CarbonFeet

Concerted efforts have been made on a global scale to recycle as much garbage as possible. The Toronto waste management system has made remarkable improvements to combat this problem. Owners have to separate their refuse type into the specific blue or green bins to simplify recycle processing. There are other containers available for the various types. Failing to do so can result in a fine being issued as this is the law in Ontario.

In the past landfill sites were the city’s biggest concern Thanks to the implementation of new recycling laws hundreds of tonnes of waste has now been diverted to recycling plants. The number of landfills have been drastically reduced from 161 down to only 1. Organic refuse diversion is the largest one by far in the overall program.

The green bin has been designated for the recycling of organic waste. Leftover food, peels, pet droppings, wet paper and diapers are amongst the items that fall under this category. The process has taken off so well that the waste management Richmond Hill currently has a participation of 90% of its residents. They are ultimately the cause that the total success rate of the recycling operation is well over 60%.

In the town of Markham recycle depots are strategically placed for easy access. Recycling has become a well organised business and the 4 depots that are provided are adequate to meet the needs. Hazardous waste, electronic equipment and appliances are amongst certain items that will not be accepted for recycling at the depots. They will receive tires, blue box contents, scrap metal, light bulbs and clothing. All the depots have different opening hours and finding out first before rushing off would be advisable.

With electronic equipment becoming a major headache in the recycling process new schemes have been devised to combat this problem. This item will be collected separately and at different times from the regular trash. For those living in residential areas special containers have been aside for this purpose. This increases the processing rate considerably.

For electronic recycling York Region has made public drop-off depots convenient to the public. Items that fall under this category are computers, televisions, DVD’s, stereos etc. Items that go with it such as cables, CD’s and software are also acceptable. Microwave ovens fall under hazardous waste and is not accepted. The same applies for electronic thermostats as it contains mercury. The limit that has been imposed are 4 items at a time. For broken televisions and computers rules apply on acceptance.

The city is very optimistic about future plans to convert landfill gas into electricity. Organic refuse releases a Biogas and currently work is being done to convert this into natural gas. Extensive research is also being conducted into plastic and porcelain diversion. These are just a few of the many projects that are taking place.

The aim of Toronto waste management researchers is to create as much diversion as possible and aiming for the 100% mark is not impossible. The outcome can only mean a major victory for everyone as the diversion of 70% of a landfill has a significant saving on electricity and air and water pollution. As greenhouse gas and eCO2 emissions are greatly reduced the impact on the environment can only be good.

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A buying group I’m associated with has helped 100s of food service businesses over the past several years push toward zero waste. Zero waste is a school of thought that encourages the reconstruction of resource life cycles so that all products are reused or recycled.

Businesses aiming for zero waste focus on decreasing waste as much as possible and then rerouting any remaining waste toward recycling & composting facilities. To accomplish zero waste, I have found these businesses combine 3 critical tactics:

1) Removing Non Recyclable And Non Compostable Waste – I have seen a variety of our generations green bistros and cafes effectively get rid of all waste that can’t be sent for composting or recycling. For outbound packaging supplies (the ones used by consumers), numerous businesses have shifted over to compostable food packaging (e.g., biodegradable cups, compostable plates, compostable forks, biodegradable containers). Note: Managers should make sure that any item labeled “biodegradable” meets ASTM D6400 for compostability in a commercial composting facility. Incoming packaging supplies are a little tougher to control (e.g., it’s harder to make sure that your supplier does not wrap your vegetables with cellophane), but still many restaurants have been able to ask vendors to avoid using product packaging which is difficult to recycle (e.g., Styrofoam).

2) Removing Trash Cans – I’ve seen several green minded restaurant owners dispose of or dramatically decrease the size of their trash can. This seems to be an incredibly powerful strategy assuming that you’ve already executed tactic #1 and switched a majority of your packaging to things like biodegradable cups and compostable plates. By getting rid of your trash bin, you effectively force consumers to stop and think before throwing away their food & packaging waste into a composting or recycling bin; and when coupled with compelling recycling & composting signage, this can be a very powerful tactic for getting customers to sort their own recyclables & compostables.

3) Staff Education – I have found that businesses that are the most effective at moving toward zero waste take significant effort to train their staff on effective recycling practices, composting practices, and the use of re-usables. Education is key when answering questions from customers (e.g., which bin does this fork go in?) and for the sorting of waste left on counter-tops or in the kitchen. Additionally, having employees that are excited about a business’ transition toward zero waste will definitely go a long way toward embedding that feeling into a restaurants’ culture and the minds of its customers.

I hope you enjoyed learning about the eco-friendly steps being taken by food service businesses. Best of luck on your green-minded journey!

Connect with organizations that are helping small businesses reduce their waste + get access to significant price cuts on biodegradable coffee cups and compostable plates.

No matter how large or small a business, an effective business waste management programme is important to reduce waste and dispose of it efficiently. This benefits the environment but can also help the business in many other ways.

By having an effectual waste management programme, a company can protect the environment at the same time as lowering costs and adhering to the government’s ‘Waste Strategy’. This motivates businesses to change how they manage business waste with the main target of reducing waste, lowering emissions and increasing the use of recycled materials. By using less packaging, significant savings can also be made.

By operating above and beyond the legislative minimum and setting in place a comprehensive Environmental Management System (EMS), every division of the business can benefit. The waste management programme can be integrated into this which means business waste can be monitored carefully. Some business may have to dispose of waste in a very specific way such as clinical waste disposal for medical related businesses but other companies should still make sure they have a waste and recycling plan in place to help the business.

It could also mean a public relations boost for the company, increased staff awareness in the policy and increased opportunity for investment. Other companies are eager to work with businesses that have an effective waste management programme in place. Business stakeholders in the community will also have a positive perception of a company who deals responsibly with business waste; local government, investors, customers and residents.

Spending funds on new, energy saving equipment can save money in the long term. Often, less efficient machinery costs more to run than it does to buy, so investing more in new machinery can actually save money. Having machinery that is efficient to run, supported with a regular servicing programme, can make a significant difference to costs.

Insurance firms want to see an active waste management programme in place as this shows that the company is dedicated to reducing its energy consumption and raw materials usage. This in turn can reduce insurance premiums. Often, by complying with certain environmental schemes, it costs less money to save energy. Through the Enhanced Capital Allowance scheme (ECA), purchasing water saving or energy saving equipment can also reduce tax bills.

If a company is well regarded for its ethical working, staff performance can increase. Employees will take pride in working for a company that has shown a keen interest in environmental policy and this may help both employee recruitment and retention.

A robust waste management programme means that everybody in the company, at all levels, knows their role in the programme. In the future, more business waste legislation will be introduced so by having a well organised structure, your business waste management programme can be effortlessly added to or adapted.

If you are wanting to do more metal recycling then get in touch with WasteCare and find out about the ways they can take care of your paper recycling.