Living Green

How to Start a Recycling Program

From Earth911

There are a few key elements to starting any recycling program whether it’s for a business, a school, an organization, or just in your home.

1. Decide what you want to recycle - This is a direct function of how much space you have to sort and store materials and finding a place that will accept them. Most areas will recycle newspapers and other paper products. Cardboard and chipboard (cereal boxes) provide a lot of bang for your buck. Aluminum and steel or tin containers are valuable. Plastic bottles are commonly accepted in many places. Unfortunately glass bottles and jars may not be readily recyclable in your area. Of course phone books and magazines should be on your list too. Some places will accept a lot more. See #2.
2. Find someone that will take the recyclables - Check with your local recycling center, municipality and waste hauler to find out what kind of materials are accepted in your area. The green Earth 911 recycling locator at the top of the page can help.
3. Decide on the type of containers to store the recyclables in and the space in which to store them - Washable plastic bins or trash cans are the best and cardboard boxes are good too. Be sure to rinse out the containers that held food to avoid critters.
4. Educate everyone involved about the program - People putting the wrong things in the containers means more work for you and in some municipal programs means they might not pick up the materials. Let the people know what to do.
5. Provide clear, easy to understand directions and labeling - Label the storage bins and print up a sheet of special instructions like, remove caps and stomp on the containers, break down cardboard boxes, bundle newspapers, etc.
6. Maintain the recycling area and monitor everyone’s participation -- Keep the storage bins clean and dry. Don’t let materials pile up. A clean recycling area encourages other to keep it clean and uncluttered. Watch for critters from unwashed containers.
7. Reward good behavior -- Praise the people using the recycling area and share the rewards of the program especially if the rewards benefit the environment and especially if they are monetary.

Here is a link to Earth 911's Business site and more detailed guidelines specific to starting an office recycling program. Many of these principles will apply to any kind of recycling program.

Remember, not all things are recyclable in all areas of the country. It varies greatly by city, county, and state. Always check with your local municipality or waste hauler to see what kind of recycling services are available in your area.

Good luck and thanks for making every day Earth Day!

For more information, visit Earth 911.