Waste
Region wide, garbage from private sector businesses counts for over 50% of the region’s waste (about 600 thousand tonnes per year), yet a considerable amount of this waste can be recycled or reused, diverting this away from landfill.
There are considerable benefits of reducing, recycling and reusing waste. Every bag of garbage your company sends to landfill means more expense, as businesses pay increasing amounts to have this collected. Innovating on processes and products that reduce waste will reduce your environmental impact, cut costs, increase employee engagement and give your organization brand lift.
- Beginner
Just Getting Started - Intermediate
Going a Little Deeper - Advanced
Transforming Your Organization
- Set printers to ‘double sided’
- Print only necessary documents
- Send memos, quotes and invoices electronically
- Minimize paper usage in meetings
- Provide recycle stations at key locations
- Subscribe to online newspapers and magazines
- Set up a recycle station for items accepted through Return-it and Foam-only
- Donate outdated electronics
- Donate unwanted food
- Use washable cutlery and plates
- Recycle hazardous waste
- Conduct a waste audit
- Implement a policy of zero waste in office
- Implement a policy of not purchasing products that are disposable and over packaged
- Review packaging of products with a view to reducing packaging waste
- Review product development with a view to innovating to closed loop.
- Establish a food composting station in the kitchen
- Sell or recycle used oil
- Consider leasing rather than purchasing products
- Develop a policy of purchasing non-toxic cleaning materials
- Develop a policy of recycling toxic materials
- Create 5-year or 10-year ambitious sustainability vision, goals and targets of success
- Set and implement bold goals to reduce waste, emissions, water and resource use
- Engage employees at all levels in greening the workplace, their homes and communities
- Embed your green goals into your products and services – help your customers “go green”!
- Engage suppliers and business customers in collaborative projects to help achieve your mutual green goals
- Champion green initiatives to your industry association and solve eco-problems together
- Measure and report your progress, share your efforts with others
Waste Resources
The Circular Economy Business Toolkit – NZWC
Encorp Pacific
Recycling Council of BC – Waste Reduction Week – Business Resource Guide
Recycle BC Helping Business Reduce the Distribution of Single Use Plastic Bags
