Office Recycling Scheme - Top Tips
Making the decision to recycle your office supplies may seem like an overwhelming task, but it need not be! This article will provide you with a step-by-step guide for how to organise your recycling scheme and how to dispose of unwanted goods.
Step One: Empty your drawers
The easiest way to start is by emptying what you have inside all of your drawers and cupboards. Use this opportunity to sort through old paperclips, pens, sticky notes and other office paraphernalia in order to see what you no longer need or want. Place these items into containers according to their type (e.g., paperclips in one container, pens in another).
Step Two: Sort by type
The process of sorting on the basis of type is a good way to help you remember what you have and what you need. This may sound like a daunting task, but it will be very useful as each type will be clearly labelled. The more organised you can make everything, the easier it will be to remember and the less clutter you will have in your office.
Note: Use colours if possible - this will not only help keep things divided, but also make them more visible and easy to identify! For example, use red for paperclips (paper), blue for pens (Pens) and so on.
Step Three: Donate items to charity
Now that your drawers are empty, you can start filling them with your donated items. The easiest way to get started is by arranging all of your donated items into piles according to type or use. This will allow you to easily identify and organise everything. Note: any items which are too complicated or difficult for you to sort should be taken outside immediately. This applies particularly to computers and other electronic waste (e-waste).
Step Four: Recycling
Once you have identified the different types of donated goods and sorted them according to type, you are ready to begin the recycling process. The easiest method involves colour coding: each colour represents a different type or section of office waste. Simply sort your donations according to their respective colours and place them into the appropriate bins accordingly. For example, blue paper would go into one bin while plastic cutlery would go into another bin (and so on).
Please note: Although the sorting of items is sometimes very time consuming, this step is an essential part of any recycling scheme. If you do not sort your waste properly, it could make the recycling process more difficult.
Step Five: E-waste
For all items containing e-waste, make sure that you dispose of them correctly by taking them to a specialist recycling facility. This may involve taking your items to a specific removal website such as Freecycle or an event hosted by an organisation such as the U3A . If possible, please ensure that if you are disposing of any e-waste that it is placed in an anti-static bag or box and clearly marked.
For more information, check out this useful resource for e-waste disposal. You can also use the 'Sort It' App which is available for iPhones and Android devices (search for 'Sort It' in the app store).
Step Six: Reuse
After you have sorted your donations into the appropriate sections, it is time to look at what you have left over. The process of reuse will make sure that nothing goes to waste. This is an excellent way to help reduce office clutter and in some cases, such as with paperclips or pens, there may be several ways in which you can utilise them.
Step Seven: Adopt an organised office environment
By organising your office supplies, you will naturally create an organised environment which is very easy to maintain. This is the best way to make sure that the work place is both clean and tidy. By keeping your desk and workplace neat, you reduce the amount of time it takes to find things in your drawers and cupboards! The best way to keep things neat and tidy at home is by working on a project and keeping it somewhere safe until you are ready to use it again. Developing an organised approach at work will ensure that this process happens automatically. As a result, people will no longer have wasted time searching for items which are difficult to find.
Step Eight: Maintain your scheme
Depending on your office, the scheme you have created might take a few days or even weeks to complete. The good news is that once you have established it and run it smoothly, it will be very easy to maintain! This means that you do not have to spend hours sorting through items every time you want to start a new project. By following the steps described in this article, you can make recycling and organising your office supplies easier than ever before!
There are millions of companies across the UK who benefit greatly from efficient recycling, with many reporting that they achieve substantial cost savings by using recycled materials for manufacturing.