How do paper recycling services for offices work?
Recycling paper helps to reduce greenhouse gas emissions that can contribute to climate change. An average office worker uses around 50 sheets of paper in a day through unnecessary printing. A paper recycling service can save your staff time and tailor a service to your business' needs. This section will explain how to start a paper recycling scheme in your office, the benefits of using a paper recycling service and how office paper recycling services work.
Click on a link to jump to each section:
Read the vital steps for recycling paper in the office.
Read the factors you should consider before choosing a recycling service.
Find out how paper recycling services can benefit your office.
Find out how office paper recycling services work, and what they can offer you.
Read what products can be made from recycled paper.
Find out what influences the cost of your service.
How to recycle paper in the office
An efficient paper recycling system needs to be practical and work for everyone. The following steps can help implement a system in your business:
- Identify how many objects made of paper are recyclable in each area of your office. Read about what types of paper can be recycled in the office here.
- Think about how much space you have for bins in the office and how many you need. Ensure you have separate bins for different purposes. For example, have a different bin for food waste, paper bins and glass.
You can read our guide to choosing a paper recycling container here.
- Ensure your staff are clear on how to recycle. It can help to use signs and place bins in areas that are communal and accessible, such as by desks, in a kitchen or canteen.
What to consider before using a recycling service
When choosing a service, you need to consider the following:
- The materials you'll be recycling - is the company authorised to handle them?
- How frequent is the collection?
- Does it offer on-demand collection or do it in regular slots?
- Can the service collect waste directly from your office or will it need you to deliver it to a drop-off facility first?
- Can it cater for the size of your business and the amount of waste it produces?
- Will the charge be annual or per collection?
- Does the service have a waste carriers licence?
The benefits of using a paper recycling service
- Paper recycling services offer businesses effective ways to manage their paper waste in a way that benefits their company and the environment.
- A service is provided that is tailored to your company size. Office paper services provide paper recycling for all types of businesses, large or small.
- Services provide your business with paper bins and recycling services in order to improve your waste and recycling management system.
- They can save you money and resources while protecting the environment.
- They can save time for staff. Services can handle collection, shredding and other services which take time and pressure off your hands.
- Manage confidential waste. Paper recycling services can provide you with lockable cabinets or other secure bins to keep your confidential waste safe.
- Provide a secure and certified method of destruction. If your business has a lot of confidential waste, services can provide an accredited method that can you trust.
How do office paper recycling services work?
Your business size and requirements are considered
When tailoring a service for you, a service will consider your business size and specific needs. If your business has lots of confidential waste, services can provide the appropriate secure cabinets and bins.
Most services offer you a container
Most paper recycling services will provide you with a recycling bin, that is tailored to your needs.
At Russell Richardson, a dedicated account manager can provide tailored solutions and suitable bins for:
- General waste
- Dry Mixed Recycling (DMR)
- Fluorescent tubes
- Hazardous waste
- Confidential waste
- Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE)
- Food waste
Your paper is collected on an agreed day
You'll need to identify a location for services to collect your recycling from. This may be a storeroom, cupboard or external container. For security, we never ask customers to put their confidential waste outside - our operatives will go and empty any cabinets or containers at their location inside.
Once your paper waste collections have taken place, the paper waste is brought back to our secure facility for shredding and baling before being sent to a paper mill for recycling. It is then chopped up, heated and turned into an organic plant pulp. This is then further strained, helping to remove any remaining plastic or glue.
The paper is de-inked
Paper is put through an industrial 'de-inking' process to remove any printing ink from the fibres. It is bleached and mixed again with water. It is then turned into recycled paper and re-used.
If confidential paper has been shredded, certificates of destruction are provided
After shredding confidential documents, services will provide certificates of destruction as evidence that your confidential documents have been destroyed.
You can find out more about shredding confidential business waste here and home business and domestic paper shredding here.
What does paper get recycled into?
Recycled paper can be transformed into a range of new paper products, including:
- brown parcel paper
- cardboard
- Christmas or birthday cards and wrapping paper
- egg boxes
- napkins and kitchen roll
- paper bags
- paper plates and food cartons
- printer and photocopier paper
Some of the more unusual items that can be made from the recycled paper include:
- building insulation
- vases
- water bottles
How much can you expect to pay?
How much you can expect to pay for a service depends on:
- The volume of waste you're recycling
- The materials you're recycling (for example, white paper is often cheaper to recycle than coloured paper)
- The location of your business
- The prices set out by the recycling contractor you choose
You can read our full guide to setting up an office paper recycling policy here.
Are you considering using an office paper recycling service? Get a free quote from Russell Richardson here.