7 Steps To Increase Recycling Participation At Work

What To Recycle

Learning what and how to recycle is crucial. A lot of companies don't have clear policies which can make recycling confusing. To clear things up, teach your employees what they can recycle and the best practices for doing so.

Define Recycling

It’s beneficial to define recycling so your employees have as much of an understanding about the process as possible. Explain your business’ unique recycling plan to ensure your materials are correctly recycled.

Offering containers in convenient and accessible places will make recycling easy for your employees. We recommend placing a paper recycling bin next to every employees desk and in copy rooms, as well as in other convenient places like the kitchen or lobby.

Imagery / Education

Educational materials are a great reminder of how and what to recycle. Place a list or image on your bin to clearly outline what can be recycled in your office. It encourages participation and helps avoid contamination.

Use Consistent Colors

Color coding can increase participation because it associates a specific recycling stream with a color. For example, note that all paper can go in the blue bin, all food scraps can go into the green bin, and so on. This method differentiates the recycling streams which will eliminate confusion.

Setting goals and offering incentives encourages more recycling. Recycling can become a positive experience among employees because they are working together towards a common goal. Offering rewards based on reaching milestones or goals is always a compelling way to get people to buy-into recycling at the office!