Minimising waste is a top priority for all modern businesses; it’s sustainable and ensures that your business has a place in the future. And when you look to minimise waste, you keep your company’s carbon footprint down, which makes offsetting your carbon effect much cheaper in the long run.
We all know this, realistically, but putting this idea into practice can be difficult. And this is especially true when it comes to your company’s electrical waste. Throwing away old phones and tablets is often little thought of, but electrical waste is steadily on the rise, and millions of tons are produced each year. So, what can you do about yours?
Reuse as Much as Possible
Electrical waste is a big deal thanks to just how hefty these items can be in their manufacturing. As we noted, they take years to break down, and there’s also a chance you’re throwing away delicate business and/or customer data every time you chuck an old laptop into the rubbish.
So not only should you look to reuse your old electronics as much as possible, it’s also so much safer to do so for your reputation’s sake. Rip out any and all hard drives, at the very least, and keep them as spare, secure data banks for your data. Be sure to get any old items repaired as well, and think about wiping them and donating them, to places such as local schools.
Work with a Recycling Center
No matter where your office is based, there’s going to be a recycling center near you. More and more of them are popping up to meet demand, and using their services is a great way to cut back on the harmful electrical waste you could be pouring into the surrounding environment.
Take any old wires, for example. Considering the metal inside these wires, they can take anywhere from 50 to 100 years to break down, and that can seriously weigh down the effectiveness of your nearest rubbish tip. But if there’s a recycling center nearby with a cable stripper available, it’s much easier to get rid of any old plugs and cables you can’t use for anything else. The wires can be stripped, and materials inside can be more effectively reused. What could be better for that big box of old wires under the desk?
Talk to Your Employees
Finally, be sure to have a word with your employees about their old electronics as well. Everyone has a few in a cupboard somewhere, and if you’re running an electrical waste program as a business, invite them to bring them in.
Most of all, make sure your employees are educated on the dangers of electrical waste, and that they have options to lessen this. And a simple and quick training program is a great way to allow employees to pick this up on their own time.
Electrical waste is something we all churn out; make sure your organisation takes steps to change this.
