How to empower your employees to recycle in the office

Paul Klymenko, CEO of Planet Ark

Paul Klymenko, CEO of Planet Ark, offers his insight into educating employees about recycling and making it an engaging part of their workplace experience.

Most Australians are keen recyclers at their homes and want to be able to bring these habits into their workplace. The good news is that research shows that over 75% of businesses agree recycling and reducing waste is part of being a sustainable and ethical business¹. And it’s now easier than ever for businesses to provide recycling opportunities to their employees for many products they use.

Here are some recycling initiatives your business may not have heard of that can make a positive impact:

Nespresso Bulk Recycling collection box within an office

Nespresso Bulk Recycling

Many offices face challenges to recycle their used coffee, which is why coffee companies with dedicated recycling programs help make it easier for workplaces. Nespresso Professional offers free recycling services for your used Nespresso aluminium capsules - both in the workplace and from home – so they can have a second life. As a demonstration of the brand’s commitment to sustainability, Nespresso chooses to use aluminium for its capsules. Aluminium preserves the freshness of the coffee and is infinitely recyclable with no loss of quality. A majority of all the aluminium ever made is still in use, thanks to recycling.

Businesses and community locations can become a recycling collection point for used capsules, by ordering a free bulk recycling box from Nespresso. Used capsules are collected and sent to the recycling facility in Nowra, NSW. After being separated the used coffee is sent to an organics facility to be transformed into compost and the aluminium is sent back to industry to produce new products.

Cartridges 4 Planet Ark ambassador Layne Beachley with a workplace collection box

Cartridges 4 Planet Ark

Planet Ark’s program is helping Australians keep printer cartridges out of landfill. They contain a complex composition of plastic, metal, ink and toner – all valuable and most importantly, recyclable. Cartridges 4 Planet Ark is supported by participating manufacturers Brother, Canon, Epson, HP, Konica Minolta and Kyocera who take responsibility for the recycling of their printer cartridges. As a result of this program, Planet Ark has successfully recycled almost 40 million cartridges with zero waste to landfill and are collecting more every day! Find out how to get a free collection box for your workplace.

Planet Ark employees doing their annual File Fling Friday in the office.

Friday File Fling

Employees must also be empowered to take action. Throughout the year, we encourage employees to sort through old files and get good quality office paper back into circulation by recycling it. This can be a fun staff engagement activity and become an annual event - just add drinks & nibbles! A Friday File Fling is a simple way for workplaces can get involved. Register your workplace now!

MobileMuster

Mobile phones contain a number of valuable raw materials like copper, gold, palladium and platinum. MobileMuster is the industry funded program established to increase recycling rates for mobile phones and accessories. Get staff to open up their cupboards and drawers at home and dig out old/broken mobile phones and accessories. Be sure to join the MobileMuster program and order a free collection box for your workplace.

Remember to educate your employees about the benefits of the recycling systems that you have introduced. Report back regularly on the success of the systems that they have contributed to and this will help keep recycling behavior top of mind. The recycling program operators will be happy to assist you with this.

---

¹ Planet Ark 2016 What’s the Deal with Business Waste Report, https://businessrecycling.com.au/documents/doc-1383-what-s-the-deal-br-report-final.pdf