The true cost of waste, when you consider the value of raw materials, energy and labour, is often more than 5 times the cost of disposal alone. The waste hierarchy, as illustrated in a previous article, shows how priority should be given to the way we deal with waste – ‘Prevent/Reduce – Reuse – Recycle – Recover’. This rule should be used for all of your office wastes.

Preventing waste generation at source through properly established purchasing procedures and better utilisation of materials is the best way to make dramatic savings in your waste costs and reduce your impact on the environment. Where waste cannot be eliminated, step 2 is to reuse what is produced. You should then attempt to recycle as many items as is practicable. Recycling has its benefits, but it is not without its impacts. The next stage in the waste hierarchy is recovering other value. Recovery is where fuels, heat and/or power are generated from waste products. Finally, the disposal option has the greatest impact on the environment and typically is the least cost-effective waste management solution.

Purchasing

While there is a strong link between what is purchased and waste management, there is often very little communication between the people/departments responsible for these functions. It is important, therefore, to involve both parties in the consideration of the life-cycle of the products. This should include the source of the raw materials, the manufacturing process, the packaging, distribution, use and potential re- use, and disposal requirements of the product.