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Waste Reduction in Office Buildings

A Guide for Tenants

© Resource NSW 2002

These Guidelines may be reproduced in whole or in part for improving waste management systems andpractices, study or training purposes or to provide wider dissemination for public information, subject toinclusion of acknowledgement of the source and provided no commercial usage or sale of the materialoccurs. Reproduction for purposes other than those given above requires written permission fromResource NSW.

Resource NSW appreciates the contributions made to the development of these Guidelines by manyinterested individuals in industry and government. In particular, Resource NSW wishes to thank thefollowing organisations for their constructive input:

Amcor RecyclingBerkeley Challenge Pty LtdBovis Lend Lease Building Services Contractors Association of Australia Colliers International City of SydneyGHD Pty LtdIllawarra Regional Information Service LtdJones Lang LaSalleMetro Graphics Group Pty LtdNSW Department of Public Works and ServicesPaper Recycling Action Group of Australia Property Council of AustraliaVisy RecyclingWaste Audit and Consultancy Services Pty Ltd

Disclaimer:

These Guidelines have been prepared in good faith. Whilst every effort has been made to ensure thatthe information provided is correct, Resource NSW does not endorse any of the goods or servicesdiscussed in the Guidelines. It is your responsibility to ensure that any waste reduction system andequipment used in your building is suitable and appropriate.

ISBN 1 876484 22 5

Resource NSW

Level 2, 1 Fitzwilliam Street, Parramatta NSW 2150

PO Box 644, Parramatta NSW 2124

Phone: (02) 8837 6000Fax: (02) 8837 6099E-mail: [email protected]: www.resource.nsw.gov.au/officebuildings

R e s o u r c e N S W - W a s t e R e d u c t i o n i n O f f i c e B u i l d i n g s - A G u i d e f o r Te n a n t s

Table of contents

Introduction ………………………………………………………………………………………………………2

Who is responsible? …………………………………………………………………………………………2

Community expectations are changing………………………………………………………………………3

Why reduce waste?……………………………………………………………………………………………3

Reducing waste – What’s in it for you?………………………………………………………………………3

What do I have to do? ………………………………………………………………………………………4

Becoming a champion …………………………………………………………………………………………5

Getting management on side…………………………………………………………………………………5

Getting the staff on side ………………………………………………………………………………………6

Deciding where to start ………………………………………………………………………………………6

Office recycling systems ………………………………………………………………………………………8

Putting in a paper recycling system …………………………………………………………………………8

System 1: Centralised paper recycling ………………………………………………………………………9

System 2: Each desk has a small paper bin and a small garbage bin …………………………………10

System 3: Centralised garbage bin and paper recycling bin at each desk ……………………………11

Improving your existing recycling system …………………………………………………………………12

Reducing waste in office refurbishments……………………………………………………………………14

Avoidance makes cents ………………………………………………………………………………………15

Buying recycled …………………………………………………………………………………………………19

The Hard Sell to building management …………………………………………………………………21

Checklist……………………………………………………………………………………………………………23

Appendix A: Where to go for information / help……………………………………………………24

Appendix B: Bins and equipment …………………………………………………………………………25

Appendix C: Making a Case – example proposal to present to office management ……26

Appendix D: Making a Case – example letter to Building Management ……………………28

Reducing the amount of waste your office produces needn’t bedifficult or time consuming. There are a few, key things you cando that will dramatically reduce the waste from your office, andsave money and the environment at the same time.

This booklet is designed to be a simple, straightforward guide towhat tenants in an office building can do to reduce waste in theirbuilding. Its focus is on implementing a successful paper recyclingsystem, but it includes other waste reduction initiatives as well.

ntroduction

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IWho is responsible?

Waste and recyclingcontractorsProvide efficient and costeffective recycling service.

Architects/Developers Design and build buildingswith adequate waste facilities.

Building Managers Implement and maintainbuilding-wide wastemanagement systems thatsupport waste minimisation and recycling.

Tenants Utilise the building’s wasteand recycling system. Avoidgenerating waste whereverpossible.

CleanersKeep recycling and garbageseparate.

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Communityexpectations arechangingThroughout our community, there is astrong and growing concern that manyaspects of our modern lifestyle areunsustainable and are taking their toll onour environment and future generations.There is an expectation that governments,supported by all sectors in the community,should lead the way to re-examine our useof resources. This includes the waste wecreate as well as our use of other resourcessuch as energy and water.

Recycling is not new. If you live in NSWyou will know that most homes have arecycling bin. Simply by putting paper,cardboard and drink containers in ourrecycling bins, residents of NSW aresaving hundreds of thousands of tonnes ofresources each year from going to landfill.

Now that household recycling is wellestablished, the community is looking to thecommercial sector to follow suit. Over thenext few years, the business sector will befaced with increasing pressure toparticipate alongside all other sectors toimplement a wide range of environmentalmeasures in buildings, including wasteavoidance and resource recoveryprograms.

Why reduce waste?Concern about our resources and impacton the environment are reflected incommitments from all levels of governmentto the principles of ecologically sustainabledevelopment (ESD).

ESD principles also underpin NSWlegislation. A range of environmentagreements have been made atinternational and national levels: forexample the “Agenda 21” agreement from

the Rio Summit, the National PackagingCovenant and national and state targets forwaste reduction and resource recovery.

The challenge for everyone – governments,business, industry, consumers andhouseholders is to turn the principles ofESD into actions that make a real difference.

Major cities around the world, includingSydney are also working to conserve theirexisting landfill space. Communities don’twant new landfills, and to avoid needing tobuild new ones, we need to get smarterabout waste. We need to avoid andprevent waste as much as possible andthen recover useable resources from ourwaste for reprocessing into new products.This will involve the establishment of newtechnologies and practices to use theserecovered materials.

Reducing waste –What’s in it for you? Reducing waste is good for everyone,especially you.

It can save moneyOffices can save a lot of money byavoiding waste. This means cheaperrunning costs and a chance to use yourdollars to develop your business instead ofthrowing it away as waste. Recycling isalso cheaper than garbage disposal, whichmeans cheaper service fees.

It will preserve resources and theenvironment for your family andfuture generations Many of our resources can be used overand over again. It makes no sense to justuse them once and discard them and keepextracting more and more new onesunnecessarily. There are many easyopportunities in your office to stop thishappening, particularly with the way weuse paper.

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Community participationYou and your staff are part of thecommunity. You already recycle at home sowhy not recycle at work as well?

What do I have to do?The greatest barrier for many people inoffices is finding the time to implement awaste reduction program. A few simplemeasures, however, can make a bigdifference. Read through this Guide and tryout the strategies that will work in youroffice. As well as a checklist at the back ofthe Guide that should make this easier,throughout the Guide there are tips andhints to help the process succeed. There arealso some sample letters, memos andposters you can use.

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Office recycling and waste reduction programs often startwhen one person or a few people in the office take thelead. For things to happen, someone needs to takeresponsibility for implementing the program. It doesn’tneed to be difficult or time-consuming. A few simplemeasures can make a big difference. The important thingis to get everyone on side – and keep them on side.

ecoming a champion

Getting management on side

There are some things that can be donethat don’t require management approval.However, generally speaking, if you wantto change the way things are done aroundthe office, then you will need approvalfrom whoever is responsible for the day-to-day running of the office. If that is you,then it should be easy! If it is someone else,however, you will need to prepare a goodargument as to why things need to change.A model format for “making a case” tomanagement is given in Appendix C. Awell-prepared plan is essential for large,commercially focused organisations.

Management will want to see that you havethought carefully about any changes youare proposing and they will want to seesome benefit to the organisation beforeallocating resources to any program ornew measures. The model memo includesthe potential cost savings, which arediscussed in more detail later.Demonstrating cost savings is usually agood way of getting management on side.

You should also check whether yourcompany has an environment policyand/or has a commitment to reportingtheir environmental performance. Anywaste reductions you can achieve in theoffice will contribute towards the positiveimage of your company.

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Getting the staff on side There are a few key things you can do toget (and keep) the rest of the office on sidewith your waste reduction program. Themost important and effective thing you cando is to let them know what is going on.

Most people are happy to “go with theflow” as long as it is clear what is requiredof them, and it doesn’t require too mucheffort on their part. Good, clear signage onthe wall and on the bin should help leteveryone know the new system. An emailor memo from management will also help.

Make sure you provide regular feedback.Let people know what a good (or bad) jobthey are doing. Let them know that theyrecycled so many tonnes in the last month.Tell them if there are too many bananapeels in the paper recycling. This will act asa regular reminder about the wastereduction program, and will also let themknow that someone does actually care, andis paying attention.

Another important thing to remember is tonot expect too much of your co-workers. It is unrealistic to expecteveryone in the office to be as enthusiasticas you are, and it is unreasonable toexpect everyone to instantly make a bigeffort to reduce their waste. They won’t.And they don’t need to. Small changes canbring about big results, especially whenyou first start. If possible, find someincentives to link to the program. Take itone step at a time, and watch as youroffice gradually turns into an eco-office.

Deciding where to startWhere to start will depend on where youare at the moment, and also what is yourmain motivation for reducing waste.Generally, it is best to start where there arebig, easy waste reductions to be made.This will help motivate people and buildenthusiasm for the program. ResourceNSW sorted through the waste andrecycling of five Sydney office towers andfound what a typical office tower had inwaste composition.

In the waste audits conducted on officesand office towers the following was foundto be true for all of them:

The largest component of the wastestream is office paper;

Most of the office paper is printed onone side only;

There is often a lot of contaminationin the recycling;

There is usually a lot of paper in thegarbage stream, even in buildingswith paper recycling; and

Substantial amounts of new, or barelyused, stationery items are thrown out.

Therefore, if you can get everyone to:

Print and/or copy double-sided;

Recycle their waste paper;

Throw things in the correct bin; and

Stop throwing out the stationery;

You will be an office champion.

Demonstratingcost savings isusually a goodway of gettingmanagementon side.

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Composition of “typical” office tower waste

In waste studies conducted by Resource NSW, all thebuildings surveyed already had a paper recycling systemin place. However, in all the buildings, less than half thepaper was finding its way into the recycling system.

Even buildings that have a paper recycling system inplace can reduce waste further through improved use of the system.

ffice recycling systems

Putting in a paper recycling systemThe best option for implementing paperrecycling is to have the buildingmanagement put in a building-wide paperrecycling system. In this case, buildingmanagement will decide the system to beused. However, they will most likely consultthe tenants. So, you should think aboutwhat type of system would best suit youroffice and let the building managementknow. Waste Reduction in Office Buildings– A Guide for Building Managers isavailable on the Resource NSW website(www.resource.nsw.gov.au/officebuildings).

If the building management is unwilling toinstall a building-wide paper recyclingsystem, then you have the option ofengaging a paper recycler yourself. In thiscase, you will probably use a system like inexample one: a central recycling bin for

paper, as this does not involve the cleanersin any way. The recycler will come to theoffice either regularly or when called. Thefull bin will be removed and replaced withan empty one. This can be quite expensive,as it requires the recycler to make a specialtrip into the city during office hours just toempty one or two bins.

Remember to consider recovering the otherrecyclable items such as cans, bottles andmilk cartons. Your recycling contractor maycollect these from your building in separatewheelie bins or mixed with the paper and cardboard.

Example recyclingsystems in officesOn the next pages are three examples ofpaper recycling systems for offices.

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System 1:Centralised paperrecyclingAdvantages:

- There is likely to be lower contaminationin the paper recycling because it takesmore effort to recycle than to putmaterial into the garbage bin.

- Waste and paper are removed fromthe office using completely separatesystems, which means cleaners areless likely to mix the recycled paperwith the garbage.

In the office

In the waste room

Disadvantages: - The system relies on the tenant’s staff

to do their bit. If the system is notmade as convenient as possible, staffmight not use it all the time.

- Sufficient space is required near thephotocopier and/or printer for storinga large recycling bin. This can be aproblem in cramped or small offices.

Suitable situations:large offices;

when “retrofitting” a system, that is, introducing a system in themiddle of a cleaning contract;

where it is likely there might be lessthan 100% co-operation by cleaningstaff;

where there is limited extra money for a recycling service.

Hint: neverhave arecycling binwithout agarbage bin next to it

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System 2:Each desk has a smallpaper bin and a smallgarbage binThe way to make this system work is toensure that the garbage bin and the paperbin look very different to each other. It isalso important that cleaners can pick upboth the waste bin and the paper bin at thesame time. This means they need a trolleythat holds two bags; one for the garbageand another for the paper. If they have tovisit each desk twice, once to pick upgarbage and again to pick up paper, theyprobably won’t do it. Everything will endup in the garbage.

Advantages:- This system is convenient for office

workers, which should lead to moreoffice workers recycling and morepaper being recovered.

- It doesn’t require extra floor space incentral utility areas.

Disadvantages:- Cleaners may perceive that this system

is doubling their workload. They maynot co-operate with such a system.

- It relies on cleaners collecting thecontents of the bins separately, andnot just emptying everything into theone bag.

Suitable situations:where a high level of convenience foroffice workers is very important;

where the co-operation of cleaningstaff is guaranteed.

In the office

In the waste room

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System3:Centralised garbagebin and paper recyclingbin at each deskAn alternative to the first system is to giveeveryone a paper recycling bin at theirdesk, and make them get up to put theirgarbage in a central bin. This system haspotentially better savings than the centralrecycling bin, and means there is only oneor two smelly bins per office for thecleaners to empty.

Advantages:- This system makes it convenient to

recycle, which should lead toincreased participation rates andincreased recovery rates.

- It is less smelly for cleaners, as theyonly have to empty one or twogarbage bins per floor, and the rest ofthe bins contain only clean paper.

- It can mean less work for the cleaners.Garbage bins need to be emptiedevery day, but paper bins can be leftlonger. By only having to empty deskbins every second day, cleaning costscan be reduced.

Disadvantages: - There may be higher levels of

contamination as a result of it beingeasier to put things in the recycling binthan in the garbage bin. However, assuch a high proportion of the waste ispaper, if most people do the rightthing, it shouldn’t matter.

Suitable situations:offices where a very high proportionof the waste stream is paper;

offices where there is a highawareness level.

In the waste room

In the office

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Improving yourexisting recyclingsystemAs mentioned before, you may not havemuch say in the recycling system you get.However, whatever system you have, thereare some simple things you can do to makethe most of it.

Signs and bin labels

Bin labels should be clear and be able tobe read from five metres away.

Standard bin labels can be downloaded forfree from the internet atwww.resource.nsw.gov.au/officebuildings/links.htm. You can also make up your ownsigns from the graphics available on the site.

Posters

Putting up posters near central recyclingbins will let people know what can andcan’t be recycled. It will also remind peopleto use the recycling bin. Posters should beclear and eye catching. A sample poster isshown below.

Memos/email

A quick memo or email from managementasking everyone to recycle their wastepaper and print/copy double-sided willhelp reinforce the company’s commitmentto recycling and to the environment.

Feedback and rewards

Giving feedback is very important, as itacts as a reminder and keeps people ontrack. If the feedback can be linked with a reward, then it will greatly improve thechance of the recycling system working.One idea for a reward system is given onthe next page. Here, the waste reduction is tracked and turned into a “costestimate”. At the end of the year, a portionof the savings is contributed to the staff Christmas party.

Example Posters

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Example rewards idea

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During an office refurbishment there arethree phases that require different strategiesto reduce waste.

1. Design

2. Strip-out

3. Construction

1. Design“Designing out” waste in the first place isthe best way to reduce waste in the long term.

Write into the designer’s brief thatthey must minimise waste andreuse/recycle materials whereverpossible.

Use modular components that canbe easily reconfigured to create aflexible work space.

Use durable materials andfurnishings.

Use materials that can be (or are)refurbished or remanufactured (forexample, carpet tiles).

Require designers to write (andimplement) a waste managementplan. (Council may require thisanyway).

Reuse demolition materials on-site(for example, timber, partitions,light fittings, glass).

Specify minimal, returnable orrecyclable packaging fromsuppliers.

2. Strip-outUse a company that deconstructsrather than demolishes.

Require demolishers to adhere tothe waste management plan.

Use a demolition company that hasits own retail outlet for second-handbuilding materials. They may beable to salvage more than one thatdoesn’t.

Nominate somebody to helporganise the lifts and loading baysso that contractors can recycle andreuse as much material as possible(otherwise it’s easier to “throw it inthe bin”).

Get receipts from the wastecompany about the amount reused,recycled and landfilled.

Some of the materials may be leftonsite for reuse by the builder, for example, glass, timber, carpetunderlay.

3. ConstructionUse a builder who is flexible andcan reuse materials.

Get materials made to measure tominimise offcuts, particularlyplasterboard.

Minimise and recycle packaging,particularly cardboard.

Reducing Waste in Office Refurbishments

Example:When the Inner Sydney Waste Board extended their office they had extensive discussionswith the designer so that any demolition was minimised. They also:

> Re-used internal doors.

> Used excess plasterboard as insulation within the internal walls.

> Minimised the realignment of existing walls.

> Steam cleaned the existing carpet instead of replacing it.

> Purchased refurbished furniture.


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Avoidance means not generating waste in the first place.This generally means using less of a material to achievethe same result, whether it is paper, packaging or pens.

voidance makes cents

When people think about the cost of wastemanagement, they often forget about thecost of the items they are throwing away.Tenants can achieve real cost savings forthemselves through waste avoidance. Whypay for something just to throw it away?Reducing the amount of material thrown outby tenants saves the tenant’s money, andalso saves building waste disposal fees.

When you avoid waste, you save moneythrough:

Avoided disposal costs. These aregenerally shared over the entirebuilding and are not usually directlyreimbursed to the tenants. However,savings in disposal costs for thebuilding management postpones thenext increase in waste charges to bepaid by tenants;

Avoided purchasing costs. Obviously,if you are using less of something,you don’t have to buy as much of it;and

Reduced labour and handling.Avoidance can save time loadingprinters/photocopiers, orderingstationery, delivery fees, distributingitems throughout the office, etc.

Below are some easy ways tenants cansave money through waste avoidance.

Double-sided printing

Most offices use a lot of paper. Quite often,printers are set to print single-sided as adefault. Some less expensive printers arenot equipped to print double-sided at all.Older photocopiers either can’t, or havetrouble, copying double-sided. However,newer office machines are generally

A

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equipped to print/copy double-sided withno problems. By setting computers andprinters to print double-sided by default,the office can save an enormous amount of paper – and money.

For older printers that don’t print double-sided, most word processor programs havea printing option to print two pages on theone sheet. This is a good option whenprinting drafts or copies of emails for files.

Printing on only one side of the paper isessentially only using half of the sheet ofpaper. It is equivalent to throwing out penswhen they are half full, or throwing outnote pads when they are only half used.Using the double-sided printing option forsome documents saves paper, which savesmoney, and also saves labour in filling upthe printer, ordering paper, storage and handling.

Security paper bins

Some offices have a need for securedestruction of confidential documents. This service is generally much moreexpensive than an ordinary paperrecycling service or a garbage service.What often happens, however, is thatsecure paper bins are used to dispose ofnon-confidential documents. The result isthat the secure paper bins fill up and arecleared much more frequently than theyreally need to be. The company then pays much more for the service than theyreally should.

Stationery

Throwing out a pen or a bull-dog clip or apartially-used inter-office envelope canseem trivial. However, for large companies,the replacement cost of all the items thrownout can run into thousands of dollars.

E-Avoidance

The dream of the paperless office has notyet been realised. However, technologydoes offer time, money and waste savingsif used correctly.

Many people feel the only safe way to keeprecords is to print a hard copy. In reality,the back up and security procedurespracticed by most companies mean that anelectronic copy is just as good, if not betterthan paper records. Archives kept on CDare more accessible and less easilydestroyed than a paper library. Check yourcompany’s policy on keeping printed copiesof documents for auditing purposes.

Example:If an office uses 15 reams of paper per week, at the cost ofapproximately $5 per ream, this equates to $75 per week or $3900 per year. If half of the paper were printed either double-sided or two pages per sheet, this would save 3³⁄₄ reams per week, which equates to $18.75 per week. Over the year, the saving is $975, or 25%.

Results of waste studies conducted on office towers in Sydney CBDfound that double-siding had the potential to save $88,000 in onebuilding, $96,000 in another building and $119,000 in anotherbuilding, in the cost of paper alone.

Example: An office collects confidential documents fordestruction in a 240L MGB, which costs $55 per bin clearance. The office also has a normal paper recycling service, alsocollected in 240L MGBs, which costs $5 perbin clearance. If one extra security bin isfilled per week due to people putting non-confidential documents in the security bin,the additional cost is $50 per week. This is acost of $2500 per year.

Example:From the results of waste studies conducted, thetotal annual replacement cost for newstationery items found in the garbage wasestimated to be $8,700 for one office tower,$11,790 for another building, and$136,231 for another office building.

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Most people are comfortable using emailsfor communicating and sending documents.However, many people print out everyemail, either to read or keep on a paperfile. Emails should be read on screen, and stored in an electronic file, where they are captured by the server’s documentback-up regime.

In addition to using email, there is bothinexpensive and free software availablethat allows you to send and receive faxesfrom your computer. This not only savespaper and toner, but time as well.

More avoidance hints

Some other examples of avoidance include:

Buy bulk and save with items likecoffee, tea, sugar, paper, pens,notebooks. Avoid buying sachets ofsugar and coffee or wooden paddlestirrers for office use;

Share newspapers and magazines;

Use crockery mugs instead ofpolystyrene cups and teaspoonsinstead of wooden stirrers. It saveswaste and the coffee tastes better;

email or write to companies whosend your office unsolicited mailrequesting that you be removed fromtheir mailing list;

Keep mailing lists up-to-date to avoidwasted correspondence;

Send one hard copy of memo aroundto all staff concerned with a distribution list on the front. Eachperson can mark their initials off thelist when they have read it and passit onto the next person to read. Thiscan then be recycled or stored in afolder which everyone has access toif needed for reference;

Send electronic copies of minutes ofmeetings or memos where possible;

Re-use one-sided copied or printed

documents that are no longerneeded. Resource NSW have an A4page you can download and printoutthat makes an attractive cover forscrap notebooks made from paperprinted on one side. See the webpagewww.resource.nsw.gov.au/officebuildings/tenants.htm;

Make more use of your electronic “todo” list on your computer, rather thanhandwriting lists. You can set thealarm in the electronic calendar toremind you when to do things;

Try to notify people of phonemessages by email rather thanhandwritten slips;

Store staff phone numbers on anelectronic database that everyonecan access rather than printing liststhat need regular updating;

Use White Pages or Yellow Pages onthe internet;

Install re-usable towel units in thebathrooms instead of usingdisposable paper towels; and

Adopt a low-waste purchasing policy.

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Example: Comparative cost of sending a single-pagedocumentAverage of 100 Copies a month

Cost Mailing Plain Paper Fax Plain Paper FaxComputer Fax

$849 $349 $168

Equipment (1) NA $0.14/pg $0.06/pg $0.03/pg

Labour/Supplies (2) $ 0.28 cents $0.13 $0.13 $0.13

Postage $ 0.45 cents NA NA NA

Phone Line (3) NA $ 0.35 cents $ 0.35 cents $ 0.35 cents

Total ($) $0.73 $ 0.62 $0.54 $0.51

1. Equipment:

Assuming 100 faxes per month and a 5 year life or 6000 faxes

Plain Paper Fax Machine cost range

Brother Laser Fax = $849.00

Panasonic Plain Paper Fax = $349.00

Fax Modem cost = $168.00 (stand alone)

2. Labour/Supplies to operate the Fax Machine or the Fax Modem:

On average, most fax machines transmit at 15 seconds per page. Assuming that a Secretary with a salary of $20/hour($0.33/minute; $0.00555/second) operates the machine and remains at the machine to operate it for 20 seconds (numberdial plus fax transmission time), a per page cost of $0.12 cents is calculated. The cost of paper varies from $5.98 to $6.38per ream (500 sheets) for 80 gsm copy paper. Using an average price ($6.18), a price of $0.0124 per page is calculated. Itis also assumed that one copy of the modem faxed page is produced for file.

Labour/Supplies for mailing: Assuming that a Secretary with a salary of $20/hour, ($0.33/minute; $0.00555/second)takes approximately 40 seconds to fold, stuff and address an envelope or $0.22/page. Cost of paper is $0.0124/page andthe cost of the envelope averages at $0.05/envelope for supply cost of $0.06/page.

3. Phone Line Charges:

Installation of a separate phone line is $190.30. Over the assumed life of the fax (5 years and 6,000 pages) thistranslates to a cost of $0.03 per page. The monthly fee of $31.95 per month translates to a cost of approximately$0.32/page if 100 copies are transmitted a month.

Note: The cost of sending mail and faxes consists of fixed (e.g. purchase of the fax machine) and variable (labour, envelopesize, paper costs etc) components. The variable cost of sending additional pages of a multi-page document will differ foreach of the above sending methods. The lowest variable cost is incurred by transmitting larger documents by computer fax.

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“You’re not really recycling until you’re buying recycled”.

uying recycled

For recycling programs to be worthwhile,we need to buy products made from thematerial we put out for recycling.

The most common reasons that businessesdon’t buy recycled-content products are:

They can be more expensive than“virgin” products

There are a number of reasons for this, butthe main one is the economy of scale. Forexample, not enough recycled-contentpaper is sold to make it as cheap as non-recycled-content paper. The StateGovernment is moving to address thisproblem by buying recycled-content paperand other items. The buying power of theState Government should bring down theprice of recycled-content products.

There is a perception that recycled-content products are inferior to non-recycled-content products

Again, paper is a good example. Manypeople tried recycled paper 10-15 yearsago. They found it was a grey colour andjammed in the photocopier. However,during the past decade, the quality of boththe paper and office machines has vastlyimproved. There is now a range of officepapers that contain some recycled material,which look and perform as good as papermade completely from woodchips.

There is a range of products available thatare second-hand, recycled or environmentallyfriendly in some way. Many are nowavailable through large stationery stores.

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To help choose the right product, there are anumber of directories. These are all availableon the web, with links on the Resource NSWweb page:www.resource.nsw.gov.au/officebuildings/links.htm

NSW Buy Recycled Guide;

Ecorecycle Victoria Buy Recycled Guide;

Know Your Paper: A Guide to PurchasingRecycled Content Office Paper;

Office Products: A Guide to SustainablePurchasing and Use.

Example listings in the NSW Buy Recycled Guide.Note: for illustrative purposes only – these are not real companies

Copy paperContact Details

Koala Paper Total Recycled Content56 Green Trees Street 90 - 100%Sunnyvale NSW 2190 Post Consumer Recycled ContentPhone 1800 067 061 20 - 30%Fax n.a. Recycled Material ContentEmail n.a. Paperwww.koalapaper.com.au Specific Material Type

Letterhead and Writing Paper

100% Recycled Cotton Paper – White/NaturalContact Details

Sunshine Paper Total Recycled ContentUnit 9, 63 White Street 90 - 100%Lane’s End NSW 2210 Post Consumer Recycled ContentPhone 02 9999 0000 90 - 100%Fax 02 9999 0000 Recycled Material [email protected] Textileswww.sunshine.com.au Specific Material Type

Cotton

Toner CartridgesContact Details

Green Office Supplies Total Recycled Content72 - 74 Sweet Street 60 - 70%Charleville NSW 2057 Post Consumer Recycled ContentPhone 1300 000 000 90 - 100%Fax 1300 000 000 Recycled Material [email protected] Plasticwww.greensupplies.com.au Specific Material Type

Plastic 7 Other

Office Machines Express Total Recycled ContentUnit 22/566 Gardinia Road 80 - 90%Florentine NSW 1435 Post Consumer Recycled ContentPhone 02 9000 0000 90 - 100%Fax 02 9000 0000 Recycled Material ContentEmail n.a. Plastic, Metal, Textileswww.omexpress.com.au Specific Material Type

Plastic 7 Other, Aluminium, Rubber

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Convincing building management to implement a building-wide recycling system can be difficult. The moststraightforward approach is to demonstrate that it can savemoney. How much money will be saved will depend on thenature of the cleaning and waste removal contracts. Below isan example of how money can be saved.

he Hard Sell to buildingmanagement

Recycling is cheaper than garbagedisposal

It is cheaper for waste collection companiesto collect recyclable materials than it is tocollect garbage. There are a couple ofreasons for this. Firstly, the collectors payless to deliver recyclable material to wastemanagement centres than garbage (forwhich there is a disposal fee and a StateGovernment levy). It is free to drop off somerecyclable materials at waste depots, so thecost to the collector is simply the transportcost. Secondly, separated recyclablematerials tend to be cleaner and drier than

mixed garbage. Therefore, thebins/compactors and collection vehiclescan be less expensive and require lessmaintenance than those used for garbage.As it is relatively straightforward to recycleand is easy to transport, clean office paperis one of the most cost effective materials torecycle. Therefore, one of the quickest andeasiest ways an office building can savemoney on waste removal is to introduce apaper recycling system.

T

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Cost of contamination

Where recycling programs can end upcosting more money is when thecontamination levels are high. If thecontamination levels are too high, thematerial can’t be recycled and has to bedumped at a landfill. Paper recyclingcompanies will usually charge a penaltywhen the contamination is too high. This is to cover the cost of disposing of the contaminated material and toencourage businesses not to contaminatetheir recycling.

The way to keep the contamination low,and hence avoid penalties, is to have anongoing education program with staffmembers. This can consist of:

Clear and correct stickers on the bins;

Posters and information sheets nearthe bins; and

Regular reminders in a newsletter orby memo.

The cost of these simple measures is welland truly covered by the avoidedcontamination level penalties. In manycases, suitable stickers and posters areavailable for little or no cost from therecycling company, the local Council or the State Government.

Example: A typical office tower’s waste contains 55% paper. If management arrange a paper recyclingsystem for the whole building, they can easily divert half of the paper from the garbagestream. The following is an example of a building that produces one tonne per day of waste.

If garbage is stored in a 10m3 compactor, then it will need to be cleared about every three days, or approximately 10 times per month. If the cost is $300 per clearance, then thecost of waste disposal is about $3000 per month.

By recycling half of the paper, 275 kg per day is diverted from the garbage. This leaves 725kg per day as garbage. The 10m3 compactor only needs to be cleared every four days, or roughly seven times per month. The garbage cost is then $2100 per month. If paper iscollected at a flat rate of $150 per month, the cost saving is approximately $750 per month or $9000 per year.

Example: An office block in the Sydney CBD was paying a flat fee of $100 per month for paper recycling.Due to consistently high contamination levels, the flat rate fee was increased to $750 per month.Therefore, the office block was paying $650 per month more than it needed because peoplewere putting the wrong things in the paper recycling bin.

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hecklistCGet management onside

Get the staff onside

Decide where to start

Get the gear - bins, signs, bin labels, posters

Spread the word - announce the changes, give feedback, put up posters

Take it further - avoid waste and buy recycled

✓

✓

✓

✓

✓

✓

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Resource NSW has set up an office building waste management resource web page, whichcan be accessed from:

www.resource.nsw.gov.au/officebuildings

It contains links to a range of useful publications and web sites, including bin stickers and posters.

Other sources of information include;NSW Government www.livingthing.net.au

EcoRecycle Victoria www.ecorecycle.vic.gov.au

Your local Council. Look on the Department of Local Government’s web site for contact detailswww.dlg.nsw.gov.au

Environment Australia Eco-Efficiency and Cleaner Productionwww.ea.gov.au/industry/eecp/index

EcoOffice www.ecooffice.com.au

Buy Recycled Business Alliance www.brba.com.au

The Property Council www.propertyoz.com.au

California Integrated Waste Management Board www.ciwmb.ca.gov

Recycled Paper Coalition www.papercoalition.org

Appendix A: Where to go for information/help

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Desk binsDesk bins are generally approximately 10L in volumeand come in a range of shapes. It’s a good idea tohave solid bins for garbage (to prevent leakage) andbins you can see through for paper (so the cleaners and everyone else can see if people are trashing thepaper recycling). Cleaners should be given permissionto leave paper-recycling bins that have garbage inthem. Some paper recyclers provide a small cardboardbox for each office worker to keep at their desk and put paper in.

Mobile Garbage Bins (MGBs)or Wheelie bins

MGBs are good for paper recycling systems as they hold a large amount of material and areeasy to move. They are generally used for transferring the paper from the office area down towhere the recycler will collect the paper.

Appendix B: Bins and equipment

120L MGB 240L MGB

Height 940mm 1080mm

Width 485mm 580mm

Depth 560mm 735mm

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Appendix C: Making a Case - exampleproposal to present to officemanagement

Proposal outlineThe staff would like to propose that [this office] embark on a waste reduction and recyclingprogram. This would be not only good for the environment and good for staff morale, but wouldsave [the business] money. To help the program along, we also propose an incentive scheme,whereby a share of the savings achieved through implementation of the waste reduction programgoes towards [the staff Christmas party].

Waste reduction programAction Description Who is involved Costs Savings

eg. Paper Introduce a blue Staff are $5/bin/collection None (unlessrecycling wheelie bin for responsible for = $30/week. directly

paper collection. placing paper in NB: we should responsible forPlace one next bins. Cleaners be able to get waste removalto photocopier would need to building costs).and one next to transfer bins to management tothe printer on central waste room implement papereach floor. for collection. recycling at no

cost to us.

eg. Default Have Merv, the Merv. The cost of If half thedouble-siding computer guy, set Some people Merv’s time x paper used in

all the printers might be able number of the office isand photocopiers, to do this computers x 2 double-sided,and everyone’s themselves. minutes per we save acomputers, to computer. quarter of theprint double-sided cost of paperby default. (assuming

negligible double-siding occurs at the moment). Also save time on re-filling machines and ordering/ handling paper.

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eg. Re-fill toner Happy Toner If people leave Re-filled toner $ (Cost of new cartridges cartridges will empty toner cartridges cost cartridge - cost

swap an empty cartridges in a stack $_ from Happy of re-filled cartridge for a near the Toner Cartridges. cartridge) x re-filled cartridge at photocopier on number of less than the cost each floor, Janet cartridges.of a new cartridge. from Accounts will

send them off for re-filling.

Action Description Who is involved Costs Savings

Incentive programTo encourage everyone in the office to keep doing the right thing, we propose that half the netmeasured savings resulting from the waste reduction program go towards [the staff Christmasparty]. Waste reduction and the equivalent savings would be monitored and progress fed backto the staff by [regular updates in the newsletter] [poster in the tea room/kitchen/lift].

The net savings would be calculated monthly as per the following table:

Action Cost Saving Net

eg Paper recycling = $130/month - $130/month

NB: we should be able to get building management to implement paper recycling at no cost to us.

eg Paper use Merv’s time (previous average $ lotsreduction measures (NB: one off) monthly paper use - (double-siding, paper use this month) x electronic fax, etc) cost of paper

eg. Re-fill toner (Cost of re-fills) x (Cost of new cartridges) x $ heapscartridges (No. toner cartridges) (No. toner cartridges)

$ TOTAL

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NB: you will need to do some homework for this, such as how much waste your buildingproduces and what the current waste removal fee is.

Dear [Ms Building Manager],

[Red Dragon Industries] has a commitment to sustainability, and have undertaken to report allenvironmental impacts and initiatives in our annual report. In keeping with our commitment tothe environment, we intend to implement a paper recycling program. As tenants of [Lucky CoinOffice Tower], we would like to request that building management install a building-wide paperrecycling system. This would be more efficient, and less of a security risk, than if individualtenants arrange their own paper recycling collections. We also believe that an effective paperrecycling system in the building will reduce the overall waste removal costs, thus postponing theneed for a rise in facility-servicing fees. This is achieved through offsetting the cost of therecycling collection by a reduction in garbage collection/disposal fees.

[Red Dragon Industries] has approached [2 paper recycling companies and the building’scurrent waste removal contractor]. The following cost estimates were obtained:

Company Service Cost

eg Clean and Tidy Waste Provide two wheelie bins (240L) $5/bin/collectionRemovals for paper collection for each

floor. Collection on demand from car park.

Office building waste is approximately 55% paper. If half of the paper waste was recycled, thenit is estimated that the building would save $_ per month in waste disposal fees. If [Clean andTidy] were selected, this would mean minimal extra work for the cleaning staff to maintain thepaper recycling. [In fact, it may reduce the amount of work involved in collecting material fromindividual desk waste bins.]

We look forward to discussing this matter with you further.

Yours sincerely,

[Mr T. Businessman]

Appendix D: Making a Case – example letterto Building Management

waste reductionin office buildingsrecyclingnearyou.com.au/documents/dec_wastetenants.pdf · not...

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