If you’ve been putting off implementing a recycling program, wait no longer. According to those specialty imagers that have a program, the hardest part was getting started. Here are some of their tips for implementing an effective solid waste recycling program.
• Ensure there’s commitment from upper management. Recycling requires an investment of time, space and money. Unless upper management is prepared to invest the resources, the recycling program won’t get off the ground.
• Appoint a recycling champion. Choose a person who has shown an interest in environmental issues and who can work with a cross-departmental committee to put recycling initiatives in place.
• Assemble a team of people to work with the champion. There should be a representative from each department, including the office. The role of this green team is to identify the various solid waste streams generated throughout the company, find recycling vendors, set up the physical collection system and work with employees to separate and collect wastes for recycling.
• Identify all the solid waste streams (e.g., paper, vinyl, ink cans, wood) and the processes in which they’re generated. The identification stage requires team members to talk with department managers to find out the material inputs to the various processes and to look in waste bins to find out what’s being thrown away. Any material that can’t be sold or reused should be considered a waste. Don’t forget the office/administrative areas of your company. As the team is looking at the various types of waste, they should also be identifying which materials comprise the bulk of the waste stream. Consider trying to recycle these first.
• Once the largest waste streams have been identified, it’s time to determine actual volumes. This will require collecting the particular waste streams for a specific length of time (e.g., one month). Talk with the employees in the department to find out the best type, location and number of collection bins required. When it comes to recycling, if it’s not convenient, it won’t get done. For example, if you want to collect waste from the guillotine cutters, the collection bin should be located next to the cutter. Also, ensure there are general trash bins in the area so employees aren’t tempted to use the recycling bin for trash and the trash bin for the recycling. Train all affected employees with respect to the specified type of waste to be collected and how to do it. Then monitor the collection bins to make sure they’re being used correctly. Also check the general trash bins in the area to ensure employees are not throwing away the waste to be recycled. If you find the bins are not being used correctly, talk with the employees involved.
• After the established collection time has passed, weigh the waste. Now you know the type and quantity of the waste you want to recycle. With this data, you’re ready to contact recycling vendors. Where do you start? Talk with the specialists in the SGIA Government & Business Information department. Use the Internet and Yellow Pages™ to look for waste management and recycling vendors in your area. Ask your local industry colleagues what they recycle and the vendors they use. Be patient. This is probably the most time consuming part of the process. Unless you generate large amounts, many vendors are hesitant to deal with you. This can mean you need the space to collect and store materials long enough to generate a substantive volume. When you find vendors, do your due diligence. Visit their operation and have them certify in writing specifically how your waste is handled, once it leaves your company.
• Set up the permanent recycling collection system. As always, consult the employees who will use the system to ensure the size and type of collection bins are appropriate as well as their location. Make the recycling program highly visible with splashy graphics and clean, practical collection bins. Ask the recycling vendor to help set up this system. Once again, train the employees about the specific materials that are to be recycled and how to separate them. If they don’t use the system correctly and contaminate the bins with other waste streams, the recycling vendor may not take the time to sort the waste at their facility and send the entire load to the local landfill. Additionally, you’ll pay more for a consignment of trash vs. recycling. Assign responsibility for monitoring the collection system to ensure it’s used correctly.
• Ensure the recycling vendor provides quarterly (at a minimum) data with respect to the weight of each type of material recycled. These weights are the metrics or performance indicators for the recycling program. By tracking the weights of the materials recycled, as well as the weight of material sent to landfill, you will see the success of your company’s recycling program. As recycling rates increase, landfill rates will go down. Using this data, create pleasing charts and other highly visible graphics and post them so employees can see how their efforts are making the company more sustainable. Consider posting this information on your company website to let your customers and other stakeholders know what you’re doing.
• Repeat this process to recycle the other solid waste streams generated at your company. The most efficient method is if one or two vendors can handle all of your waste streams. If you can’t find a recycling vendor for a particular waste, consider substituting that material with one that can be recycled. Or, if you have the space, collect the waste until you can find a vendor to recycle it. An added benefit to examining wastes for recycling is that companies often identify ways in which they can minimize the amount of waste generated.
There’s no magic to recycling but it takes time, effort and dedication. By using this systematic approach, you’ll soon be reducing the amount of solid waste your company sends to landfill. The feedback from many of your employees will be It’s about time we started recycling. Don’t overlook them as a source of ideas for improving your recycling program. If you have a recycling story to tell, SGIA would love to hear it. Contact Marci Kinter at marcik@sgia.org.
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