More and more businesses are monitoring their carbon footprints and putting plans in place to identify what they can do to help reduce their impact on the planet. One of the 5 core pillars of eXPD8’s ‘cOLLABOR8 for Growth’ strategy, is ‘Commit to Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), and a key part of this is looking at our impact on the environment. We’re taking steps to educate our colleagues on how to reduce our carbon footprint both at home and at work.
This week is Recycle Week so we’re taking the opportunity to talk about what we’re doing as a business and also bust some common myths around recycling.
What are we doing at eXPD8 to tackle recycling?
As a business we don’t manufacture or produce products, but we have identified areas where we can improve our ability to recycle.
- All of our merchandisers around the country are given a tablet device so they have quick access to client briefs and can report data back to central office. While our fantastic IT team do their best to prolong the life of each tablet, there comes a point where they’re no longer fit for purpose. We’ve partnered up with a company to ensure the certified disposal of all of our IT equipment. This means we only used UK specialist recycling partners who all comply with the relevant standards and we operate a non-landfill policy.
- Some of our tablets are still perfectly usable so where possible, we donate to schools where they can be used to support children with their learning – check out our blog here: Tablets 4 Schools
- In the office we have several recycling bins in the kitchen that are fully labelled, and we have paper recycling bins around the office.
- We have a digital first approach using online briefs and document signing so we only print when necessary, an when we do, we print on both sides to reduce paper.
- We regularly remind colleagues to get in the habit of using a reusable coffee cup when at the coffee shop to avoid using disposable ones each time.
- We encourage our colleagues to help come up with what ideas they have to help us reduce our waste and recycle more.
- We’re also supporting our clients with their recycling goals, such as supporting with the set up of Maybelline makeup recycling bins in Tesco stores around the country.
Recycle Week – ‘Let’s Get Real’
Following the success of last year’s Recycle Week campaign with 82% of people saying they had changed their behaviour after seeing Recycle Week 2021 content, it’s back for 2022 and is taking place 17th-23th October. This year’s theme is ‘Let’s Get Real’ and will challenge perceptions and myths around recycling and target contamination to improve recycling behaviours.
Are you confused about what you can & can’t recycle? Or aren’t sure whether there’s any point in recycling at all? Keep reading to get answers to some common rumours about recycling!
“Recycling is a waste of time, it all goes to landfill or abroad anyway”
Not true – what happens to your recycling is closely monitored, any recycling which is destined for other countries is checked by the Environment Agency to ensure it is going to a reputable re-processor. However, most of your recyclable materials are processed here in the UK!
“Recycling uses more energy than it saves…”
Not true – it takes 75% LESS energy to make a bottle using recycled plastic, than using brand new material and up to 95% with other products made from recycled material. Your recycling helps to save valuable resources and protect the environment for our future.
“Rinsing out recyclables is a waste of water and energy…”
Not true – making sure bottles and other food and drinks packaging are completely empty and giving them a quick rinse before recycling is important for recycling. Items like food waste or nappies can spoil other recyclables and mean a whole load may need to be put in landfill! Use the water from the washing up or pop them into the dishwasher if you own one and there’s space!
“Supermarkets don’t do anything to reduce packaging”
Not true – most major supermarkets are doing their bit and some of the packaging plays a vital role in extending the shelf life of food stuffs. Discarded food has a much bigger detrimental environmental impact if thrown away than packaging. For example, the shrink wrap around a cucumber can extend the cucumber’s shelf life by up to 3 times.Find out what the supermarkets are doing to reduce waste by visiting their websites.
“It doesn’t matter if I put the wrong things in my recycling as it all gets sorted out anyway”
Not true – if you put the wrong things in your recycling, you risk contaminating the whole load. This might mean all the materials are sent for disposal instead of recycling or that the quality of the recyclable materials produced are lower. So, if in doubt, leave it out!
The following items cannot be recycled using your kerbside recycling bin:
- Containers or bottles with any liquid still in them
- Items contaminated with food or grease eg. used pizza boxes
- Sanitary items, such as nappies
- Tissues, wet wipes and make up pads
- Glass cookware such as Pyrex ®, drinking glasses or window glass
- Paper stained with grease, paint or dirt
- Sticky paper such as Post-It ® notes, sticky labels or masking tape
- Wall and decoration paper
- Crisp packets and sweet wrappers
- Laminated foil pouches
- Greetings cards with glitter or other decorations on them
We know we’ve got a long way to go but by having Corporate Social Responsibility as a key pillar of our strategy, we’re taking steps to make a difference. A big part of this is supporting our colleagues’ education around how each and every one of us can start to be mindful of our resources and do everything we can to protect the planet for future generations.
Head over to the Recycle Week website for more info and some great resources for recycling.
