Unfortunately, in this day and age, potentially harmful waste is part and parcel of being a super sized company. However, through a number of waste management techniques, businesses can reduce the amount of waste coming from the company and, importantly, cut costs across the board.
So, “how can my business do this?!”, I hear you cry. It is definitely possible to turn your business into a Green Machine! There are a number of practices that can improve both environmental and business performance. Firms with a high volume transactional output could do away with paper documents altogether and use a Document Accessibility Service to produce audio or e-text memos for clients.
In addition to using alternative forms to paper, firms should be looking to recycle their glass, cans and plastic at every opportunity. Bottle banks are widespread across every UK city, town or village so it is integral that recycled bottles and jars – but never lightbulbs or Pyrex dishes – are disposed with in the proper fashion.
If your firm is involved in textiles, then a number of charities and non-for-profit organisations that will take the materials and send them to people who need them most, like the homeless. Even faulty jumpers or ripped t-shirts can be recycled for other uses like a dishcloth.
Instead of throwing a faulty printer out of the window or disposing of a scanner in the middle of a field, there are a number of services, like the Waste Watch Wasteline, that will remove large, bulky electrical items and dispose of them accordingly.
Bulk buying products reduces the amount of waste to be disposed of and is greener than individually purchasing items and disposing of waste that is ultimately smaller but higher in frequency.
Overall, businesses should be looking at efficient waste management techniques to improve the green areas of the firm. Conduct an environmental audit to find any areas that could be erased from the business and the implications of adopting waste management.