Waste Reduction
The average employee generates a tonne of loose garbage every year.
That’s over 100 household garbage cans per person!
If you operate a business, there is a financial benefit to managing your waste efficiently. These benefits are not just through cost savings. Studies show that businesses that commit to environmental and social responsibility benefit from customer recognition, higher employee retention and moral.
The real bottom line, committing to reducing your waste, decreases the amount of waste going to our landfills.
Basic Steps for a Waste Reduction Program
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Take a look at your garbage – what are the most abundant items?
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Most offices set up a sorting system for: Paper, Cardboard, Compost, Refundable Containers & Garbage.
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Call your hauler to arrange collection - see Collection Providers below
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Select containers to collect material. Clearly label bins. Download sort guides.
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Create centralized sorting areas. For recycling to work well, it needs to be just as easy as the garbage.
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For offices set a paper recycling bin at each work station. Some offices remove the garbage cans at desks.
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Place paper recycling bins near printers, fax machines, & photocopiers.
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To save money, negotiate your collection contracts together. Garbage collection is generally charged by the frequency of collection & size of container. By reducing the size of your garbage container, or the frequency of collection you will save money.
Collection Providers of recycling programs
|
Company |
Collection Services |
Contact information |
|
The Blue Run |
Collects same material as the Blue Bins - small plastic, metal & milk containers, some paper & boxboard. |
info@thebluerun.com |
|
FeroDominion |
Garbage, Cardboard, Compost |
652-3376 |
|
Saint John Recycling |
Paper Recycling – pick up or drop off service |
633-1770 |
|
Waste Management |
Garbage, Cardboard, Compost |
1-800-267-7874 |
Containers
Your source separation containers should be accessible, clean and aesthetically pleasing. The colour of the bins and even the shape and size of their openings can improve their effectiveness. Use the following bin design basics to promote the best use of your waste sorting station:
| Materials | Shape of Opening | Size of Opening | Associated Colour |
| Recyclables/ Refundables | Circle | Large enough for a 2 litre pop bottle | Blue |
| Paper | Rectangle | Large enough for a folded newspaper | Grey or Blue |
| Compost (food scraps & paper towel) | semi-circle | 28cm diameter | Green |
| Garbage | Large square | 30+ cm diameter | Black |
Bin tips:
To avoid bin cross-contamination, leave the garbage opening uncovered. Also, put a lid on the opening for compost, hinged on the flat side.
All bin openings should be easily accessible to everyone.
Choose a bin with a slanted lid, so that waste cannot be left on top.
Line all containers with clear plastic bags so waste can be easily identified. When full, the organics must be emptied into the green bin and the bag put in the garbage.
Bin Location
Cluster bins together in a central, easily accessible location. Separating bins in different parts of a room can result in confusion and contamination.
To obtain free signage for your bin, please visit our signage page (downloadable sort guides).
Bin Suppliers
Busch Systems: http://www.buschsystems.com/indoor-recycling-stations.html
Protech Sanitation – Saint John carries Rubbermaid recycling containers
The Bin Doctor, Nova Scotia: http://www.bindoctor.com/index.php
