3 Recycling Program Tips For Sustainability Managers

Currently, the workplace is evolving not only through the adoption of new technologies but also in the way executives manage waste around the office. A recycling program is one of the projects you should consider implementing as an entrepreneur considering reducing your company’s environmental footprint, increasing revenue, or cutting your operating expenses.

Having a few recycling bins within your premises without educating your staff on the importance of proper waste management will not help you achieve desirable results. Launching a company recycling program that focuses the attention of your employees on sustainability is a better waste management approach, and here are tips for making such a program a success.

#1 Involve Key Stakeholders

Waste management within your organization is the responsibility of all individuals, and without the support of each of them, your recycling program will not go beyond the recycling bin option. Involving such stakeholders as waste haulers, sustainability teams, as well as custodial and purchasing departments, will help you find the support you need to make your recycling program implementation successful.

When junior staff realizes that senior management and key stakeholders within your enterprise uphold the importance of your recycling program by aligning their priorities accordingly, they will easily buy-in into the idea.

#2 Invest in Technology

If you want your recycling program to be a success, you should go beyond using ordinary recycle bins, which may not help you achieve set objectives. Investing in proper recycling equipment for all your recycling stations within the office will ensure that your waste management efforts are not just a work in progress, but a lifestyle that all employees will eventually adopt.

Technology is changing the way firms manage their waste, and if you do not adapt accordingly, a change in government regulation or a waste hauler’s contract may cost you a fortune in the future. Being future ready in terms of waste management will ease the transition process, and that is only possible by investing in the right technology now.

#3 Optimize Waste Hauler Contracts

Poor waste management can eat into the profits of your enterprise, and as a result, your organization will suffer from ineffective waste disposal planning and higher contamination of materials due to the use of the wrong recycling equipment. Some of the ways you can optimize your waste hauler contracts to reduce cost and make your recycling program successful include;

• Changing your waste collection schedule in line with your demand.
• Ensuring your dumpsters are full before collection.

You can also maximize waste hauler contracts through one-on-one interactions with your service provider. Some of the questions that can facilitate the restructuring of waste haulers contracts to maximize the same include;

• Will I receive a rebate for the collection of recycling?
• What streams are you able to collect as a waste hauler?
• Does my contract automatically renew?
• What is the acceptable level of contamination in the recycling stream?

Your commitment to the implementation of a recycling program as a sustainability manager will play a significant role in making the process a success. For that reason, preparing all employees beforehand and getting the support of top management before commissioning a recycling program is critical if you want to achieve desirable results.