In the last couple of years waste and waste management have been key points of discussion, perhaps made even more prominent by the ‘War on Waste’ TV Show. Thanks to shows like this people are beginning to think about where their products come from and where they end up. Implementing these small changes in the home or day to day life is something very achievable. But for businesses, getting active about waste can be a more challenging matter.
Turning Wasteful into Waste-less
Effective waste management within business not only has beneficial outcomes for the environment and human health but is beneficial for the business. Common waste generating activities in an office or business include:
- Paper and printer cartridges
- The packaging on incoming materials and orders
- Electronics
- Kitchen/lunchroom food scraps
Finding ways to reduce, re-use or find ‘greener’ alternatives can have huge benefits to a business, such as:
- Cost savings – don’t pay for what you don’t need
- Resource efficiency – get lean, turn the lights off if you aren’t in a room, go virtual
- Reputation – environmentally responsible image
- Employee satisfaction – that warm and fuzzy feeling
The suitability and benefits of waste management options will obviously depend on the nature and size of the business and the scale of application, but that’s not to say that there are no benefits.
Getting the Team Involved
There are a number of activities and actions that can be undertaken within a business to assist with waste management and getting the team or office thinking about waste. One of the first activities to complete should focus on knowing what your wastes are. This could involve a simple look in the bin to a more detailed waste audit. Another great option is to develop a ‘green team’ or ‘waste coordinator’ who can help encourage others to be responsible for and try to reduce their waste generation in the office.
Alternatively, there are a couple of events coming up on the calendar which are perfect for getting involved in waste management while team building. Some of these events centre around groups of people registering and volunteering time to collect rubbish on a defined day. While others can set a challenge for the office or team relating to waste management. 
Check out the websites to find out more information and register.
- Business Clean-up Day on Tuesday 26th February 2019
- Clean-up Australia Day on Sunday 3rd March 2019
- Plastic Free July
- World Clean-up Day on the 21st September 2019
The team at Integrate Sustainability is passionate about the environment and can provide advice, assistance or recommendations to help you meet your waste management goals. Contact us today to tackle waste together.
Ph: (08) 9468 0338
Em: enquiries@integratesustainability.com.au
Download PDF: ISPL Insight – Clean Up Day
Handy Links
Clean Up. 2019. Business Clean Up. Accessed February 11, 2019. https://www.cleanup.org.au/business-clean-up.
Department of Industry Innovation and Science. 2018. Waste Management. July 20. Accessed February 11, 2019. https://www.business.gov.au/risk-management/environmental-impact/waste-management/waste-management-tips-for-business.
Kabbage. 2018. 4 Ways Small Businesses Benefit from Responsible Waste Management. March 24. Accessed February 11, 2019. https://www.kabbage.com/blog/4-small-biz-waste-benefits.
Queensland Government. 2018. Waste management tips for business. July 17. Accessed February 11, 2019. https://www.business.qld.gov.au/running-business/environment/waste-tips.
Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. n.d. “Recycling and Waste Reduction: a Guide for the Workplace.” 2019. Accessed February 11, 2019. https://dnr.wi.gov/files/PDF/pubs/wa/WA1533.pdf.