Plastic waste contributes to much of the world’s littering and garbage that makes it way into rivers, lakes, and oceans. In fact, there are many documentaries on the dangers of plastic pollution that have been created to educate us and inspire efforts to decrease our plastic usage. As a company that offers plastic recycling in New Jersey, we strive to reuse as much of these materials as we can. However, the best way to reduce plastic waste is to stop using it all together. These are a few ways that you can reduce the use of plastic in the workplace.
A great way to reduce the use of water bottles and plastic drinks in the workplace is to offer unlimited filtered water at a tap or water fountain. This will encourage people to bring their own reusable containers and bottles to work each day and then fill them up when they need more to drink. You can also offer recyclable paper cups for them to use at work.
Lunch time is another part of the day that causes excess waste and unnecessary plastic usage. By encouraging your employees to use reusable lunch containers, coolers, and lunch boxes, you reduce their use of plastic bags, plastic food containers, and other plastics. Offer them the opportunity to heat their own food in the kitchen so that they can bring food from home, eliminating the waste from take out.
To go a step farther, you may even want to have a few communal dishes and utensils available for employee usage. This will eliminate the need to stock plastic utensils and other kitchen wares. By having a small supply of dishes, they will be able to heat up their food at lunch without needing to bring additional containers.
When you find something that works, tell everyone about it. For example, if you find a great reusable water bottle or a functional lunch cooler, share information about that product to inspire more employees to get it. By spreading news about recycling products that have worked for you, you share experiences that people can connect to, and this news can spread like wildfire.
Avoid stocking the fridge full of plastic containers that have coffee, creamer, and other shareable items. Instead, focus on buying products that also have recycling as part of their mission. Aim for paper products or repurposed materials when it comes to containers that you stock in your office.
These are some of the simple ways that you can reduce the use of plastics in the workplace. When you actively share your successes with recycling and organize recycling efforts, your colleagues may be more likely to follow. If you are looking for more ways to increase plastic recycling in New Jersey and decrease plastic waste, contact All County Recycling to hear more today.
