Hints & Tips to Reduce Business Waste
Carry out a Waste Audit
Are you struggling with your business waste, are your employees unsure about what goes into each bin? Whether it is before you set up a commercial waste contract or you are months into one, follow the simple steps on our Waste Audit page to minimise your carbon footprint and keep your costs down.
Reduce Packaging
Work with suppliers of any product you use to remove unnecessary packaging and buy in a way that reduces the amount of packaging wherever possible, such as buying in bulk. Also, remove any unnecessary packaging from your own products.
Separate Recycling
Separate your recycling into separate bins which improves recycling rates and gives you the opportunity to potentially sell your waste.
Reuse
Buy and make use of things that can be re-used such as batteries or plastic bags. These things are typically hard to dispose of or recycle, so giving them another lease of life means that there is much less waste incurred.
Go Paperless
The increase in the use of smart devices as well as cloud computing means everything can now be stored safely and securely and shared and accessed through a computer, drastically reducing the need to use paper.
Avoid single use plastic
These products should be avoided wherever possible – use reusable drinks bottles, flasks, coffee cups, cutlery, straws and stirrers.
Go Local
Buying at your local market or farmers market often means less waste in the form of packaging and less waste in the cost of emissions for transportation. Why not take your own reusable fabric bags or boxes to take your produce home. To find your local market visit the Shop at North Lincolnshire’s Markets page.
Repair
Take care of your belongings with regular maintenance and repair to extend their life.
Rent or borrow equipment
Rent or borrow equipment which you use infrequently.
Freegle
Freegle is a UK organisation that aims to increase reuse and reduce landfill by offering a free Internet-based service where people can give away and ask for things that would otherwise be thrown away. Visit the Freegle website.
Understanding environmental impact
Reducing and reusing reduces greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to global climate change. This helps sustain the environment for future generations, reduces the amount of waste that will need to be recycled or sent to landfills and incinerators and allows products to be used to their fullest extent.
Zero waste shops
The whole point of a zero waste shop is to cut down on packaging primarily, but also food waste. Shoppers take their own tubs or bags along and buy just what they need. Initially these shops only sold dried goods like pasta, nuts, seeds and pulses, but as demand for this type of shopping has increased you can now buy washing up liquid, washing powder, and toiletries in most shops.