Office Buildings
In setting up a successful recycling program in
your office building, you need to determine what kind of program will work
in your facility. You should first analyze your options. For example,
would a mixed paper program be preferable to a white
paper/newspaper/cardboard program? Knowing your facility will help you to
decide which program best suits your needs.
As much as 93% of all office waste is paper, most
of it recyclable. Recycling of high grade office paper is required in
commercial establishments located in mandated municipalities in
Pennsylvania.
FACTS ABOUT OFFICE PAPER
- 77% of paper waste generated in offices is
recyclable.
- Typical business offices generate about 1.5
pounds of waste paper per employee each day. Financial businesses
generate more than two pounds per employee daily.
- Nearly half of typical office paper waste is
high grade office paper.
- It is possible to achieve significant reduction
in the cost of buying office paper by reducing paper use and reusing
paper where possible.
- Eliminating office paper from your waste may
reduce your waste bill by as much as 50%.
- Recycling one ton of paper typically saves about
6.7 cubic yards of landfill space. A cubic yard of stacked office paper
weighs about 380 pounds. Cost savings may be estimated by multiplying
the tons recycled by 6.7 times the cost per cubic yard for waste
disposal (if by volume) or by cost per ton (if by weight).
- Commercial and residential paper waste accounts
for more than 40% of waste being landfilled. Eliminating this paper from
our waste would nearly double the lives of current landfills.
RECYCLING OFFICE PAPER WASTE
 Almost all types of paper used in the office can be
recycled. It can be separated into various grades ranging from high to
low. High-grade papers generally include but are not limited to white
computer paper, bond, letterhead, and ledger. Lower grades may include
mixed grades, file stock, ground wood papers, newsprint, and colored
paper.
Mixed paper is generally considered low grade even
if it contains high-grade paper. Easily identifiable high-grade papers
(such as computer printout) should be kept separate if possible to take
advantage of its higher market value.
Steps for Successful Recycling:
1. Set up appropriate recycling programs in
administrative offices, food service areas and public areas. It is best to
concentrate on areas that produce significant amounts of particular
materials.
2. Walk through the facility noting what type of
waste is discarded in each area. A walk-through will help you determine
which types of bins are needed. Typical programs are likely to involve
some of the following:
- Offices - paper, corrugated paper or cardboard,
cans, bottles.
- Food service areas - glass, metal cans, plastic
containers, corrugated paper, cardboard (make sure food waste is
separated or that it goes down the garbage disposal).
- Public areas - newspaper, magazines, bottles,
cans.
3. In placing bins, make sure that they achieve a
balance between convenience and cluster. Bins should be close enough to
where the waste is discarded so the people will use them, but not so
widespread that people will trip over them. It is a good idea to talk to
people who work in a particular area to determine exactly where bins
should be placed.
4. Make sure that bins in public areas are
well-marked. It is best to choose bins with specialized openings, such as
a hole for cans or a slot for newspapers, for these areas.
5. Inform employees about proper recycling
procedures. Issue a memo, throw a kick off party and explain any
separation procedures when you distribute bins.
6. Set up a log book or a receipt system to record
the volume of recyclables leaving the premises. This will enable you to
receive proper compensation for your materials and to take appropriate
action if volumes decrease.
7. Include recycling information in your
orientation for new employees.
8. Explain the overall recycling program to your
janitors, and use them as your eyes and ears. Have them inform you of any
areas with major contamination problems and follow up with improved
recycling education in these areas.
9. After policies have been established, train
janitorial staff by showing them what to do with new bins, how to collect
waste separately and where to bring separated materials. For a 24-hour
operation, plan pick-ups on appropriate shifts so that you do not have a
problem with overflowing bins.
10. Be sure that your grounds crew knows to keep
yard waste separate from other waste.
11. Ask your waste hauler for advice about keeping
recyclables and wet waste separate. Depending on the company's trucks and
equipment, your hauler may want to give you separate containers for trash
and recyclables.
12. Remind employees to keep food waste out of
recycling containers and trash. Food waste should go down the garbage
disposal or be handled separately from trash and recyclables.
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