Over half of all plastic waste in Australia is generated by business, according to Planet Ark.
The environmental organisation has released How to Reduce and Recycle Plastics at Work, an online tool designed to help Australian businesses cut down on more than one million tonnes of plastic waste they currently send to landfill each year.
The guide comes at a time when state governments across Australia are rolling out single-use plastic bans to address plastic pollution in the environment and the quantity of plastics being sent to landfill.
How to Reduce and Recycle Plastics at Work provides information on these plastic bans and how they impact businesses as well as practical information and tips to reduce plastic waste.
“There is a great deal of concern about plastic pollution among Australians, both in terms of the impact on our beautiful natural environment an in terms of overall waste creation,” said Planet Ark Co-Chief Executive Officer Rebecca Gilling.
“We created this guide to make it easy for businesses around the country to take responsibility and reduce, reuse and recycle plastics in their workplace.”
According to the most recent National Waste Report released in 2020, there is now more than 50 million tonnes of plastic in Australian landfills, with about 1.2 million tonnes of plastic of the 2.1 million tonnes added per year created by businesses. Perhaps even more concerning from an environmental perspective, seven of the top ten litter items collected from the nation’s largest waterways are plastic.
How to Reduce and Recycle Plastics at Work provides simple solutions to the top ten plastic products used at work making it easier for businesses to reduce their plastic impact and potentially reduce waste management costs. The guide also provides case studies of Australian businesses that have championed plastic waste reduction, how to use the waste hierarchy at work and information on plastic recycling and plastic identification codes.
The guide is a new resource from Planet Ark’s Business Recycling website, which enables Australian businesses to address their waste, increase efficiency and improve their reputation while reducing unnecessary costs.
In a recent survey that ran over 50 days, about 400 Business Recycling users reported finding recycling solutions for more than 4000 kilograms of materials.
The information provided on Business Recycling and Recycling Near You is representative of available recycling services in Australia. The Business Recycling program is made possible through the support of Foundation Partner, the NSW Government.
For more information, visit: BusinessRecycling.com.au
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