Environmental

There are numerous factors that need to be considered when setting up a new recycling scheme in your company. For example, what types of waste will be recycled, how much waste will be produced, how many, and what type, of containers will I need, and do these need to follow a particular color scheme? With all these different, and sometimes confusing, aspects to think about, we may forget to consider the actual environmental impact of the recycling bins themselves.

A large proportion of recycling and waste bins are manufactured from plastic, and a around 9% of global annual oil production is presently used in the manufacturing of plastics. Extracting this resource requires vast amounts of energy, and the production of plastic emits pollutants and greenhouse gases. It is easy to see how, despite being created with the intention of benefiting the environment, the manufacturing process of recycling bins has detrimental effects.

So, what can you do about this?

- Buy second-hand recycling containers. The best way you can minimize environmental impacts in waste management is through re-use. If you can find good quality second-hand containers then this prevents the bins from simply being discarded. You would be surprised at how many large corporations find themselves with redundant containers as a result of an altered pilot recycling project or simple change in color scheme.

– Purchase quality products. Look for containers that are well constructed and durable. Those used commercially will need to withstand far greater wear and tear than those used in the home. Invest in well made products which will last for years to come.

- Choose products with recycled plastic content. Many containers are now manufactured with a percentage of post-consumer recycled plastic. This will reduce the need for extraction of virgin materials and will also reduce energy consumption and emissions during the production process. As an example, producing recycled plastic carrier bags uses two thirds less energy, and 90% less water, compared to virgin production.

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Ware 4 Recycling Bins Ltd have been promoting cost effective bins, trolleys and waste containers for over 5 years. For more info, visit Ware 4 Ltd

This entry was posted on Saturday, February 20th, 2010 at 12:22 am and is filed under Miscellaneous. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.