How Recycling Can Improve The Bottom Line Of A Business

America produces an estimated 7.6 billion tons of industrial waste each year, with paper and cardboard making up much of the discarded trash. Industrial recycling, however, can improve the bottom line of a company by reducing the amount of litter that is sent to the landfill. Managing or handling waste is an expensive affair and will cost a company money. Through operating a recycling program, however, the net income of a business can be enhanced. In addition, the environmental and social impact of recycling is tremendous in committing to save the planet and enhancing the image and reputation of an enterprise.

Salvaging Waste For Money
One of the basic rules in a recycling program is to separate waste. Therefore, there should be different containers for each type of waste that the office generates, including empty bottles, cardboard, paper and cans. It’s also a good idea to keep liquids and foods out of recycled items: wash used jars, remove labels, and separate tin covers, and after networking events, remove corks from wine bottles and rinse tin cans.

Non-recyclables must be also placed in a dedicated receptacle, as should toxic materials like batteries and cartridges. This will vary depending on your industry. For example, the concept of recycling for electricians is different from the approach needed in an office. An electrician will use metals, wirings, cables, bulbs, and fluorescent tubes. They may also have cast-off appliances that need to be disposed of properly, some of which can be toxic or hazardous. However, electrical waste can also become a source of income if you sell it as scrap. Some of the metals found in industrial waste may include aluminum, brass, copper, iron and steel. Considering that prices of scrap metal are increasing ($2.87/lb of bare bright copper wire or $2.70/lb of copper tubing), money can be made by unloading scrap metals that, in turn, are recycled or repurposed.

Using Recycled Materials
Selling waste for money is just one of the ways a company can make use of their trash. In addition, a business can also reuse existing materials instead of buying new ones or incurring costs to dispose of waste. To illustrate, cardboard cartons can be cut and used as a replacement for bubble wrap and packaging. Hence, if you’re an online retailer, recycling packaging can save you cash and eliminate the need to purchase more materials that can potentially damage the environment.

If you do need to purchase new supplies, support the recycling efforts by buying products that have been recycled. In the past, the argument against buying repurposed products was that they were too expensive. However, today, recycled products like paper and carpet are cheaper that non-recycled ones. Moreover, the issue about quality control is no longer a concern when it comes to recycled products. In fact, experts recognize that paper with recycled-content has a better performance in printers and copiers due to improved conditioning and temperature and humidity adjustment.

Industrial waste is a global concern. However, companies can help the environment by recycling everyday products that they use. On top of repurposing items, e-waste can even be sold for money to earn businesses extra revenue.