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Waste Reduction An office recycling effort is most effective when used in conjunction with a comprehensive waste reduction program. Waste reduction means avoiding the generation of waste by using less material, using supplies and equipment more efficiently and buying products that are more durable, easily repairable or recyclable. Reducing the office waste stream makes economic as well as environmental sense. It saves operating and disposal costs and helps conserve natural resources and energy. There are six effective methods of waste reduction that can be practiced in any office or institution. But before establishing a new office waste management system, it is important to know your current waste management practices. This requires a waste audit, the first step in starting and maintaining an effective waste reduction and recycling program. Waste audits should be conducted at least once a year. Waste Audits A waste audit is a systematic observation of the types of waste you generate and throw away. A typical approach begins by identifying office supplies and examining how they are used. Next, you must determine the composition of the waste stream by categories (paper, metal, glass, plastic, etc.). From there, you can identify potentially recyclable material. A completed audit will identify areas where waste can be reduced and will suggest appropriate waste reduction methods. Getting Started: Before you begin, review the following tasks involved in conducting a useful waste audit. The sample audit forms will help guide you through the process and provide a written assessment of your waste reduction needs. A few simple formulas along with the "Density Table" will help you estimate the amounts of recyclables in your office waste stream.
Once the waste audit is complete, a program that includes all or a combination of the following waste reduction methods can be implemented. However, any new waste management program will require you to follow a process that encourages management and employee cooperation and allows for ongoing evaluation of the program. When establishing a new waste reduction program use the simple checklist below to make sure your program stays on track.
According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), paper represents the largest percentage of material discarded into the waste stream, almost 40 percent. Office wastepaper alone makes up about 10 percent of the total and it is recyclable! How Can Paper Waste Be Reduced?
Waste Reduction Method #2 - Buy Recyclable and Reusable Office Supplies Businesses and institutions should buy paper products that can be recycled in office wastepaper recycling systems. Switching from colored paper to white ledger and legal pads, for example, will increase the value of your wastepaper. You can replace plastic window envelopes, which are rarely recyclable, with open window envelopes. Mailing labels and other sticky products should be water soluble to permit recycling. Reports should be printed on recyclable paper (generally non-glossy without glue bindings). These techniques improve the value of the wastepaper by eliminating contaminants. Other examples of reusable products include reusable shipping pallets, office supplies and paper products (toilet tissue, etc.). Purchasing officials should work closely with program coordinators to assure that recyclable and reusable products are purchased on a regular basis. A list of local donation organizations can be found on this site. Waste Reduction Method #3 - Buy Remanufactured Products A large number of United States firms are involved in remanufacturing, an industrial activity that collects discarded or nonfunctioning durable parts, disassembles and refurbishes reusable parts, replaces other parts, and reassembles them into usable products. Examples of products that can be remanufactured include vehicles, vehicle parts, transformers, vending machines, tires (retreading), respliced computer paper, compressors, telephones and many others. Buying remanufactured products significantly reduces waste. Waste Reduction Method #4 - Establish an Inventory Control System Consider establishing an inventory system (computerized if possible) for products you buy frequently, to avoid wasteful duplication. Offices located in the same region can share supplies and buy in bulk quantities to reduce unit costs and to use less packaging. You also can use life-cycle costing formulas that include product life and disposal costs to encourage the use of recyclable, reusable and durable products.
Suggested Policy for Waste Reduction and Recycling In order to promote conservation, our business is establishing a policy regarding materials reuse, recycling and waste reduction. To implement this policy, our organization will, to the maximum extent practicable:
Waste Reduction Method #5 - Influence Suppliers and Manufacturers Large organizations can use their purchasing power by developing product specifications that convince suppliers to reduce waste volume and toxicity. Packaging specifications, for example, can require manufacturers to provide recyclable paper or can prohibit inks that contain toxic metals such as lead or cadmium. You can also require manufacturers of automobile or truck batteries to accept used batteries for recycling before buying replacements. Buyers can make "backhauling" arrangements with suppliers. Backhauling requires the vehicle making a shipment of finished products to take used recyclable material back to the manufacturer instead of returning empty. Waste Reduction Method #6 - Reuse Material/Products or Donate to Reuse Organizations There are many companies in Maryland that reuse materials. These companies receive donations of usable materials from individuals and organizations and sell the materials at reduced rates for reuse. While most of us are familiar with organizations such as Amvets, Goodwill and Salvation Army, other companies include the Loading Dock (provides reusable construction materials to non-profit builders) and reStore (provides usable materials such as buttons, zippers and paper to day care centers). Reuse organizations are an available source for accepting unwanted material and for obtaining usable products at reduced rates. Purchasing officials should work with salvage operators, who sell or donate usable equipment to other organizations. They can tell you which products are reusable and recyclable and can identify products that are most likely to be reused by government agencies, private citizens, rebuilders, recyclers and nonprofit organizations.
Examples: 1. Your organization implements double-sided copying and buys 100 less reams of paper per year at $2.69 per ream. Savings in weight: 100 reams x 5 lbs. per ream = 500 lbs. or .25 tons. Savings in dollars: 100 reams x $2.69 per ream = $269. 2. Your organization uses the back side of used paper for scratch pads and eliminates the need for new memo pads. Savings in weight: 1,000 memo pads x 1 lb. per pad = 1,000 lbs. OR, 100 reams of waste paper reduced x 5 lbs. per ream = 500 lbs. Savings in dollars: 1,000 memo pads x $0.02 per pad = $5.00 Savings may also occur in collection and disposal fees through reduced tipping fees, smaller dumpsters and less frequent disposal service. Employee Participation: The Key to Success Employee training is an essential element in establishing a successful waste reduction program. The following educational tools will help guarantee employee cooperation:
Estimating Quantities of Recyclables Quantities and types of recyclables will vary from business to business. For example, offices typically generate large amounts of high grade and mixed paper, while retail stores discard large volumes of recyclable corrugated cardboard. The following information, combined with the results of your waste audit, will assist you in estimating recyclable quantities in your office. High Grade Office Paper - On the average, each office worker generates one-half pound of high-grade office paper per day (copier paper, letterhead and computer paper). This formula will help you estimate your paper generation rate: (Number of employees) x .5 lb./person/day x 240 days = lbs. paper/yr. EXAMPLE: 65 employees x .5 lb. x 240 days = 7,800 lbs./paper/yr. Other Materials - The examples of "recyclables density" provided in the table below are presented only as a guide to assist you in estimating the amount of recyclable material in your office waste stream. The density of material will depend on how your waste is stored, collected and disposed. For example, your audit may show that half of a six cubic yard dumpster is full of loose, uncompacted corrugated cardboard. Using the formula below, you can estimate the quantity of discarded recyclable cardboard as follows: 3 cubic yards x 40 lbs./cu.yd. (density of corrugated cardboard boxes) = 120 lbs. To obtain a weekly total of discarded corrugated cardboard, multiply 120 lbs. times the number of times the dumpster is serviced. To estimate the quantity of other recyclables use the same formula with the density table below.
Establishing a recycling program can be more challenging for small businesses that generate relatively small volumes of recyclable materials. Recycling collectors generally require minimum quantities of materials to ensure that they can cover their transportation and handling costs. Depending on material volumes and quality, vendor may charge collection fees or may pay for the recyclable materials. Recycling service fees and/ or payments tend to vary according to fluctuating commodities markets. Options for Small Businesses: If the amount of recyclables produced by your business is not enough for recycling collection service, you may consider the following options. Contact your local recycling office for guidance on a more localized basis:
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