As a leading waste management company, Better Waste Solutions is dedicated to environmentally sustainable waste disposal practices. Part of our pledge to environmentally sustainable practices is to pass on our extensive knowledge to the businesses we work with. We know the best way to combat environmental issues is to work together to create a united front against unsustainable waste practices. One of the ways we do this with the business we work with is to talk about the 5 R’s of business waste management.

What do we mean by the 5 R’s of business waste management?

The 5 R’s are a clever way of remembering the 5 main principles of waste management, that will essentially help your company create a more eco-friendly business environment.

Refuse:

Learn as a business to say no to items you don’t really need. The less a business brings in single use items or items ultimately destined for the landfill, the better. The best thing a business can do to reduce the potential waste coming in is to think, Is this item truly necessary for my business, or could I find a more eco-friendly alternative using something I already have? Not only is this good for the environment, but it will also save businesses money on items they don’t truly need.

Reduce:

Reduce the amount of unneeded materials coming into or going out of your business. Things like single use straws or bulky packaging can be a leading cause of extra waste. Finding small ways to reduce the amount of waste your business produces, soon adds up. Why not try and find suppliers that have reduced packaging sizes or use recycled materials? Try switching from paper correspondence to digital and avoiding printing things that aren’t necessary.

Reuse:

Find permanent solutions for your single-use products. Instead of buying single-use bottles of water, opt to bring in your own reusable water bottles and save on the amount of waste going out. Why not find new purposes for something you would have usually thrown away? Or try finding a way to repair something that is broken instead of buying a new one and throwing the old one away. Remember, there is always the option to donate or sell items so they can be used by someone new.

Recycle:

Where possible, you should recycle as much waste as you can. Paper, cardboard, metals (like tins), plastic, and glass products, amongst other things, are widely recyclable. Invest in a dedicated bin for your recycling and create a recycling plan for your business to encourage recycling wherever possible.

Rot:

Certain types of businesses have a lot of food waste, such as restaurants. What is the best way to deal with food waste? Let it rot! There are several options for using food waste, like composting or anaerobic digestion. Even businesses with smaller amounts of food waste can join in. Having a dedicated bin for food items allows waste management companies like Better Waste Solutions to dispose of your waste in eco-friendly ways.   Why not read more about anaerobiotic digestion in our blog from last week and see how food waste can be used to create energy?