Analyze your office
Prior to starting a recycling program, an observation of what type of trash your place of work generates is necessary. For example, most places generate paper, plastic, metal cans, food, etc. Ask your coworkers or employees what kind of trash they usually generate or what they normally see in the work place. What can you recycling? Develop a list of recyclable items and place it near each of the corresponding trash and recycling bins.
Talk with your waste management department
Once you have made a list of recyclables, contact the waste management department of your city to ask what they pick up and recycle and on what days. In this way, you can get an easy start to your program by focusing only on the items that your city picks up. Pick two or three recyclables at the beginning. The easiest are paper, water bottles and soda bottles.
Put someone in charge of the program
The size of your business does not matter. To make your recycling program a success, put someone in charge of it. Pick someone who is passionate about environmental issues. This way it will be easier to establish a routine and to ensure the program will last. This person will coordinate the schedule and locations of recycling bins and will be in contact with the waste management department.
Promote the recycling program within your company
Create incentives between your employees so that everyone feels part of the initiative and wants to participate. You can offer prizes to the employees who are the most committed to the recycling program by offering movie tickets or restaurant gift cards. This system will help you improve your work place while also improving the environment.
Creating a recycling program for your small business is not as difficult as it may seem. Try out these techniques to join us in the effort to ensure a better future.