Waste Reduction Strategies

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle: in that order!

These recommendations were originally provided by Metro Vancouver's Sustainable Business Services Department. They are posted here with permission and may have been updated for brevity, relevance to SBIA members, and accuracy.

Check Your Garbage: Routinely monitor how much paper, cardboard, and other recyclables are in your garbage. Ensure that all materials accepted in your current recycling program are being recycled 100 per cent of the time. The sudden appearance of recyclables in your waste can be an indicator of changes such as missing, insufficient, or poorly located collection bins; unclear signage; or changes to staff and responsibilities.
Consider Opportunities to Reduce Paper Use: Paper products are one of the major consumables in offices. Conduct an awareness campaign of the monetary and environmental costs related to copier paper consumption. Continuously look for ways to reduce number of sheets, and/or paper weight, increase percentage of environmentally preferable paper choices, and eliminate waste. Diligently monitor your paper consumption. Some tips to manage and reduce paper use include:

Track paper use. Obtain figures on the types and amount of paper products (i.e. copier paper, standard forms, envelopes, sticky notes, shipping materials, boxes, etc.) consumed on an annual basis. Establishing the amount and types of paper used helps you set specific and realistic reduction goals.
Set all shared printers to print double-sided by default. Eliminate the use of desk-side printers which do not allow for double-sided printing.
Preview documents before printing. Use the print preview to spot formatting errors and blank pages before you print.
Print only the pages you need instead of the whole report. Most software programs provide this option under the print function.
Promote a "think before you copy" attitude. Consider sharing some documents with co-workers. Print only the number of copies needed for the meeting, don't make extras.
Fit more words onto each page by using a smaller font or narrower margins. Simply changing the default margins from 1.25" to 1" can reduce the amount of paper you use by up to 8%. Use a space-efficient font like Times New Roman.
Reuse good one-sided paper. Provide trays to collect this paper adjacent to all printers.
Eliminate unnecessary forms and ensure all remaining business forms can be accessed online.
Minimize or eliminate subscriptions to newspapers, periodicals, trade journals, magazines and catalogues.
Update your mailing lists to remove duplicates, redundant, non responsive or non existent addresses.

Standardize Recycling Containers and Signage: Bin placement and visibility are critical elements to effective participation in a recycling program. Recycling bins need to be distinguished from other containers through colours, signs, or symbols. Remember to adopt a consistent look and feel to all your recycling collection areas. Also, remember to specify recycled content in your purchasing specifications for both waste and recycling containers. Wherever possible, the use of recycling bins for purposes other than recycling, (i.e. storage or refuse) should be discouraged.

Signage is necessary to inform users of what can and cannot be placed in the bins to improve effectiveness and prevent contamination. Obtain up-to-date information from your recycling contractor and revise signage where necessary to ensure that all possible materials that are acceptable for recycling will end up in the bin. For high visibility, place signage directly on or immediately above recycling bins and at key locations, such as the notice board in the staff lunch room. You may wish to contact your recycling contractor or download signage from the Metro Vancouver site:

http://www.metrovancouver.org/services/solidwaste/zerowaste/Pages/signs.aspx
Reduce Garbage Containers: To help reinforce a “think before you toss” mindset, reduce the number of refuse containers, possibly keeping just one for each floor. It is a standard recommendation to always locate a recycling bin (i.e. mixed container) adjacent to any garbage bin to further reduce the likelihood of contamination.
Create a 3R’s Directory: To increase staff awareness and consistency in maximizing waste diversion, create a list that details your practices for how typical items are managed at end-of-life within your organization. The Reduce-Reuse-Recycle listing should be posted on your employee bulletin board and/or online for easy access by all staff.

Expand Your Waste Diversion Program: Even if you are already diverting common materials such as paper and mixed containers, consider expanding your program to include other materials. For example:

Soft plastics (i.e. plastic bags and films). Speak with your property manager and/or your recycling contractor about providing this service. You may be able to include these items with your existing mixed containers.

Consider composting your organic (food) waste. The establishment of an organics program can also provide a solution to the long-term management of lightly soiled paper towels and paper food packaging which can typically be included with other organics in a food waste compost program.

Adopt the 3R’s Mindset: Use the following checklist, based on the 3R’s hierarchy (Reduce-Reuse-Recycle), when evaluating options to manage high volume and/or problem materials:

Is there a way to reduce or eliminate this material?
Is there an option to reuse this material?
Can the supplier or manufacturer take back this material or substitute a more “environmentally friendly” material?
Post common or large volume materials on the Resource Exchange and find someone who can use your "waste" as a resource.
Search the Metro Vancouver Recycles database for reduce/reuse options. http://www.metrovancouver.org/MetroVancouverRecycles/Pages/default.aspx
Contact the Recycling Council of BC Hotline @ 604.732.9253 for available options.

Remember - The most effective way to manage a waste is to not create it in the first place.

Review Your Waste and Recycling Contracts: Conduct annual reviews to ensure they meet your current needs as well as your future goals. Some issues to consider:

Collection Frequency: Service contractors usually charge based on pick-up frequency and quantity disposed.

Consider consolidation of your waste and recycling services where possible. This can help to simplify contract administration and should provide leverage when negotiating service levels and rates.

Obtain an up-to-date listing from your recycling contractors of all acceptable materials. Ensure all signage is accurate. Recycling programs are most successful if everyone is certain what goes in the recycling container.

Inquire about available services such as waste audits, bins, signage or education.

“Don’t pay for the “dumping of air”. Have staff routinely monitor the level of waste (and presence of recyclables) in your garbage bin on the day of pick-up and look for opportunities to save money by reducing tipping frequency and/or obtaining a smaller capacity bin.

Develop a Sustainable Purchasing Policy: Develop specific guidelines and criteria that reflect sustainable purchasing principles for major expenditure items. Some specific areas to consider:

Office Electronics: Remember to specify Energy Star-rated office equipment for computers, printers, photocopiers, and fax machines. Also, consider long-term costs related to consumables such as toner and paper for printers. Save paper with printers that feature automatic double-sided printing. Consider leasing and/or upgrading before purchasing replacement items.

Office Furniture: When developing specifications for the purchase of office furniture consider giving preference to products that:

have established take-back policies to recover, refurbish or reuse materials
are designed with recycled content or easily recyclable materials, and
are adaptable or modular in design to accommodate changing business needs.

Office Paper: Consider specifying a recycled content for all paper products including copier paper, file folders, envelopes, binders, post-it notes and boxes. Choose products with the highest level of post consumer content possible. Buy non-chlorine bleached paper and consider third-party certification where applicable. Remember to use similar criteria when outsourcing print materials (i.e. business cards, promotional materials, etc.).

Packaging: Ask your suppliers to keep packaging to a minimum and request that any packaging material be readily recyclable or, alternatively, taken back by the supplier for proper disposal (i.e. computer equipment shipments).

Specify Recycled Content: In addition to recycling at your organization, you can help companies that make products out of recycled materials by purchasing these products whenever possible. As more businesses buy recycled products, the manufacturers of these products are encouraged to increase supply and variety. In addition, your organization is strategically positioned to promote the purchase of recycled products to others.

Office Supplies: Reviewing your current purchasing practices for office supplies can be another important area to the greening of your operations. BC Hydro has produced a helpful guide:

http://www.bchydro.com/guides_tips/green_your_business/office_guide/1__Use_Sustainable_Office_Supplies.html

Metro Vancouver has developed a Sustainable Purchasing Guide which is available online at:

http://www.metrovancouver.org/smartsteps/bestpractices/Pages/default.aspx

Track and Report Waste and Recycling Performance: Establish annual reporting of the amount of waste and recyclables generated and their associated costs. Key performance indicators should include:

Total waste generated each month (kg)
Quantity of recyclables collected by type (kg and % of total)
Waste diversion rate from landfill (%)
Hauling and disposal costs (monthly and annual)
Value of recyclables

Tracking this baseline information will provide the necessary metrics for establishing waste diversion rates and setting realistic goals (i.e. 70% waste diversion by 2011). Many companies compile this information to assist in establishing their carbon footprint or greenhouse gas (GHG) inventories for their operations.This is a key element for establishing any future reporting on corporate sustainability.

Define Organizational Sustainability Objectives and Goals: Establish and communicate your sustainability goals and objectives. This includes goals for waste reduction and diversion. This commitment can serve as a framework for your conversation with all your stakeholders, including your suppliers, on waste reduction and recycling initiatives.
Promote Your Program! Last, but certainly not least, remember to engage staff and key stakeholders (i.e. suppliers, and customers) in your waste reduction efforts and successes. One option is the inclusion of details of your greening initiatives and commitments in company correspondence or newsletters. Regular updates are a good way to keep everyone informed and motivated about your waste reduction program.