For Business Owners and Managers

• Buy in bulk to minimise waste packaging and return damaged materials instead of throwing them away.

• For products with a limited shelf life, buy only what you need.
• Ask your suppliers about the recycled content of their products and choose products that can be recycled.
• Maintain equipment and assets to avoid or delay the need for refurbishment or replacement - maintain first, refurbish second, replace last.
• Purchase refurbished, recycled and reconditioned products – you will not only save money but will help to support the recycling industry and the development of new markets for recycled products.

For more information on purchasing and using office equipment more sustainably, the NSW Department of Environment, Climate Change & Water have some resources available here.

Reduce

When you can't avoid waste altogether, aim to reduce it by cutting back on quantities and changing simple habits to make the most of your equipment and consumables.

Reducing Tips

• Email internal documents or place them in a share folder rather than printing copies.
• Aim for an electronic office.
• Advances in computer software make it easy to create documents that are encrypted, password protected and safe from unauthorised access or alteration.
• Electronic signatures are widely accepted and legally binding.
• Electronic files save floor and filing space.
• Use concise writing to make documents shorter.
• Reduce fonts and increase margins on documents to reduce the number of pages without affecting readability.
• Create PDF versions of documents and brochures to be downloaded from your website by clients rather than producing printed copies.
• Reduce print and copy paper.
• Default your printer to double-sided printing.
• Print two pages per sheet where possible.
• Use overhead projectors and whiteboards in meetings to reduce handouts.
• Use crockery instead of disposable cups and plates.

Reuse

Reusing materials ensures you get double the value. Before you throw away something - even before you seek to recycle it - think if it could be used again in the same way, or for some other purpose.

Reusing Tips

• Collect used paper and reuse the blank side for note pads, or as draft paper in fax machines and copiers.
• Reuse envelopes by placing a label over the old address.
• Use reusable envelopes for interoffice mail. Window-faced envelopes can also be reused.
• Portable USB flash drives and portable hard discs are a great alternative to burning CDs and DVDs.
• Where possible, reuse items like containers, plastic bags, coffee mugs, crockery, cutlery, cloth towels and coffee filters.
• Use rechargeable batteries rather than single-use batteries.
• Install reusable towel units in bathrooms instead of using disposable paper.

Recycle

Recycling means turning valuable materials or resources into the same thing, or something else that is useful. Depending on the workplace, recycling can be done at the desk or via centralised bins.

Be wary of contaminating recyclables as this will spoil the recycling effort. Contamination means putting anything in recycling bins which does not belong there – refer to the recycling bin sticker or the Get Informed section on GreenGC for more information.

Recycling Tips

• Recycle office equipment by sending photocopier and printer cartridges and printer ribbons to a remanufacturing firm.
• Provide desktop recycling containers for employees and clearly label recycling bins near copiers, shipping and receiving areas and employee eating areas.
• A package designed to be recycled and made from recycled material is best.
• If you are recycling paper but not buying recycled content paper you are only doing half the job.
• Recycle for a cause - collect aluminium cans to give to the scouts to cash in, or milk bottle lids for local school fundraisers.

Note: Recycled paper is not suitable for long-term records (that need to be kept for at least 10 years) or for documents destined for archives. The Queensland State Archives has a  Guide to Paper Selection (135kb) to cover various uses.

  Want more information?

The NSW Department of Environment and Conservation has developed a comprehensive guide for building managers regarding Waste Reduction in Office Buildings.