Waste management has become a key area of discussion in recent times, with different institutions wanting to be part of the solution. These institutions are turning to waste management consulting companies to provide them with services and solutions for a low-waste and sustainable work environment.

Generally, offices generate large amounts of waste, that mostly end up in landfills and dumpsites. Some of the solutions that promote a greener environment are also beneficial in saving operational costs from a business perspective. These methods of reducing waste in the workplace include the three highlighted below.

Ecofriendly

Going Paperless

A lot of paper waste is generated in the workplace on a daily basis. The paper waste ranges from office memos, written drafts, to physical mail. The solution to reducing this paper waste includes reducing the amount of printing, printing on both sides of the paper, and editing work on computers before printing.

Another way of going paperless in the workplace involves keeping and circulating digital files as opposed to keeping paper files and folders. These practices also apply to the distribution of office memos and sending mail. Going paperless can contribute to a significant reduction of the waste generated around the workplace.

Recycling and Re-using

Recycle and reuse the waste generated around the office by turning some of the office waste into functional products. One way of encouraging recycling in the workplace is by placing quality recycling bins around the office. The bins should be appropriately labeled to handle different types of waste materials.

Plastic and electronic waste can also be reused around the office. For instance, old buckets can be turned into flower pots and bottles can be made into bird feeders. Decommissioned electronics such as computers, cables, and IT hardware can be sold to second-hand dealers who can then refurbished and resell the equipment.  If you have regular waste, vegetation material, or other, you can use something like skip bin hire.

Reusing and recycling are much more eco-friendly ways of dealing with waste than just throwing everything in the bin.

Provide Filtered Water

One way of reducing the use of disposable water bottles in the workplace is by installing a filtered water tap. This way, employees can make use of glasses or non-disposable water bottles when drinking water. This can be further supported by replacing styrofoam cups with glasses and mugs.

Reducing waste may not necessarily generate revenue in the traditional sense, but it can save you money in the long run. You can add value to the company and its products by making them sustainable and environmentally conscious. Sustainability isn’t achieved by a single course of action but rather a diverse application of scaled efforts.

All businesses have room for improvement, and you should always be striving to grow, for both your fellow employees and your customers. Whether you’re running your own business or starting a franchise, this waste is something that should always be in consideration. Too many businesses have high outputs of waste when handling supplies – so even small amounts of consideration in the workplace helps!