Preventing waste, maximizing resources, and increasing efficiency can give
your company a competitive edge. Take positive action now by implementing source
reduction.
Source reduction is any activity that prevents the creation of solid
waste at the point of generation.
For Management
- Take a look at how your business
produces waste each day and identify the types and amounts of waste produced.
- Have brainstorming sessions to generate ideas on how to prevent waste. Reward
good suggestions.
- Develop a written source reduction policy and adopt a corporate
ethic that encourages source reduction and other environmental practices.
For
Packaging
- Avoid overpackaging.
- Ship your products on returnable or reusable pallets
and containers.
- Minimize packaging waste as much as possible.
Purchasing Practices
- Examine your production and purchasing procedures to see where wastes can
be prevented.
- Adopt or revise procurement polices that promote source reduction
and support recycled content products.
- Consider cooperative purchases with other
businesses to reduce price and packaging wastes.
- Buy supplies in bulk, larger
sizes, or in concentrated form.
In Your Office
- Institute double-sided (duplex)
copying to reduce paper use and mailing costs.
- Use alternatives to paper communication,
such as voice mail and e-mail.
- Use routing slips to circulate memos, documents,
periodicals, and reports.
- Post non-urgent communications for general distribution
on bulletin boards.
- Call mailing lists to remove uninterested recipients and
eliminate unwanted mail by notifying the sender. Solutions for junk
mail and credit card offers.
- Proofread documents on screen
before printing.
- Eliminate unnecessary forms, reports, and publications.
In the
Snack Rooms and Cafeterias
- Encourage employees to use china or reusable plates,
cutlery, glasses, and coffee mugs.
- Install cloth towel rolls or air dryers in
restrooms.
For Customers
- Let people know about your source reduction programs
Give Old Items a New Home
- Have something you want to get rid of but can’t recycle it and don’t
want to throw it out? Visit our links page and check out the reuse links. Use the internet to give (and take) for FREE!
More questions? Contact
OCRRA today to speak with a business recycling specialist.
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