Implementing and enforcing recycling initiatives for your commercial waste is deemed as a costly procedure by many - both financially and in terms of time. Too often businesses reflect on the disadvantages of recycling their commercial waste and forget how important it is to dispose of their waste in an ethical and environmentally friendly way. In a bid to encourage more eco-friendly practices, this blog details the four core benefits of recycling your commercial waste.
One central benefit of organisations recycling their commercial waste is that doing so supports the preservation of endangered and finite natural resources. By introducing materials into the recycling process, we are extending the life of our raw materials. For example, when organisations recycle paper, they are able to reduce the amount of paper they need to source from natural resources such as rainforests and woodlands, both of which are at a high risk of deforestation.
The more that consumers and employees need new products and packaging, the worse these resources will be hit. As a result, it has never been so important to recycle commercial waste instead of demanding new, raw materials.
The second benefit of recycling commercial waste is a strategic one. Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is becoming increasingly important to consumers, and influences their decision of where and how to invest their money. By recycling, your organisation can demonstrate that they care about the environment and that they responsibly and ethically manage their waste. The more positive your organisation’s reputation is, the more likely it is that consumers are willing to be associated with your brand.
Many forget that recycling your waste is an essential way to support the economy. By recycling your commercial waste, you support the economy in three core ways:
Most obvious of all, recycling your commercial waste prevents it from ending up in landfills where it may take decades to decompose. Due to the masses of waste disposed of in landfills and the time each material takes to decompose, many landfills are left overflowing with waste - including hazardous waste too! In fact, overflowing landfill waste not only pollutes the surrounding areas, but lightweight waste is frequently blown into rivers and drains, meaning much of it ends up contaminating the ocean!
Alarmingly, some of the worst contributing materials such as plastic can take up to 400 years to fully decompose due to the additives used to make them. Unfortunately, these are the very same materials heavily produced as waste in commercial settings, making it crucial that businesses in particular are mindful of how they dispose of their waste.