The Benefits of Recycling in the Workplace
Why recycle? Recycling saves money, motivates employees, and attracts more customers, as well as doing your bit for the environment and relying less on unsustainable resources.
Did you know, recycling 1 ton of paper saves 17 trees!
Take a look at the following hints and tips on what to do in each area of your business:
Warehouse
• Position recycling containers in convenient locations throughout your warehouse. Cardboard along
with other materials such as plastics can be recycled and sold on to be re-used.
• All waste collected from your warehouse can be compressed to reduce the amount of room it takes up.
• It’s as easy to recycle as it is to throw things away – the key is to make it as easy as possible for people to change their habits and get recycling.
Office
• Go paperless where possible and make it a habit to think before you print. Plus, make it a policy to post employee manuals and similar materials on an intranet, rather than distribute printed copies.
• Think about how you can reduce the amount of waste you produce. For example, you can cut the amount of printer paper you use in half simply by setting printers to print on both sides.
• Recycling printer ink cartridges is another way of doing your bit, there are services available that will pay for your old cartridges or refill them with ink so you can use them again.
Canteen
• Make sure you collect plastic cups and use a vending machine cup recycle bin which can be emptied each week.
• Cans and tins can be washed after use and put in a recycling collection bin.
• Buying recycled products helps to stimulate markets for reclaimed materials and reduces the number of materials going to landfill.
In recent years the waste regulations for businesses have been refined to encourage environmental awareness. This includes the legislation surrounding the recycling of everyday waste such as paper and cardboard, waste electronic equipment and the disposal of hazardous materials such as asbestos.
With penalties of up to £5,000, or unlimited fines for businesses convicted on indictment, the ‘Duty of Care’ under Section 34 of The Environmental Protection Act 1990 is a highly prominent piece of legislation affecting almost every workplace.
The legislation was augmented as part of The Waste (England and Wales) Regulations 2011 and applies to all organisations that produce, import, carry, keep, treat, or dispose of controlled waste.
In short, the ‘Duty of Care’ says organisations must take reasonable steps to keep waste safe, manage it properly and recover or dispose of it safely. In addition, waste must not cause harm to human health or pollute the environment. This applies to the safe disposal of clinical waste, and within those guidelines is a specific transport requirement for dedicated trucks, trolleys, or wheeled containers to assist with the safe disposal of clinical waste.
The main rules include keeping waste secure, so it doesn’t leak or blow away, and making sure that appointed handlers are fully authorised to carry waste.
In recent years the green agenda has completely transformed how businesses operate and it seems every way you turn there is some form of receptacle to collect waste, whether they be wheelie bins, cigarette bins or recycling stations. The aim to continue cutting carbon emissions and reducing the amount of waste sent to landfill means recycling is becoming increasingly important and it can be difficult for businesses to keep up with their obligations.
The Waste (England and Wales) Regulations 2011 were introduced as part of the EU’s Waste Framework Directive and have an impact on all organisations that are responsible for producing, keeping, transporting, recycling, recovering, or disposing of waste.
The Landfill Tax, first introduced in 1996 is a levy which must be paid for every tonne of rubbish sent to landfill and currently stands at £98.60 per tonne for active waste. The current Landfill Tax for inert waste – such as building fabric and excavated earth – is £3.15 per tonne.
The Landfill Tax, and its escalated increase, is intended to drive councils and companies towards the development of recycling infrastructure by making the landfill disposal route a more expensive and unattractive option. This is, in turn, intended to help the UK meet its goals under the Landfill Directive.
This means any organisation regardless of size, that fails to recycle is penalised financially by the Government and these costs now have a direct impact on the bottom-line.
The UK government introduced a new tax on plastic packaging on the 1st April 2022. The aim of the tax is to incentivise the use of recycled material in plastic production. The tax applies at a rate of £200 per tonne for plastic packaging with less than 30% recycled plastic. Any business that imports plastic packaging, products contained in plastic packaging into the UK, or who manufactures plastic packaging in the UK is liable to register for PPT and pay any tax due.
UK Waste Regulation
Ensure you segregate your waste.
From 1st January 2015 any waste handlers collecting paper, metal, plastic or glass in England and Wales must take practical measures to ensure separate collection of these wastes as part of the Waste (England and Wales) Regulations. As a result, any businesses that don’t already segregate different materials need to put plans in place to have their waste materials collected separately.
Scotland is already ahead of the game after the new Waste (Scotland) Regulations came into force in January 2014 as part of Zero Waste Scotland.
Many companies, with only a small investment in time and money can set up recycling schemes and conform with the Duty of Care Regulations. It will also help you stay ahead of the game when the new waste regulations to separate waste at source are passed.
Disclaimer: The information provided is for general guidance only and is not legal advice. Please note that legislation and regulation information may not apply to your area and/or may have since been updated. Please check regulations and legislation with your local authority. You should also seek independent advice about any legal matter.
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