5 simple but effective ways to reduce plastic waste in your business

A person puts an empty plastic bottle into a colourful recycling bin

Next month, individuals and businesses across the globe will take part in Plastic Free July in an effort to reduce the amount of plastic waste they produce.

Plastic waste is causing significant environmental problems around the world. According to statistics shared by MBRC the ocean, 8 million pieces of plastic make their way into the ocean every day. Even worse, plastic pollution kills over 1 million seabirds and 100,000 marine mammals every year.

Reducing the amount of plastic waste your business generates is a great way to do your bit to help protect the environment. And this in itself could bring additional benefits to your brand. Research by Deloitte has found that consumers are increasingly looking to buy from brands that have committed to sustainable practices.

Read on to learn five simple but effective steps your business can take this July to join in with the initiative.

1. Find out how much plastic you are using

When you’re running a business, there is a never-ending list of things to think about during the day. Noticing how much plastic you are using may not be one of your top priorities.

But it will be very challenging to put together a plan to reduce plastic waste if you’re not sure exactly how much plastic you and your employees are currently using. So, the first step is to carry out an audit to determine your starting point.

2. Eliminate waste where possible

Once you know exactly how much and what type of plastic waste your business is generating, you can start to focus on the areas where you can have the biggest impact.

The best way to reduce the amount of plastic that goes to waste is to simply stop using plastic in the first place where possible. This could mean:

Switching from disposable to reusable cutlery
Encouraging your team to use refillable bottles or cups rather than buying bottled water
Working with suppliers who have reduced their use of plastic packaging.

Each of these may seem like a small step, but over months and years it can make a big difference to the amount of plastic waste that your business generates.

3. Reduce and recycle the plastic you use

Of course, it may not be possible to stop using plastic altogether. For items that can’t be replaced with a more sustainable alternative, focus on reducing the amount you use and disposing of them correctly – ideally, recycling them.

A few steps that could help you to do this are:

Install recycling bins for plastic waste
Switch to using biodegradable bin bags
Educate your team on which types of plastic can be recycled and how to do so properly.

If your office or building doesn’t offer plastic recycling, you could speak to your local council to see whether a local recycling centre could help. As a team, taking it in turns to transport the bin bags to the right place could help ensure more of your plastics are recycled rather than going into landfill.

4. Get your team on board

Reducing plastic waste will be a team effort, so it’s important that all your employees understand the reason behind the initiative as well as their role in making it a success.

The first thing to do is document your goal and the steps you will take as a team to achieve it. Focus on setting measurable goals so that you can track your progress more easily. This will help you to hold each other accountable for completing those actions.

It could also help to introduce some incentives to motivate everyone to play their part. For example, perhaps there could be a prize for the team who uses the fewest disposable cups in a month.

You could also extend the scheme to your clients – tell them about your initiative and encourage them to take part in Plastic Free July in their business too.

However you choose to involve your team, the most important thing is that you all work together to achieve your goal.

5. Keep waste reduction at the front of everyone’s mind

A new initiative can be exciting and motivating, but over time, it might start to fall to the back of your mind as new priorities come along. But, for this to be a success, it’s important to remind your team members of your goal regularly.

A habit is much easier to keep up with if the actions are easy to do and in plain sight. So, consider installing some signage in your office to help everyone to remember where the nearest recycling bin or water cooler is. You could also display the goals that you set for yourselves and the key steps you are taking.

Having regular reminders like this that are bright, colourful, and easy to spot could help you to stay on track and achieve your goal as a team.

Get in touch

We may not be able to help you with your goal of reducing plastic waste, but if you’d like to learn more about how to protect your business from the specific risks you’re exposed to, we can help.

Get in touch today to discuss a bespoke protection plan that can bring you peace of mind so that you can focus on what you do best.

Email creative@eggarforrester.com or use our contact form to request a callback from our team.