The way we manage plastic is a hot topic in many companies and homes. With so many warning signs erupting throughout the planet, it is now a particularly prevalent topic. From banning plastic straws in restaurants and bars to companies encouraging the use of reusable water bottles, the discussion has never been more active. If your company is currently in the midst of a discussion on this, here are few ways you can transform your approach to processing plastics.
Use industrial methods for quantity
One of the most effective ways of processing plastics that leave your company’s premises is to use modern, industrial machinery. These machines are equipped to process vast quantities of a variety of plastics. Waste Streams, for example, help you to adhere to environmental compliance standards, as well as monitor the waste that leaves your company. This is where machine power becomes far more effective than man-power on its own.
Create a recycling culture
While machines help companies to process the waste that leaves their building, it’s harder to control people’s actions. Promoting a recycling culture is one of the most effective ways of doing this. Realistically, you will have employees who are wasteful, lazy with their recycling standards and are prone to nipping out for a plastic bottle of water. Encouraging those within your company to bring their own water bottles and make coffee in the communal kitchen (rather than buying one in a plastic cup) is an excellent way of stemming these bad habits.
Invest in separate bins
It may sound so obvious, but some employees need to be shown where to put the specific waste. If you have hitherto never had separate bins in your company, then employees can’t be blamed for throwing their coke cans in the paper recycling by accident. Invest in separate bins and send round a memo just to clarify where each recyclable material belongs. You may need to also point out the different types of plastic classification, just to ensure employees don’t accidentally throw away recyclable plastics (and vice versa).
If you are worried that informing your employees on how to recycle plastic might be an uphill struggle, here are a few tips to keep everyone motivated:
- Put bins next to each row of desks. Ensure that each different type of recycling bin is clearly labelled.
- Implement a reward scheme for having reusable straws, cups, and bottles. Perhaps some form of incentive, such as a prize draw.
- Invest in a coffee machine that uses minimal plastic, such as a French-press. Good coffee is far more likely to prevent employees from buying a takeout cup of Joe in a plastic mug.
- Get an efficient water-cooler. Employees will be encouraged to use their refillable bottles if they can get ice-cold water at work.
Improving your company’s plastic management should involve a combination of machinery and team-work. In order to effectively dispose of recyclable plastics, you will need to invest in a waste processing machine. However, in order to develop a culture of recycling plastic, you will need to start with your employees first.
