October 23, 2024
Cross-contamination is costing your business
Major changes to commercial recycling in England are coming into force in just a few months that are driving businesses to reassess their waste management and recycling practices. But legislation aside, we want to encourage businesses to go beyond box-ticking and understand that better recycling is better for business. From cutting waste disposal costs to increasing recycling efficiency and improving your sustainability credentials, when recycling is done right, your business benefits.
What is cross-contamination of waste?
In businesses where multiple streams of waste are generated and there isn’t a cohesive, clear recycling system in place, it’s likely that some cross-contamination of waste will occur. There are a few different ways to categorise cross-contamination.
Non-recyclable materials end up in recycling streams
Recyclables are placed in the wrong streams
Dirty or soiled materials are disposed of in recyclable streams
Cross-contamination results in materials that could have been recycled going directly into landfill, or a costly and time-consuming process of separating contaminants, which is bad for the planet and bad for business. To give you an idea of the scale of the problem, the average recycling contamination rate is 25% - that’s 1 in every 4 items*!
Reduce the issue of cross-contamination by helping people clearly identify what waste belongs where with our recycling posters here.
What could poor recycling be costing your business?
Ineffective recycling puts your business at risk of non-compliance with new commercial recycling rules and could even lead you to facing hefty fines. Make sure you understand your business’ legal obligations and implement effective recycling that will ensure compliance.
We know that for 60% of businesses, the perceived investment and increase in ongoing costs for more sustainable practices is cited as a barrier to implementation*. However, did you know that better recycling could actually see you cut costs? Recycled waste is cheaper to dispose of than sending waste to landfill and with landfill taxes set to rise by 20% in April 20253, the correct separation of waste will see you cut waste management costs.
What’s more, reducing the amount of recyclable waste that goes to landfill or incineration will give your sustainability credentials a much-needed boost.
What does better recycling look like?
Now you understand the importance of better recycling, where do you start? We believe that better recycling is simple and requires straightforward solutions.
Value visibility
Reduce the risk of cross-contamination and recycle more by providing customers and employees with consistent colour-coding and signage, helping them to instantly identify what type of waste can be recycled and where. This consistency across different containers will help embed a culture of recycling compliance. You can tailor the labels, change the language, and even include your own branding.
Move towards modular solutions
Investing in modular solutions, like the Slim Jim® Recycling Stations, rather than single units housing multiple bins, allows the flexibility to adapt if your needs change without having to spend your budget on new systems. They’re also typically easier to maintain and clean compared to ‘all-in-one’ systems.
A bin for every area
Different areas have different needs and so you’ll need different bins. From tight spaces in kitchens to capturing high volumes in busy back of house zones, tailoring your recycling solutions to each area means you can effectively separate your recyclable waste without interfering with day-to-day operations.
Find out more about England’s Simpler Recycling legislation.
Sources:
https://www.rubicon.com/blog/recycling-contamination-facts/
RCP – Why Product Longevity is a Powerful First Step to Improving Commercial Sustainability
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/landfill-tax-rates-for-2024-to-2025
