Retail business resource efficiency

Recycling your waste is often cheaper than general waste disposal. The retail sector is one of the largest producers of commercial waste, so there is an opportunity to make significant savings through recycling.

Recycling also makes good business sense because you can:

• reduce the amount of waste that you need to send to landfill
• save space and reduce clutter
• improve your business' environmental credentials

What can you recycle?

Materials you can recycle include:

• paper and card
• metals
• glass
• polythene and other plastic wrappings
• plastic bottles
• carpets and other textiles
• magazines and other printed matter

Finding a recycling waste contractor

You should consider the following questions to find a recycling waste contractor suitable for your business' recycling needs:

• What materials will you recycle?
• Will you need the materials to be collected by the waste contractor, or can you drop them off at a facility?
• Is the service suitable for the size of your business? If you produce very little waste, you may not need a weekly scheduled collection.
• How will you collect and store the materials for recycling? See handling and storing your retail waste.
• How will you pay for the service? For example, is there an annual charge or a fee each time the container/bin is emptied?
• Does the recycling contractor collect mixed waste?

Make sure you use a licensed waste contractor to recycle your waste.

Setting up a recycling scheme

Once you have found a suitable recycling contractor, you should consider how a recycling scheme will work in your business. This includes:

• deciding on the location and labelling of recycling containers - this needs to be convenient for both staff and collectors
• arranging the collection schedule with the contractor
• employee involvement and training - staff members should understand what materials are being recycled and where they should put them
• launch and promotion - so that staff are clear about when to start using the service

Legal responsibilities

Businesses that produce waste must take reasonable care to store waste safely and securely, and prevent it from causing pollution or harming anyone. This is known as your duty of care. For more information see duty of care for business waste.