Waste Reduction Strategies for Your Business

Going green carries a lot of benefits, including increasing efficiency and reducing costs. It can even encourage green-minded consumers to do business with you. Starting a waste reduction initiative in your business isn't difficult, and it doesn't take too much time. It simply requires a change in the way you approach life in the workplace.

Analyze Waste Production
Analyzing gives us a platform from where to begin. It shows you where you're spending money on waste and where you can make reductions. Here are the steps:

a) Track the amount of waste you're producing each month.

b) Monitor how much you're spending to get rid of this waste.

c) Identify areas where you can reduce the amount of waste.

Conduct a Waste Management Audit
A waste management audit is an inspection of how you deal with waste. Effectively, it's about where the waste is going. How much is going into that trash compactor? How much is going to a landfill, and how much is going to the recycling plant? It doesn't have to be carried out by someone who is independent, but if you have the money to invest in an independent audit, you're going to get far more objective results. This audit will also include how you can alter the way you dispose of waste.

Create an Action Plan
Now you have the information you need, so it's time to create a plan. Any plan you come up with should have the following characteristics:

1. Clear goals and objectives

2. A measurable way of tracking your progress

3. How to begin taking action immediately

In other words, the keyword here is "practicality."

Turning Waste Management Ideas Into Action
Many businesses have plans, but it's often the case that these ideas aren't turned into action. It's a sad state of affairs because so many companies begin with good intentions, only to waver at the last second. Your strategy should have clear steps for how to initiate the said plan. Begin taking action and organize regular meetings to check on the progress you've made.

Implement a Recycling Program
A recycling program is relatively easy to implement. Introduce colored bins for each waste material and make them clear to see and easy to access. Separate these materials and either send them to a landfill or to the recycling center. Try to increase the proportion of recycled items as much as you can.

Will it cost more to separate materials and recycle them? You may think that it naturally takes more time to do this, and thus it will cost you more. This isn't the case because recycling centers accept a greater range of materials than ever before. Furthermore, most of the items in your office can be reused.

Adopt a Zero Waste Initiative
You don't just want to recycle the items that go into the trash compactor: You want to make sure as little material goes into it as possible.

It starts with you. Think of ways to use less material in the first place. Practice what you preach before you begin actively encouraging your employees to do the same. Leaders lead the way; you're going to have more success by leading from the front. It may take some time to get the message across to your workforce, but these good habits will eventually set in. Once one or two employees take it seriously, the rest will follow.

Conclusion
Going green is beneficial for so many reasons. It can revolutionize the way you do business and change the way you work. It can open new doors and give you an advantage over your competitors. But it requires firm action. Begin your audits today and do your bit for the planet.

Erich Lawson is passionate about saving the environment through effective recycling techniques and modern innovations. He works with Northern California Compactors, Inc., which deals in superior-quality industrial and commercial trash compactors that eliminate the need of appointing haulers to dispose the waste produced in the course of normal business operations.and writes on a variety of topics related to recycling, including tips and advice on how balers, compactors and shredders can be used to reduce industrial waste. He loves helping businesses understand how to lower their monthly garbage bills and increase revenue from recycling. He can be reached at norcal43@gmail.com, or visit www.norcalcompactors.net/trash-compactors.

Posted by Erich Lawson on Dec 08, 2015