RecycleSmart introduces cafe and office recycling systems

RecycleSmart office

RecycleSmart introduces a new recycling system across offices and cafes in hopes to reduce the number of tricky-to-recycle items landing in landfill.

Only nine per cent of plastic waste generated in offices is effectively recycled, with a large portion ending up in landfills, according to not-for-profit environmental conservation organisation Clean Up Australia.

For this reason, on-demand recycling business RecycleSmart recently introduced a new package to make recycling easier for businesses and cafes.

Dan Crawford, RecycleSmart National Business Development Manager, says the package is a first for the industry, is scalable and easy to manage. He sees it as only the beginning of the office and café recycling journey with RecycleSmart.

“We believe it will be a great way to drive recycling of tricky items for businesses and cafés,” he says. “It provides them with a simple solution.”

The solution is a one or two-bin system delivered directly to participating offices and cafes. Dan describes it as set and forget – customers can forget about their recyclables until RecycleSmart’s fortnightly pickup.

“Having a separate bin drives better recycling rates and increases engagement because staff members and their customers can clearly see a bin that’s just for recyclables,” he says.

“It drives people’s mindsets to be better recyclers, while also being a great branding opportunity for the business or café.”

For the past five years, RecycleSmart has strived to make recycling easy and accessible for everyone.

It began as a home pick-up service for hard-to-recycle items and has expanded across Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth and beyond.

Dan Crawford, RecycleSmart National Business Development Manager.

Dan believes the expansion into offices and cafes will continue to foster a growing and engaged community that embraces sustainable behaviour.

RecycleSmart offers two recycling packages for offices.

The essentials office package comprises one 60-litre bin for ‘tricky recyclables’, one year of fortnightly collections (26 pickups) and a customisable internal communication pack.

Accepted items range from soft plastics to e-waste, coffee capsules, coffee cups, batteries, pen and markers, textile, etc.

For larger offices, RecycleSmart offers one premium-sized bin in addition to the items in the essentials pack. Both packages are delivered and set up by RecycleSmart.

The premium package is an example of a circular economy in action – its clear decorative labels are made from recycled materials.

Both packages include the educational signage.

Understanding that a café differs from an office, RecycleSmart’s café-specific package includes two 60-litre bins with educational signage. One bin collects soft plastics, 10-cent refundable containers and other tricky-to-recycle items, while the second collects single-use coffee cups.

The package also includes one window decal which says, ‘saving resources with RecycleSmart’, and one coffee cup stamp.

“Cafés can press that onto the cups to communicate to their customers about their recycling project,” Dan says.

“It also helps drive business. If the customer has recyclables and we operate in that area, it helps them know they can recycle with us, or they can bring it back to the store for recycling.”

In addition to reducing recyclables reaching landfill, RecycleSmart hopes these packages will increase education on tricky-recyclables.

“People are constantly asking us what can be recycled, and it is always changing,” Dan says. “Only last week we discovered six new items that we could start to recycle because we found a solution.

“For this reason, we also have a QR code which is regularly updated with what items we can recycle.”

Dan says the office and café package is a positive step forward for businesses wanting to advance their recycling systems.

“Any business or café that wants to recycle can participate.”

For more information, visit: www.recyclesmart.com

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