Waste disposal at home or at the workplace cannot be stressed enough. While it is of paramount importance that waste is disposed of sustainably without causing any harm to humans or the environment, a lot of individuals refuse to take the necessary responsibility. This has less to do with these individuals having low awareness or motivation, and more to do with lack of education that imparts the necessary importance to waste disposal.
While some of us diligently segregate waste at home, many of us still do not extend the same levels of enthusiasm when it comes to proper waste disposal at the workplace. Some old fashioned office does not have any more provisions for waste segregation other than a kitchen scrap container. At home, most of the waste that we have to deal with is organic matter, which consists of things that are easy to break down without requiring a lot of energy and do not necessarily harm the environment as waste. In the workplace, on the other hand, a lot of waste is inorganic, such as laminated paper, which can be hard to break down. Laminated paper recycling is a process that is still undergoing research, but great strides are being made.
If we choose to be on the path to be environmentally sustainable as a populace, it is imperative to implement sustainable waste management at the workplace. Here are some good solutions to a more eco-friendly office.
Ecobins are specially designed rubbish bins that can be placed at various places in the office akin to wastebaskets. They can be used to dispose of waste materials, such as glass, in a sustainable manner.
There are different categories of ecobins that can be used in managing different types of waste, such as laminated paper recycling. Generally, all waste (including glass and plastic items) are disposed of together, and the entire mess is then put in a furnace or decomposed using other means. However, the use of ecobins can make waste segregation much easier during the time of disposal. It promotes appropriate measures to dispose of all the waste in isolation.
Remember, use the right ecobins for your needs. For example, you should opt for recycling bins kitchen areas use for your organic waste, and another specific type of container if you are implementing laminated paper recycling in the office.
A surprisingly simple, yet effective, solution to reduce waste and achieve a high level of sustainability in the office is to go paperless, as you do not need to dedicate extra resources to recycle paper and cardboard items. This strategy is not limited to using the printer a little lesser than usual but goes further to encourage sustainable practices on a larger scale.
Plastic cups have faced their share of criticism over the past decade, leading to their imminent demise at modern office spaces. They were replaced by paper cups, which, as it turns out, are harmful to the environment too, albeit to a lesser degree. Hence, promoting the use of personal coffee mugs, water bottles, and other substitutes of paper whenever necessary should be encouraged. But if you have to use laminated paper at the office, you can always implement laminated paper recycling to reduce your impact on the environment.
If we look at the staggering levels of waste that is generated per year by an average person, it becomes clear that we need to promote and practise sustainability on a large scale. According to World Waste Facts, around 99% of the items we purchase on a regular basis end up as some form of waste within 6 months. We are all aware that construction, industrial, and commercial projects generate the highest amount of waste, but if we need to make a difference, it is important to observe sustainable practices on a higher level.