What you can do

Living Sustainably

Recycling

Recycling – make it standard practice

Demonstrate a commitment to recycling and enhance your business image. Organisations that put into practice successful waste reduction and recycling strategies achieve both financial and environmental benefits.

Where to start

Gain the support of all workplace participants – open up dialogue with other tenants, businesses and industry peers to discuss intentions and objectives, brainstorm options, and research and identify potential models and systems.

Leverage from the experience of others – find out what works and what doesn't work. Locate and review case studies and find out what waste management strategies are used in other industries.

Gain the support of management, suppliers and workplace users. If necessary, develop a business case and use Waste Reduction in Office Buildings : A Guide for Tenants for strategies and ideas.

Audit and review workplace processes and behaviours. Determine and identify opportunities for recycling, and the types of materials and products you will need to manage. Calculate the volume, storage, collection and handling demands. Are changes required in production and workplace practices?

Contact potential recycling facilities, collection agencies and recycling equipment suppliers. Consult the Yellow Pages, your local council and industry peers about companies to contact and avenues to explore.

Use the Waste Reduction in Office Buildings : A Guide for Building Managers for ideas. Approach building managers or owners, other tenants and key stakeholders to discuss proposals and obtain approval.

Develop an implementation strategy – discuss and brainstorm ideas with all participants, including cleaning and waste removal staff and contractors, resource and product suppliers, and all workplace users or contributors. Secure agreement and commitment.

Negotiate collection and handling arrangements, and expected procedures and timetables. Distribute this information to all members of the workplace and invite feedback and suggestions.

Install the recycling collection and storage equipment. Appoint people to facilitate and monitor the operation of the new system.

Clearly label collection facilities and place them in secure and convenient locations, close to waste sources. Take advantage of workplace processes and worker behaviour – consider access, OH&S, workplace safety and visibility.

Continuous improvement

Frequently look for opportunities to improve recovery and collection efforts. Are they adequate? Are there lost opportunities and wastage? Is there room for improvement? Investigate avenues and facilities available to support your objectives.

Monitor developments in the recycling industry and your industry sector. Measure and review your workplace recycling efforts and performance. Also review the performance of your recycling collection and processing agency.

Are there industry benchmarks or other performance indicators you should be aware of and could use? How does your workplace compare to industry peers? Are the collection and processing arrangements and supplier performing as expected and agreed?

Frequently provide opportunities for feedback and suggestions. Inform and reward good recycling performance – provide periodic mail-outs and information sessions to discuss achievements and enlist further support and assistance.

Conduct surveys and reviews with workplace users, include all participants in the process – contractors, suppliers, management and workers. Anticipate and target workplace behaviours and develop strategies to improve.