This week’s “Green Office Tip of the Week,” is aimed at helping you set up a recycling program in your office. Every business should be recycling something, but it’s up to you to decide how far you want to take it. Our suggestion is to include fluorescent lamp recycling, paper recycling, can and bottle recycling and glass recycling in your office recycling program. Why these four options?
Fluorescent Lamp Recycling
There are two reasons lamp recycling is first on this list. Reason number one is that people often don’t realize what could happen to their business if they don’t follow the regulations set by the EPA. The second reason is that lamp recycling is the backbone of our business. We know more about setting up a lamp recycling program than any of the other options, so it makes sense for it to be first.
By recycling spent lamps, your business will be helping the environment in more ways than one. The mercury that is extracted during the recycling process can be reused, which means less will need to be produced in the future. With less mercury in the world, the chance of contamination goes down. Recycled lamps also provide glass, metal and phosphorous to be reused in other products, reducing the amount that plants will need to produce.
Setting up a program to recycle lamps at your office is very simple. There are options that work for all businesses, whether it’s a small business or a Fortune 500 company. One of the biggest selling points for lamp recycling is that it’s not very expensive. Lamp recycling companies will usually charge a per-lamp rate, unless you choose one of the flat-rate options, like a mail-in program. By spending money on lamp recycling now, you could be saving yourself up to $25,000. That’s how much it would cost your company if the EPA discovers that you’re not recycling your lamps.
If you want more information on lamp recycling, send us an email. We’ll be happy to help you set up a program that is perfect for your office.
Paper Recycling
Did you know that you can get paid for recycling paper? Companies like Huron Paper Stock will pay you for your recycled paper. Not only can this help your business reach its sustainability goals, but you can also bring in a little extra money. This infographic does a good job describing the paper recycling process.
Source: http://www.iqsdirectory.com
Bottle and Can Recycling
Recycling your bottles and cans is another way to go “green” and bring in extra money for your business. There are recycling centers for these products in every city, and you can find your nearest recycling center on www.recyclingcenters.org. Once the recycling company has your cans and bottles, they go through a number of steps before they can be reused. If you want more detailed information about these steps, take a look at this interactive graphic.
Glass Recycling
You might be wondering why glass wasn’t included in the bottle and can recycling category. For starters, glass glass keeps all of its durability and quality when its recycled. Glass products are also recycled at a higher rate than aluminum and plastic products. According to Earth911, 80 percent of glass is estimated to be recycled into new containers. The average rate for aluminum cans in America? 54.5%.
It’s important to recycle what you can, when you can. Implementing some of these programs could produce extra income for your business. While that shouldn’t be the number one reason you choose to recycle, it is an added bonus. Do a quick search online to find recycling companies near you, and call them to set up a program. It’s fast, simple and has benefits that are too good to pass up.
