Recycling has become more popular with businesses in recent years, but many businesses still do not understand the basics of recycling, nor what they need to do to get started. Here’s a quick guide to recycling for businesses.
Recycling symbols and packaging labels are beginning to appear more often on many common objects, and aid to identify what types of packaging are recyclable and how. The recycling symbol (or ORPL) is seen on almost all types of packaging, from plastic wrapping, to soft drink containers and paper towel dispensers.
Paper recycling labels also exist for many common objects, including grocery bags, paper bags, milk cartons and paper towels. Recycle stickers, which are actually stickers that you can place on your boxes, can help as well.
Glass bottles and other bottles that contain plastic are not usually recycled due to the fact that plastic bottles tend to break down more easily than glass. Plastic bags, however, are very much recyclable, as they contain an extremely high percentage of plastic. Glass bottles, which are normally made of clear glass, are one of the most common items to recycle because they can easily be sorted. There are also special recycling bins for plastic bottles, which you can find at some supermarket outlets.
Paper packaging, such as paper bags or plastic bags, can also be recycled at most supermarkets. However, paper packaging is not a good option for businesses that require a paper product that will not break down, like paper towels, as these items break down into small pieces before being recycled.
Plastic packaging used to be used all over the world as a packaging solution. This is not the case anymore, as plastic is becoming more expensive, making it impractical for most companies to recycle.
Businesses have been forced to change their practices and methods to keep costs down. This can be done by using recycled paper, or buying recycled plastic products, but in some cases, companies can even find that it is more cost-effective to just buy new items rather than buying recycled items.
Paper, plastic and cardboard can be recycled and are often sold in large quantities at recycling centers across the country, as well as internationally, as they are the most economical and effective way to dispose of them. Recycling is often combined with composting, to increase the amount of organic material being turned into plants.
These programs not only help to save money, they are also an environmental benefit, because recycling is helping to get rid of a large amount of non-recycled items. By keeping such things out of landfills, the environment is saved. This is very important, as the planet is at risk from a variety of factors, including climate change.
Waste can also be reused, but for many businesses this is an on-going process. Recycled paper can be made into cardboard products, or used for insulation or roofing. In some cases, businesses sell recycled cardboard boxes as well, so that they can further help to reduce the amount of garbage that lands in landfills.
Businesses also use a variety of other solutions to recycle. For example, paper can be processed into plastic, which can then be turned into sheets, rolls or other products such as books, magazines and catalogs, again decreasing waste. Some companies even offer to recycle the packaging material that they discard, by using that to produce new paper, or even other products.
One of the biggest problems that companies face, however, is that many companies simply throw away paper and cardboard because they are unsure that it will be useful. Often, businesses buy more materials, when they recycle, than they actually need.
Because paper and cardboard have so many uses, businesses must ensure that they recycle as much as possible, rather than just throw away. This means they must learn as much as they can about their products and how to recycle them.