Benefits of recycling

In commercial terms there is one overriding reason why businesses need to recycle. The Government requires every company in England to dispose of business and commercial waste responsibly. This includes keeping “waste to a minimum by doing everything you reasonably can to prevent, reuse, recycle or recover waste (in that order)” and to “sort and store waste safely and securely”.

Save money

However, complying with legal obligations isn’t the only benefit of doing everything you can to recycle your company’s waste. It is less expensive to recycle – Lambeth Council have said that it’s “6 times cheaper to dispose of recycled waste than general refuse”, which is a huge incentive in business terms if for no other reason.

Not sending waste to landfill is a huge part of this, especially if your business produces a lot of waste as currently the Landfill Tax is £88.95 per tonne.

Food waste produces fuel

Public and private sector organisations and manufacturers that produce a lot of food waste can send it to anaerobic digesters which can turn it into biogas, with the additional benefit that the digested waste can be used as fertiliser. The latest Government figures suggest that the country’s anaerobic digesters are currently under-used, but if fully utilised, could have huge environmental benefits.

Save the world

If your company wants to raise its profile as an ethical business, recycling is going to play a big part in it. This doesn’t just mean recycling cardboard and plastics, but also not buying supplies that cannot be recycled.

Increasing your reputation

If your company does all it can to recycle, the public relations benefits of this aspect of your Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) cannot be understated. The public demand for sustainability, especially when it comes to packaging, has taken a huge leap forward in the past few months, and the spotlight is firmly on waste reduction, so if you have a recycling policy, make sure you say something about it on the About Us or CSR page of your website.

Contact us for more information about materials recycling and to find out how we can help.