Less waste means less cost for your business. When you efficiently use supplies, your bottom line improves. It makes sense to reduce waste, reuse whatever you can, and recycle the rest. When you reduce the trash, you can reduce the frequency of your trash collection service, saving you money. Some suggestions:
Reduce Waste
- Use electronic mail and voicemail.
- Proof and preview documents on screen before printing.
- Eliminate unnecessary reports.
- Reduce report size (are all of those attachments necessary?).
- Avoid using fax cover sheets.
- Make fewer copies. Route copies and don't make more than you need.
- Print or copy on both sides.
- Set computers to automatically print two-sided.
- Remove duplicate names and out-of-date entries from mailing lists.
- Design mailers which avoid the use of envelopes.
- Circulate memos, documents, reports and publications.
Reuse Material
- Save paper that has been used on one side and reuse as draft paper in fax machines, for scratch pads, and copies (in copiers with multiple trays, one tray can be stocked with draft paper).
- Purchase copiers and printers that will make two-sided copies reliably.
- Reuse envelopes by placing a label over the old address.
- Use reusable envelopes for interoffice mail.
- Reuse file folders.
- Reuse boxes for shipping or storage.
- Shred newspapers and reuse for packaging.
- Donate magazines to local libraries, schools, hospitals, and nursing homes.
- Donate old and outdated merchandise to charities rathe than just throwing it in the trash. Store remodeling produces construction and demolition debris in large amounts from time to time. Many of these materials can by reused by other stores, schools, churches, or community organizations. They can be reused or recycled by advertising in a materials exchange, such as CalMAX. Material exchanges help businesses and institutions find markets for materials they have traditionally discarded.
Recycle
- If your office is small, combine your recyclables with other small offices nearby.
- Provide desktop recycling containers for employees.
- Provide clearly labeled recycling bins near copiers, shipping and receiving areas, and in employee eating areas to collect white paper, mixed paper, newspaper, magazines, cardboard, as well as glass, aluminum, plastic, etc.
- Don't buy thermal fax paper, glossy/plastic coatings, plastic windows, bright colors including goldernrod, laser printer inks, or adhesive products that can contaminate recyclable material.
- Print directly on envelopes rather than using lables.
- For more information on implementing paper reduction, go to www.ciwmb.ca.gov.
Make Your Purchases Count
- Use paper with at least 25% recycled content.
- Buy products with no packaging, less packaging, or reusable packaging.
- Buy products in bulk or in concentrated form.
- Have vendors take back packaging.
- Prior to recycling or disposing, check to see if anyone can reuse packaging.
- Repack in the same cartons that transported material to your facility.
- Advertise surplus and reusable waste items through the California Materials Exchange Program (CALMAX) or a local materials exchange. Call (916) 255-2396 or e-mail calmax@ciwmb.ca.gov for more information.
- Rent equipment that you only use occasionally.
- Invest in equipment which is high quality, durable, and recyclable.
- Buy fluorescent rather than incandescent bulbs.
- Sell or give old furniture and equipment to employees or donate to charity.
Landscaping
- Use plants that are low maintenance and generate less waste (grows slowly, doesn't need to be trimmed as often, and uses less water).
- Encourage your building's landscaper to grasscycle, compost, and mulch to reduce green waste that would be sent tot he landfill or disposal.
For More Help
For more information on how to prevent waste, call:
- The City of Fountain Valley's Public Works Department at (714) 593-4441.
- Rainbow Disposal at (714) 847-3581
- or, Visit the state's website at www.ciwmb.ca.gov