Poor waste management is becoming a world crisis. Plastics and other solid waste are finding a way out of the landfills and into the oceans, contaminating water bodies and affecting fishes and other marine life. Some waste also clogs drainage systems, causing floods, while others transmit diseases and increase respiratory problems.
And while many people and even businesses are quick to point a finger when it comes to climate change and environmental pollution, the truth is that everyone is responsible in one way or the other. Effective waste management begins with everyone taking responsibility and doing the best they can to reduce the waste that ends in landfills. As a business owner, here are some tips that can help reduce waste produced in your company.
Reduce Purchase of Over-packaged Items
One of the causes of waste in most business set-ups is the high number of over-packaged items. Think of the latest inventory you added to your business or the products you ship to your customers. Chances are, these items have more than one layer of plastic packaging that cannot be reused or recycled.
When buying any piece of equipment for your business, choose those with the least packaging, especially those with little to no plastic packaging. For instance, go for cardboard or metallic packaging instead of plastic packaging. You can also choose to go paperless in your business or encourage customers to shop with reusable bags.
Embrace Reusable Items
Reusing specific products within your business is another way of reducing waste. Some items you can reuse instead of disposing of are file folders, cardboard boxes, used notebooks, paper clips, etc. If you cannot re-use these items in the office, you can have your employees take some of them to their homes for various use cases.
Additionally, providing filtered water and reusable water bottles instead of bottled water can help reduce waste by a considerable margin. Other reusable items you can invest in include plates, silverware, mugs, etc. You should also consider having a dishwasher and a spacious kitchen area to incentivize employees to use reusable utensils and even prepare coffee instead of ordering takeaways.
Recycle Some of Your Waste
Waste recycling is critical because it reduces the waste your business sends to landfills. Today, you can recycle nearly everything: aluminum products, cartridges, e-waste, glass waste, paper, and plastics. For food products or other organic waste such as yard trimmings, you can opt for composting, which is a great way to contribute to soil health. Before disposing of company waste, you want to separate those meant for recycling and composting. Consider working with a commercial trash pickup and waste recycling company for effective waste management.
Train Your Employees on Waste Reduction
Contrary to popular opinion, waste management isn’t common knowledge; hence, business owners must spread awareness among employees and customers. Most people may know they need to minimize waste, but they just don’t know how. You can organize some waste reduction training sessions at least once or twice a year to equip employees with waste management skills. Incentivizing employees to reduce waste is also a great way to drive the adoption of various waste reduction programs.
Conclusion
Every modern business that’s cautious of its immediate environment and is aware of the social and environmental impact caused by the various business operations should pay keen attention to waste reduction. Consumers are also becoming more selective and are choosing to work with environmentally-conscious businesses that prioritize social factors such as environmental pollution and climate change. As a business owner, now is the time to rethink waste management efforts to stay ahead of the curve.
