Reducing waste in your business is not only good for the environment, but it also helps to cut down on the operational costs. The more the people in an organization, the more the trash and the more expensive it is to haul it away. In addition to this, more resources are being paid for to replace the wasted ones. Such resources include printing papers, a trash compactor and plastic wraps among others. There are several ways to manage waste in a business in an eco-friendly manner. Below are some of them.

1. Conduct a Waste Audit

It is essential always to conduct a waste audit because this will give you a sense of what is in your waste stream and from there, you can start tackling with the biggest offenders. There are several ways to conduct the waste audit; therefore, you will choose a method that best suits your organization. You can hire waste providers who will send their staff to your firm to assess your waste stream. Alternatively, you can use virtual waste assessment tools that will help you track your waste and provide solutions.

2. Do Not Print Out Emails

This is one of the most efficient methods of managing waste in an organization. Emails do not have a place in the physical files or cabinets. They belong to the cloud storage. Therefore, printing out emails is a waste of company resources like ink and paper. In addition to that, it is not environmentally friendly. Printing out of emails is a routine that organizations should let go of, and if possible, there should be a sign that says “please consider the environment before printing this email” at the end of every email.

3. Refill Printer Cartridges

It is advisable to refill printer cartridges if you can’t be sure to recycle them. New ink cartridges are quite costly and getting rid of the old cartridges can be a bit challenging if you do not have a provider that recycles the hard to recycle materials. Therefore, the easiest and cheapest way to go about this is by investing in bottles of printer ink and then refill the old cartridges yourself.

4. Train Your Employees

Training is the best way to internalize any concept. For this reason, it is essential to train your employees to embrace and embody the sustainability goals that you have set for your organization. Every once in a while, train them about the waste and recycling protocols in your business. Show them what to do with the waste that your business produces and then ensure that you get regular updates of the success of the training. When you are training them, do not focus on the how, explain why it is essential too.