Waste Reduction Tips for your Business

It doesn’t matter what kind of business you have, you will be generating waste.  The type of waste you generate will differ according to your activities, but the approaches towards waste reduction and improving your bottom line are the same.

Why should your business recycle more and save money?

  • It can save you money. A recycling bin is is generally cheaper than a general waste of the same size.
  • It can bring new customers. Many people want to spend money at businesses that are socially and environmentally responsible.
  • It helps the environment. We all need to do our part to make the climate liveable for the next generation.

Step 1 - Measure your waste

Without getting the scales out, it’s critical to understand what is going in your bins, and approximately how much. Looking at your waste, ask yourself these questions:

  • How much waste is going to landfill?
  • What can be removed from the general waste bin to recycle? 
  • Which part of your business generates the waste?
  • Are there behaviour changes that staff need to be involved in?

Step 2 – Review your current waste services

Are the services providing value for money and meeting your needs?  Talk to your waste contractor and ask it they offer other services and what are the costs.

You could start by ensuring you are separating out:

  • Mixed recycling –steel cans, glass, plastic containers
  • Cardboard and paper – certainly the best way to recycle all those delivery boxes
  • Container Deposit Scheme (CDS) – collect items that can be refunded for 10c each. There is also the potential to arrange a commercial contract directly with Return-It
  • Organics – if you generate a lot of organic waste, this is a critical one to divert from landfill for climate action! Register your interest using the form below in our upcoming 'Organics for Business' webinar
  • Soft Plastics – although the soft plastic collection to the public has been paused at the moment, there are still lots of options for businesses, especially if it is clean pallet wrap.

For more information, download Reground's best practice guide designed for businesses(PDF, 2MB)

Step 3- Train your team

Set your team up for success to put the right thing in the right bin.

If you change your bin setup outside, then your internal bins need to match. You can find some good internal bins at:

There is a variety of signage available to download and display on or above your bins:

Step 4 – Reduce the waste generation in your business

Consider everything that you bring into your business – equipment, raw materials, food, packaging, consumables – and ask yourself, is there a way to do this with less packaging.

Often a conversation with the supplier can give some good ideas.

Plastic Free Mornington Peninsula provides helpful advice for businesses in responding to the current and upcoming single-use plastic bans from the State Government, including waste reduction ideas and support for reusables.

Make sure you know your responsibilities with disposing of waste with the EPA

How to manage industrial waste | Environment Protection Authority Victoria

 

Want to know more about getting an Organics Service for your business?  Register your interest in our webinar here

Click here to view form.

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