7 Steps to boost Plastic Recycling in 2022

It’s a question that businesses all over the country are asking – how can we improve our plastic recycling efforts?

More so than ever, the discussion of plastic recycling is being made top priority. In everything from individual households to global corporations, we’re all looking to take the best steps to boost plastic recycling.

Naturally, it’s a topic that we’re incredibly passionate about. So, to help your business reduce its carbon footprint and develop a 2022 strategy that improves the way plastic is recycled, we’ve created this very article.

Covered in this article are the 7 most effective steps to boost plastic recycling in 2022 including:

•  Investing
•  Influencing suppliers to follow suit
•  Long-term thinking
•  Local Community
•  Raising Awareness
•  Education
•  Choosing the right company

 

1. Make long-term investments to boost plastic recycling

The public’s prioritisation of the environment isn’t going to go away. So, there’s no time like the present to invest in new plastic reduction initiatives, inventions and technology.

In fact, consumer research indicates that this initial investment will quickly see a high return of investment. According to a report by Recycling Lives, 81% of the public prefers to support sustainable sellers. In fact, 87% of those consumers surveyed want brands to show immediate action, in order to achieve sustainability into the future.

Your business should take the plunge, and invest in long-term solutions to your plastic usage. This could be anything from a more sophisticated internal recycling infrastructure, to a switch to sustainable packaging.

2. Influence your suppliers

Use your power as a buyer to, in turn, encourage your suppliers to adopt the same approach.

Leverage your support to put pressure on any suppliers that choose to keep their plastic usage high, even though there are other solutions that they could adopt. If they do not budge, then take your business elsewhere.

3. Look beyond your immediate impact

As much as introducing a better office plastic recycling system will help, your business’s plastic usage will need to be considered beyond the immediate.

Frame your evaluation in a broader light and consider, from start to finish, how plastic is used in your operations.

For example, if your business supplies fruit and veg, then you need to think about the following:

• What retail packaging do you use?
• What transportation packaging do you use?
• What plastic is used in the growing of your produce?
• What plastic is used in the harvesting of your produce?
• Do you work with supermarkets and, if so, are they responsible in their plastic usage (e.g. plastic bottles)?
• Likewise, do you supply to other businesses and, how much plastic are they responsible for?
• What plastic exists within your office spaces?
• How do your customers perceive your brand? Are you doing your bit to champion the importance of a sustainable approach?
• Do you have any environmental or plastic-reduction initiatives in place right now? If not, where could you introduce them?

4. Don’t neglect the local level

As you consider the plastic usage of your business at scale, you should also introduce initiatives to reduce this figure at the local level. Consider how your business’s offices, your employees, and your local community use plastic, and identify areas for improvement.

Your large-scale efforts should be used to enhance your local level strategies – one should not outshine the other.

5. Raise awareness about plastic recycling

As we mentioned above, you should assess the current perceptions that your target market has of your brand.

After all, thanks to social media, your business has its own platform. You can use this to (and we encourage you to) advocate the importance of plastic reduction.

This is also a fantastic opportunity to shout out about your efforts, and encourage eco-conscious consumers to choose your brand – win-win!

6. Involve and educate your team about plastic recycling

After all, in order for your efforts to pay off, your team will need to be behind you.

You can involve your team in your plastic reduction efforts through emails and presentations, which both informs them about what you are doing, and asks them whether they have any ideas that they would like to contribute. This is a fantastic way to create an intuitive internal environmental strategy.

7. Choose a waste management company that shares your priorities

If your company waste is collected and processed by an external company, it is vital that they show an equal consideration of their environmental impact.

At Envirocraft, we are specialists in recycling and environmentally conscious waste management. We provide solutions that cover all types of waste, specialising in a WEEE recycling service that minimises the amount of plastic and other materials being sent to landfill.

If you would like to find out more about the plastic waste management service that we can offer your business, don’t hesitate to get in touch.