 Recycling is great, and everyone knows there are a lot of materials in the average office that are candidates for a recycling process, but how do you implement a new recycling program?
For a lot of new initiatives, these basic steps can be very helpful in “bridging the gap” between theoretical recycling and the real thing. Considering these aspects of the process help solve some of the usual problems associated with the feasibility of a recycling program.
- Find a collector – having a reliable, consistent place to take recycling makes it much more likely to be successful. Rather than always hunting for takers of paper, plastics or other materials, find a center that’s always accepting your materials, and always open for more.
- Get designated storage containers and areas – if recyclables are just piled randomly, they can easily find their way into a dumpster. Put specialized containers in place, and when they are full, make sure they go to a ‘protected’ area where workers can eventually take them to the collecting stations mentioned above.
- Set up a calendar – let everyone know when the containers will be emptied and when the materials will go to the station. This is helpful for department managers and others across a larger officer structure, but there’s another group who needs to know about this schedule: the pick-up staff. Whether you’re delegating in-house of contracting hauling to an outside party, make sure there is someone coming at a specific time to deal with the materials you’ve stockpiled for recycling.
- Get feedback – for a better recycling program that will “stay the course”, do needed quality assurance by asking participants about their concerns. Surveys can be a great tool in some situations, in others it’s as easy as approaching the subject briefly during meetings.
These ideas are a good first step in planning out a recycling program so that it has a good chance to be successful in your office.
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