Top tips to make your business more eco friendly

Do you ever throw a plastic bottle or metal can into a general waste bin without a second thought? Or perhaps you do feel a twinge of guilt as you know the item should really be going into a recycling bin… Now’s the time to make a change!

As the population grows year on year, the negative impact we are all having on the environment increases too. We need to take responsibility for ourselves, to ensure that each and every one of us is doing all we can to keep our carbon footprint as low as possible. Simple things like recycling everything we can and making sure that we are recycling properly will go a long way to help.

Get workplace recycling right

This is extremely important as the commercial sector produces a lot of waste and if it is not being processed and segregated correctly this could have a detrimental effect on the environment. It’s also important for all employees to pull together in the bid to recycle, just as they do at home. Follow our top tips:

• Find out what recycling processes your organisation has in place – if there are none, could these be implemented or existing ones improved?
• It’s a good idea for each room to have a general waste bin and mixed recyclables bin. To help, you could print out a label listing which items are recyclable and stick it to the bin so there’s no confusion.
• Always ensure all recyclable items go into the bins clean and dry.
• Find out if your company offers recycling of other items such as WEEE (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment), batteries and glass.
• If you’re part of a managed building, ask the management about the recycling processes and be sure to follow them.

Construction / manufacturing companies

In addition to all the standard recycling procedures, construction and manufacturing companies need to consider what waste materials they generate and whether these could be recycled. Most things can! TJ works with several partners to provide specialist services to ensure certain materials are recycled. Examples of this include:

• Plastic ice cream tubs
• Plasterboard
• Wood
• Metal
• Mattresses

How else can my business reduce its carbon footprint?

• Reduce your energy usage – switch off lights, monitors and equipment when not in use.
• Use energy efficient light bulbs or LED lighting.
• Try to use less paper in office environments.
• Buy recycled paper where you can.
• Opt for laptops instead of desktop computers – they can use up to 80% less power!
• Use rechargeable batteries instead of disposable.
• Make sure your company appliances – fridges, dishwashers, kettles, toasters and microwaves are energy efficient models.
• Consider using ceiling fans rather than air conditioning which is power hungry.
• Think about your heating system – is it efficient? Is the building well insulated? These factors will help keep costs and emissions to a minimum.
• Encourage employees to walk or cycle to work where possible to reduce car usage.
• Work from home – 2020 has certainly been the year for it! As employees are in their own homes no travel is needed and they are more likely to want to conserve energy and resources too.

Household recycling

Recycling at home and when out and about is just as important as in the workplace.

• Make sure you are recycling all possible items – paper, cardboard, plastic bottles, metal tins and cans and aerosols.
• Make sure the recyclable items go into the bin clean and dry.
• Check out your local council website to confirm what items are locally recycled – different regions are able to process different types of plastics in particular, so be sure to check so as not to contaminate the whole bin with non-recyclable items.
• Some councils offer kerbside glass collections, but many don’t – if yours doesn’t, be sure to take all your clean, dry glass containers to your local bring bank.
• Any unwanted clothing or textiles should be taken to your local bring bank where it can be reused, repurposed or recycled.
• If you have a recyclable item to dispose of in public but there are no recycling bins, consider taking it home to recycle.

Developments in plastic recycling

Plastic waste is one of the biggest concerns in the environmental world. Globally, a million plastic bottles are purchased per minute and most of this plastic ends up in the ocean. In a bid to combat this, manufacturers are now offering mineral water in metal cans in an attempt to lower the amount of plastic waste we are generating.

TJ is always looking for new ways to recycle different types of plastic and has plans to get a plastic recycling trial underway soon. In the meantime, they already work with the Final Straw Solent, a community interest company whose work revolves around highlighting the impact of plastic pollution on our environment, local seas and wider oceans.

TJ can help you go green!

TJ offers a varied and flexible commercial waste management service and are happy to chat through the most appropriate options for your business – every company is different and will require a slightly tailored approach.

We also offer skip and grab hire for one-off projects. Rest assured that all of our skips and grab loads are taken to our materials recovery facilities across the south coast and thoroughly sorted to ensure every recyclable item is extracted and directed to the right place. We are proud advocates of diverting waste from landfill and endeavour to recycle up to 100% of the waste that we handle.

Get an instant online quote for skip and grab hire today and get in touch to have a chat about your company’s needs and discover how we can help.