Better recycling benefit business

South Africa’s growing population and economy lead to increased waste generation, and with diverting waste from landfills and improving recycling rates as key imperatives for the country’s National Waste Management Strategy (2020), it is essential that businesses play their part in achieving these goals. What’s more, implementing a waste management system that facilitates separation at source can have significant benefits for your business.

Rubbermaid Commercial Products (RCP) Sales Manager, Kementhrie Naidoo, offers her advice for facilities looking to reduce waste, cut costs and get their waste management future-fit to meet legal requirements and make significant sustainability strides.

Better recycling is better for business

For the vast majority (95%) of decisionmakers, improving the sustainability of their operations remains crucial but with budget constraints to consider, investing in the right practices that will drive real results is a must.

Installing an efficient, multi-stream recycling system will help increase recycling sorting efficiency and reduce the volume of waste your facility sends to general disposal, saving associated costs and taxes. Legislation laid out in the National Environmental Management Waste Act (NEMWA) calls for waste to be separated at point of generation and with penalties ranging from hefty fines to licence revocations and even imprisonment, understanding your legal obligations when it comes to handling waste and recycling is essential. Ensure compliance with recycling laws while cutting waste collection costs by upgrading your recycling systems to capture more waste streams.

Helping DPD deliver savings

An efficient multi-stream recycling system can help your business meet its obligations while cost saving and improving sustainability. But how can you identify how and where to make these high-impact improvements?

With ambitions of becoming “the greenest delivery service on the planet”, RCP helped DPD, one of Europe’s leading parcel groups, to improve the waste and recycling at their depots resulting in both cost savings and sustainability improvements.

After identifying indicative savings by using the free online audit tool, RCP’s team of experts then undertook a series of ‘waste walks’ across the sites to ascertain the current state of play and identify opportunities for improvement. Effective and spaceefficient recycling systems – RCP’s Slim Jim® Recycling Stations –were rolled out as part of a staged installation process.

The results? Within the first year, DPD had boosted its recycling rate by 48 percent at six key sites. On completion of the roll-out across all DPD sites, the multi-stream recycling system will have contributed to over 6,500 tons of waste every year being diverted to the circular economy rather than going to general waste disposal. They also reported achieving a recycling rate of over 90 percent, cost savings of 27 percent and they recouped their investment within 12 months.

What does better recycling look like?

Implementing a multi-stream system will help you increase recycling rates and improve efficiency, but what should you be looking out for when choosing your recycling stations?

Modularity maximises results

Invest in modular systems over traditional ‘all-in-one’ systems as they allow for a tailored approach to waste management in different areas of your facility. This means you can add, and even take away, streams as required. What’s more, they’re typically easier to maintain and clean.

Visibility adds value

Make recycling simple by making it visible. Minimise the risk of cross-contamination and maximise recycling rates with clear and colour-coded signage that encourages straightforward separation at source across all your containers, embedding a culture of recycling compliance across the business.

Get a handle on hygiene

Hygiene regulations, from the Department of Health, demand that refuse containers on food premises be easy-to-clean with close-fitting lids. For commercial kitchens and food outlets where hygiene is paramount, bins with lids like the Slim Jim® Step On will see you meet regulations, reduce the risk of contamination and keep odours to a minimum.

Durability drive success

For businesses who want solutions to stand up to the toughest environments, durable waste containers are essential. Reduce the need for frequent replacements by buying better and wasting less, helping you support sustainability targets as well as cutting costs. Look out for long warranties for added peace of mind.

Get in touch for more expert advice and information about how partnering with RCP can help your business meet your users’ expectations at: www.rubbermaidsa.co.za