6 Ways to Reduce Plastic Waste in the Office

13 Mar, 2023

6 Ways to Reduce Plastic Waste in the Office

From utensils to ink to cleaning supplies, the office can produce quite a bit of single-use plastic waste during the workweek. By reducing or even eliminating plastic waste, you can make a real difference to the environment. Not quite sure where to start? Here are a couple of easy ideas to get things going. 

How to Reduce Plastic in the Office

Eliminating single-use plastic is an effective way to reduce your carbon footprint as a company and contribute to the world around you. To begin, consider adopting these steps: 

Stock sustainable kitchen items

If your office has a kitchen, make sure to stock it with reusable cutlery, glasses, mugs, and metal straws. Ensure all of your employees know where to put away items and how to clean them.

Give your staff reusable thermoses

Branded thermoses or reusable water bottles are a great way to reduce waste while promoting your company and sharing office pride. They last for years; think of how many single-use plastic water bottles you and your team will skip!

Source green office supplies

As you think about where to buy your ink, stationery— even your cleaning supplies, look for companies that use eco-friendly materials and sustainable packaging.

Pro-tip: Skip cleaning wipes that wind up in landfills. Instead, fill reusable spray bottles with bulk cleaning supplies to cut down on unnecessary waste. Learn about our ink and toner take-back programs.

Look for advice from your coworkers.

Different roles have different insights into how your business operates as a whole. Ask your coworkers for their ideas on how to reduce plastic in the office from their perspective. Their answers may surprise you! You can even assemble a “green team” to stay on the lookout for more sustainability opportunities.

Start an office-wide recycling program.

Putting out bins and encouraging recycling from your team is a massive step towards reducing your carbon footprint. Make sure containers are clearly labeled. You can even consider incentives for recycling to get momentum. 

It’s worth noting that recycling plastic is particularly tricky. Unfortunately, about 91% of plastic isn’t recycled. That’s why eliminating plastic and finding green alternatives is a more worthwhile endeavor in the long run.

Ban single-use plastic in the office.

This measure may sound intense, but it’s incredibly effective. Make sure to ideate alternatives before adopting this rule and host a meeting, so your staff understands what this rule entails. It may be tough to adjust to at first, but once your workplace gets used to it, you’ll find it’s a great way to cut down on waste as a community.

Partner Up With Close the Loop

After implementing these innovative ways to reduce plastic waste at the office, take your sustainability work one step further. Our services help your workplace address waste that sits in landfills, wreaking havoc on our fragile planet. Read about what to look for in a sustainability partner. And learn about the long list of clients we’ve helped. 

Then, contact the Close the Loop team today to add your name to the list. We cannot wait to work alongside you.