Efficient Paper Recycling Practices for Your Business

The Confederation of Paper Industries states that each person in the UK uses over 200 kg of paper each year. Sixty six per cent is collected for recycling.

It’s never too late for your business to implement paper and cardboard recycling at your offices and move towards greener and more economical practises.

How promoting environmental sustainability has worked for other businesses

Different organizations adopt various ways to implement sustainable practises. Here are some examples:

A leading fitness clothing and footwear brand has intentionally reduced the environmental impact of its operations. They report their greenhouse gas emissions to the Carbon Reduction Commitment Energy Efficiency Scheme. The CO2 emissions from the group reduced gradually over the years. From producing more than 40,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions in 2014, it was down to 34,450 tonnes in 2017.

The reduction was achieved by utilising 100 per cent renewable energy in all their UK facilities. Electric vehicle charging points are available at their UK offices to encourage employees to drive electric and hybrid cars to work. In 2017, staff members were given mugs to eliminate the use of single-use cups. The company also changed its printer system to reduce paper use. This resulted in a 12 per cent reduction of paper compared to the previous year.

As another example, a popular wholefoods company implements a zero-waste policy in its offices. Aside from recycling packaging paper and plastic, wastepaper is composted in their local community garden. The garden is where they also grow food for their office canteen.

Some ways you can start

Here are some ways that your business can start small when going green, particularly with managing paper and cardboard waste:

• Use less paper. Maximise the use of email and other messaging platforms to send and view reports and memos. As much as you can, edit documents online. If you need a hard copy, print on both sides of a sheet of paper, and set your office’s copy machine to ‘Default Duplex’.
• Go digital on company manuals, policies and other documents. Create PDF versions of your company handbook and related materials.
• Encourage employees to bring mugs to minimise the use of disposable cups, or provide mugs for them.
• Re-use unwanted paper and packaging. Shred old documents and reuse them as packing material for shipments. Similarly, save on boxes sent to your office, and use them again when shipping out.
• Choose the right kind of paper, particularly one that is chlorine-free and has recycled pulp content.
• Purchase alternative types of paper made from abundant sources such as bamboo or cotton.
• Set up paper recycling. Place recycling bins next to copiers and printers, and encourage your team members to deposit the unwanted paper in them. Appoint someone who can regularly bring the filled boxes to a paper recycling facility. You can also hire the services of a reputable waste management company to help you recycle your paper and cardboard waste.

We offer total waste management solutions

LKM Recycling is one of the UK’s leading total waste management solutions companies. We have served in the waste recycling industry for over 35 years. We offer recycling, shredding services, skip and container hire and scrap car collection.

Contact us on 01795 439393 for enquiries.