Companies can gain this knowledge through a waste assessment, which involves gathering information on the current waste collection and disposal systems and contracts, and on what ends up in your bins – the waste quantities, composition and characteristics.    The information gathered will provide a baseline from which you can estimate the potential for waste reduction, reuse and recycling.   This information can also be extremely useful for future contractor negotiations (think further cost reductions) as well as for measuring your ongoing recycling success, a factor that will come into play when you consider how you will want to market and promote your sustainability achievements to the community at large.   If you are a large organization, you may consider employing an external consultant but most small to medium sized businesses have the knowledge in-house to carry out this work.   The time required will vary depending on available information but it’s reasonable to expect to spend at least 2-3 days on this project.  

Resources to help you with this process include a Recycling Rate Calculator (there are several online and we can provide this for you), a spreadsheet that tells you what you should collect as a minimum and calculates your recycling rate, and a Container Size Sheet, which provides information about the various container sizes that are currently being used, which can usually be found on your contractor invoices.    In some instances, you may find your waste contractor can supply accurate weights for the different types of waste you produce.   Even if your contractor doesn’t charge by the weight you should be able, as a minimum, to count the number and type of waste containers on your site.  You can then convert these figures into estimated weights and calculate your recycling rate using the Recycling Rate Calculator.  This calculation can be repeated on a periodic basis to calculate your recycling progress.   With the information collected, you can also calculate the cost per ton of waste, a figure that can be useful in evaluating new recycling contracts or waste management arrangements.

Once you have analyzed and reviewed the waste your business produces you can identify the types of materials that are already recycled and the ones that are not.  Availability of recycling services will vary depending on the type and quantity of waste material.  For example, there are many providers for paper or computer equipment but fewer for composting and plastic waste.  Depending on the value of your waste materials, you may or may not need to pay for recycling services.  The information you have gathered about the current cost of waste disposal in your assessment will assist you in identifying competitive recycling providers.   Items that typically have a good availability for recycling services include electronic equipment, metals, office furniture, paper & cardboard, printer cartridges, tires and wood.   Items that have less availability for recycling resources are plastics (often large quantities are required), glass and compostable material.   If you require a new supplier, there are many recycling companies that specialize in a particular type of material and others that can handle a wide range of materials in one contract.

Once you’ve completed your assessment and identified your recycling resources, the final step is to set up a recycling system, which seems pretty simple, because all you are basically doing is collecting together a sufficient quantity of a particular type of waste material and finding someone to take it away for recycling.  In practice however, there are a few hurdles to overcome, so a little advance planning can go a long way to helping make your recycling system a success.  For large businesses, setting up a pilot scheme on a modest scale helps eliminate problems in the early stages.  

The keys to a successful recycling scheme are:

1. Involvement - Every one on staff from the top down - including cleaning personnel - must be on board.
2. Coordination - Having one person or a "green team" in your company to set the program up, devise communication systems, provide feedback, and measure the system's effectiveness is essential.
3. Communication - This is required in a number of areas - between staff and management, between the company and recyclers, between office staff and cleaning staff, and between the coordinator or green team and the other staff.  Once established, the system will also need to be built into the induction program for new hires.
4. Cooperation - Everyone needs to do his or her part for the program to work effectively, particular in the sorting out of waste.

Many recycling companies will provide waste containers to help in setting up a recycling system and ensuring that the material is segregated correctly.  For companies that are more concerned with the appearance of their office, several alternatives are available that are functional as well as appealing.    While it seems obvious, it is nonetheless important that the system be simple, that bins are labeled clearly, and that all members of staff, both employees and cleaners, are aware of the new procedures.   The most successful systems that achieve the best results come from a high profile, uniform system that looks attractive and is as convenient to everyone as possible.

Keep in mind that all waste disposal and recycling activities are subject to legal requirements, even if the material is not hazardous.  Unfortunately, there are still some waste service providers that do not comply fully with the law.  If you contract with a company that is not fully authorized to deal with your waste your business could face prosecution as well.   Hazardous wastes that require handling by trained professionals are beyond the scope of this overview.   Such wastes pose a hazard to human health or the environment and are subject to special storage, handling, recycling and disposal requirements.  

And last but not least, while this blog has primarily focused on the outflow of material, another critically important component is evaluating the inflow of items we purchase to operate our business and selecting items wherever possible that are available for reuse and/or made with the highest percentage possible of post-consumer recycled material.   This closes the loop and helps create a demand for the materials recovered by our recycling systems.  Buying recycled items helps keep reusable material in the economy, reduces waste and conserves resources, particularly energy.  The more recycled products your business can procure, the more likely it will be that demand for recycled materials will be sustained.  This in turn stimulates further investment into the local recycling infrastructure and leads to less waste ending up in landfills in the future.

In the area of business products, 55% of a company's expenditure is typically in toner and paper.   Purchasing FSC certified, 100% recycled, or (even better) alternative fiber based paper and refurbished or (even better) soy ink cartridges can collectively have an enormous positive impact on our environment, from preserving forests to reducing our dependence on foreign oil.   And paper and toner cartridges are also among the easiest items to recycle, making this the easiest place for a company to start.    

Next up: The 3e Element: Fire (Energy)