Internal Recycling System

Establish an Internal Collection System

The internal collection system should be convenient for staff and for the contractors transporting the recyclables for final disposal.

To see what other businesses have done to reduce, reuse and recycle their paper, please refer to the case studies supplied.

One method for paper recycling is to supply paper collection boxes at each desk, printer, fax and photocopier and arrange for full boxes to be emptied either by staff members or cleaners into centrally located recycling containers (e.g. wheelie bins).

3R Tips: Paper

A recycling container for cardboard should be located in a central area, and staff be made responsible for flattening boxes and placing cardboard in this container.

3R Tips: Cardboard and Other Packaging

Containers should be clearly labelled with details of items to be deposited.

Space for storing materials is often an issue in commercial buildings. A reduction in volume of waste to landfill should allow you to downsize the containers used for general waste storage, providing space for recycling bins. Frequent recycling collections will allow you to use fewer or smaller bins, minimising space requirements.

Engage a Recycling Collector

A variety of recycling firms should be contacted to enquire about their services and charges. Their collection frequency will need to be flexible as recycling volumes increase. Access to your building will need to be organised where materials are kept in a security area.

Get Staff Involved

Education and involvement of your employees is the key to the success of your organisation’s waste/recycling programme.

Once you have identified how your recycling systems will work, provide each staff member with a flyer on the day of implementation to inform them of the new recycling facilities including what is recyclable, and how to recycle each item (See the Letter Template for Introducing Recycling to Staff or the Ministry for the Environment online example).

Other ideas on how to alert staff to your new systems, and when they take effect, are:

• Hold a ‘kick-off’ event e.g. morning tea meeting with a presentation outlining why the system is being implemented, its objectives, what it involves for staff, and who to contact with questions about or problems with the system.

• Use building-wide e-bulletins or newsletters to promote the system.

• Run a competition related to recycling to raise staff awareness of the system.

• Develop a poster for use in staff rooms to educate staff about recycling (The Ministry for the Environment (MfE) has examples of posters available on its website).

Resources:

Introducing Recycling to Staff

Recycling Services for Waimakariri .pdf

3R Tips: Paper

3R Tips: Cardboard and Other Packaging