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Business recycling is easy if you follow our lead! We have all kinds of information available to assist you with implementing a recycling program in your office!
The following is a great manual for your business:
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Select a Recycling Coordinator and a Recycling Committee
This person will be "in charge" of the implementation and education of your recycling program. During the start-up phase of your program the coordinator will require a reasonable amount of time to make sure all necessary parts of the program are in place.
There should also be a recycling committee. This committee should be made up of representatives from each office area or floor. This will make the initial implementation of your program smoother. Also, as the program matures, these representatives will be the backbone of a successful education program. Make sure that you include members from your maintenance department and purchasing department on your committee.
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Conduct a Waste Audit
In order to determine the design of your recycling program, you first need to determine the volume and type or recyclables generated by your company. This can be determined by conducting a waste audit. In some cases, your current waste hauler will assist you with your waste audit, especially if their company offers commercial recycling service! If you?d like to do it yourself, e-mail us at recycle@co.madison.il.us to request a copy of the Waste Reduction and Recycling: A Manual for Business.
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Choose a Vendor or Delivery System |
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If your company generates a reasonable amount of recyclables that can be handled by a group of dedicated volunteers, you might consider using one of the County provided Recycle Stations. There are six Recycle Stations located in Madison County and these can be used free of charge by your business. Using a Recycle Station requires either employee volunteers or building maintenance to transport collected recyclables from your business to the station. You may also use the Abitibi Paper Retriever Recycling bins located at schools in Madison County, and help schools raise money in the process. If your volume is large or transportation is an issue, you may want to contract with a private waste hauler who offers commercial recycling collection.
Currently, in Madison County the following waste haulers offer recycling service to commercial businesses: You may want to start with the hauler that is currently providing your garbage collection service.
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Choose an Internal Collection System
Your collection system will require various products and equipment.
First, define the various collection areas. You may want to collect paper items from internal offices,glass, cans, and cardboard from your cafeteria, cardboard from your supply department, and glass and cans from the general public who visit your business. Each of these areas require specific collection equipment.
Next, choose equipment that will accommodate collection of each item in each area. For example, collection of office paper from your employee offices will require deskside collectors and large mobile collection containers for transporting recyclables from each office area to the dock or drop-off area. The collection of recyclables from public areas of your business will require containers designed especially for these areas.
When designing your internal collection system remember that convenience, both for the user and the staff responsible for transporting recyclables for final disposition, is you number one priority. If the program is inconvenient to use, no one will use it! See the equipment needs information sheet for a detailed list of necessary equipment.
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Create an Employee Education Program
Education of your employees is the key to the success of your program. Most people are excited to be taking part in the program and are very receptive to learning about it. Remember to answer the four most important questions, What, How, Where, When, and Why! E-mail us at recycle@co.madison.il.us to request educational materials for your program. We have tool kits for businesses that contain posters, fliers, and other material to help!
What is Recyclable: Make sure to provide each employee with a list of what is included in their recycling program. Be specific and descriptive. Also post lists on all desk side boxes, recycling carts, and office bulletin boards. Include the recycling coordinators telephone numbers in case of questions. After the initial start-up of the program, send the list to everyone periodically as a reminder of what is included. This may also "jump start" your program especially if participation and volumes are down.
How to Recycle: Tell your employees how to use their deskside boxes and other collection equipment. Ideally. employees should each have a deskside box, and be responsible for emptying it into a larger collection cart located in their area. Then, housekeeping staff empties the carts. If they need to remove staples and paper clips tell them! Don't forget, they are not recycling experts like you!
Where to Recycle: Make sure that each employee has desk side boxes and knows the location of other recycling equipment in their office or floor. Also, educate employees and visitors to your business regarding the location of recycling containers in the public areas of your business.
When to Recycle: Post the collection schedule for all collection containers in all offices for employees to see.
Why Should I Recycle: Tell employees about the benefits of recycling. Also, after the initial implementation of your program, let employees know how they are doing. Tell them how much money the company has saved, or how many trees â?" one ton = 17 trees - they have saved, anything that says "Keep up the good work." Periodic updates will also cause those employees that are recycling to keep recycling and may also encourage those employees who aren't recycling to start.
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Review Systems
Review your program every 3 to 6 months and compare results to your original waste audit. If your program is not meeting your expectations you should look at your overall program to determine where changes need to be made. Is it your equipment? Is your program convenient to use? Have you provided enough education and technical support for your employees?
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Promote Ideas for Waste Reduction and Reuse of Materials
There are many ways you can reduce your amount of waste. Encourage waste reduction activities such as copying on both sides of the paper, and bringing in reusable coffee mugs. Solicit ideas from your employees on ways to reduce waste within their departments:
1) Desk Side Boxes:
Madison County can provide desk side boxes. These boxes are used at individual desks for the collection of paper items that are included in your program. The County offices currently use these to collect office paper (all colors), file stock (included file folders), "slicks", newspaper, magazines, small corrugated & chipboard boxes, and junk mail.
You can also use plastic trash cans in a different color from the existing can at each desk.
2) Recycling Collection CartsRecycling collection carts generally come in 45, 65, 90, and 100 gallon sizes. These would be purchased by your business. Carts are used for the collection of materials from the desk side boxes, then for transportation to the paper only dumpsters.
The County currently uses 45, 65, and 90 gallon Zarn brand carts. Zarn Carts are given to each office or, in the case of a group of smaller offices, floor of the building. Each employee is responsible for emptying their desk side box into the cart in their office or area. Large corrugated boxes can be placed in these carts, or directly into the recycling dumpsters. These carts are then checked by building maintenance on a weekly basis and emptied when necessary. The carts are emptied into the paper only dumpster for recycling. You can also use any cart type can.
Local Distributor of Zarn Carts:
Key Equipment
13507 Industrial Drive
Bridgeton, MO 63044
(314) 298-8330, Ray Gregory
3) Paper only dumpsters or delivery to Recycle Station:
The following waste companies provide paper only recycling dumpsters, for a fee:
Waste Management
Cherie - 257-8734 ext. 4211
Midland Waste
Dee - 656-6883
For more information or to request a Waste Reduction and Recycling: Manual for Business or Tool kit for Business, e-mail us at recycle@co.madison.il.us or call the Recycling Hotline at (618) 692-7040 ext. 6664. |
The County also provides Recycle Station Drop-off locations for multi-family and commercial recycling. Volunteers from your business could deliver recyclables to these stations. You may also use the Abitibi Paper Retriever Bins at local schools, and help them make money in the process! However, if you anticipate that the volume of recyclables for your company will be large, we recommend that you contract for recycling collection with a waste hauler.
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