Why Many Companies Earn a Fail When It Comes to Recycling
Posted on: 10 September 2018
Even though more attention than ever is being given to environmental issues, and especially in a country that seems to be very vulnerable to the effects of global warming, many Australian businesses are still taking the easy route when it comes to waste disposal. While many of their employees and even senior management will routinely use recyclable bins at home in order to divert their waste accordingly, this is not on top of the agenda in the workplace. Why is this being ignored, and how could companies improve their fortunes by changing policy?
Poor Direction
Some estimates suggest that almost half of the waste generated by businesses each year ends up in a landfill, which is a staggering statistic. It's even more amazing when you consider that these businesses pay good money to enable them to divert this waste to government-run landfill sites. Many companies need to pay a state levy each time something is sent to these sites and if they were to consider recycling instead, such a saving would go straight to the bottom line. Of course, they could take this many steps further by insisting that their organisation only works with a green supply chain, but that is a whole different story.
Lost Business
Consumers are becoming more aware of corporate behaviour and will increasingly vote with their purse or cheque-book. They will commit to supporting companies that are seen to be environmentally-friendly and who proactively use recyclable bins as part of their effort.
Morale
Many of these consumers are also employees of these companies, of course, and they can hardly feel happy about their contributions to a double standard situation. Some of these employees may be so upset by the ongoing situation that they look further afield and consider jumping ship to a workplace that is much more sustainable. It's difficult to put a price on employee morale, but if it's poor then it is likely to add to operational costs.
Biodegradable
Many of the products that companies send to landfills are among the most damaging in terms of their biodegradability. After all, a product such as a printer cartridge is made mostly from plastic and can take many hundreds of years to break down in a landfill, which is simply not acceptable in modern-day society.
Time to Act
If your business has not yet woken up to the concept of sustainability and all the benefits associated, perhaps it is time for you to invest in some recyclable bins so you can start the process.
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