Every workplace produces waste, and if you don't take steps to manage and regulate it, you can not only run the risk of making people sick but also hurt your company's reputation by creating an unhygienic environment.
If you are here to learn more about how to control waste in the workplace and improve your workplace hygiene, consider the following essential tips.
1. Implement Waste Prevention
First of all, if you want to manage your workplace waste, you need to reduce it. One of the methods of waste management is prevention, which involves utilizing less material, storing a product for a longer time, reusing, and employing environmentally friendly materials.
Waste prevention includes the following aspects:
- Reduce – By changing the design, manufacturing, purchasing, or usage of materials or goods, businesses may minimize the quantity of waste they create.
- Reuse – Reusing items can postpone their eventual disposal or recycling.
- Donate – Organizations can donate goods or supplies to those who need them.
Not sure how to accomplish this? Here are a few steps you can take to implement waste prevention in your company:
- Go nearly paperless by using online tools and resources.
- Store files digitally.
- Consider buying items with little packaging or no packaging at all.
- Reduce the use of disposable, single-use cups.
- Instead of using paper plates, invest in real dishes, utensils, and cups and put them in your kitchen.
2. Use Garbage Bags
How can you manage and control waste without the right number of garbage bags in your office? Garbage bags of high quality are one of the most critical components of your sanitation system since you’ll be able to carry trash without tearing the bag.
Let's take a look at how important they are:
- They help to keep your trash can clean.
- Bagging your trash can help to collect the relevant items for recycling in the future. Color-coded bags can separate trash by type, such as hazardous, non-recyclable, donation, paper, plastic, etc.
- It becomes even easier and more secure to put trash in garbage bags so that people can transport them easily from one place to another.
- Not bagging garbage can cause exposure to germs and bacteria, posing safety issues for your employees’ health.
Consider buying the right size of trash bags by measuring your waste so as not to squander extra money.
3. Consider Waste Recycling
We can use less energy, cut greenhouse gas emissions, and contribute to a healthy environment by employing efficient waste prevention methods and recycling. Recycling conserves energy and keeps waste out of landfills.
Recycling is all about getting the most out of the resources we have and preserving them for future generations. It’s about protecting the environment, conserving energy, and saving land and raw materials.
With that in mind, consider the following:
- Offer appropriate recycling containers to encourage staff to act. Segment waste using separate bins for plastic, paper, glass, e-waste, etc.
- Encourage your staff to pack a litter-less lunch.
- Fill an organic trash bin with food scraps for composting to provide soil nutrients and minimize erosion.
4. Educate Staff
Put posters and signs above trash bins to let staff know which waste streams must be recycled. Encourage staff to use reusable cups and avoid mixing trash.
Raise awareness about printing practices. Encourage double-sided printing and digital document review to reduce paper waste.
5. Measure the Waste
Track the types and quantities of waste produced by your company. Conduct audits using transparent waste bin bags and observe disposal patterns. This will improve safety in the working environment.
6. Reduce Packaging
Excessive packaging increases the amount of waste. Choose low-packaging options and communicate with suppliers to minimize unnecessary materials.
Benefits of proper waste management include cost reduction, keeping the office clean, protecting the environment, maintaining people’s health, and boosting brand reputation.
Implement these tips and choose Hyex for quality waste management products. Good luck!
