Knowing your waste stream is important not only for helping to divert unnecessary trash but also to divert wasted dollars.

Tips for Starting a Successful Recycling Program

What are some of the benefits of recycling?

When a facility reduces the volume of waste it generates, it can achieve corresponding savings through decreased hauling fees and avoided disposal charges.  There can be significant saving by:

·      Reducing trash container size

·      Limiting the frequency of pick-ups

What are some of the challenges that company’s face when starting a recycling program and what tips do you have to help them?

à Efficient Program Design: It is important to start a recycling program with a good plan in order to maintain efficient flow of materials. This includes knowing:

·      Where are the materials are being generated

·      How they will be collected

o   Recycling bins at each desk

·      Where will recyclables be stored for pickup

*If there are obstacles in any of these areas, it's important to work through and brainstorm solutions before the program is started

à Education/Promotion/Participation: Once the logistics are worked out, a successful recycling program needs proper promotion.  Promotion ideas:

·      This includes sending out a facility wide e-mail announcing the program

·      Holding a kick-off event for employees

·      Providing incentives to participate. Periodic (on- going) promotion of the program is key in order to maintain participation

à Right Sizing the Service:  After the recycling program is up and running, it's important to "right size" the trash service. Depending on your contract with your waste hauler, it is important to make sure that you are paying for the amount of trash you are disposing.

·      If you have a compactor, is there a pressure gauge to tell you when the compactor is full?

·      If you have dumpsters, are they full when your trash hauler is picking it up? Most likely they are charging a flat rate - whether the dumpster or compactor is full or not.

àRight Sizing the Trash Pick-Ups:  It pays to watch your trash!

·      Keep a log sheet to track how full the trash container is before it's picked up - this an effective way to determine whether the dumpster can be serviced less often or if you can reduce the size of the container. 

These businesses started or increased their recycling/composting.