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Why Should You Recycle Plastic in Your Business?

The Importance Of Recycling Plastic

As a business, recycling your plastic waste is essential. Not only for the huge environmental advantages, but cost benefits too. In this blog, we will dive deep into all things related to plastic recycling and its impact on your business and the world at large. Today, we’re talking about why it’s essential for businesses—big and small—to implement plastic recycling.

5 Core Benefits for Businesses

Reduction of Incineration

It’s a common misconception that burning or incinerating waste is an effective way to dispose of it. While it might reduce the volume, incineration brings about multiple environmental consequences.

Harmful greenhouse gases and toxins are released into the atmosphere, affecting not just the environment but also human health. By recycling plastic, businesses can contribute to reducing the need for incineration, thereby helping to alleviate its environmental impact. It is believed that almost half of all UK plastic waste is incinerated for energy recovery, with 25% sent to landfills and just 12% recycled in UK reprocessing facilities.

Increase Your CSR Environmental Credentials

In today’s competitive market, your brand reputation matters more than ever. As consumer attitudes shift towards environmental responsibility, integrating sustainable practices into your business can give you a competitive edge. A robust Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) profile can not only attract more customers but also better talent and even investment opportunities.

Decreased Pollution

Contrary to popular belief, producing new plastic isn’t a clean process. It’s associated with substantial greenhouse gas emissions and other types of pollution. When you recycle plastic, you reduce the need to manufacture new plastic, cutting down on the pollution caused during its production cycle. This creates a ripple effect, benefiting not just your business but also the community at large.

Conservation of Resources

The raw materials for producing plastic come from non-renewable sources like oil, coal, and natural gas. By recycling plastic, you’re essentially giving these materials a second life. This conservation of resources results in reduced dependency on virgin materials, making it a win-win for both businesses and the planet.

Economic Growth

Job Creation:

The recycling industry provides numerous employment opportunities in collection, sorting, and processing of materials.

Cost Savings:

Although the initial setup for a recycling program may require an investment, the long-term gains outweigh the costs. Manufacturers using recycled materials often find it less expensive than using raw materials, and these savings can also be passed on to consumers.

Why Waste Plastic Should Be Segregated at Source

Enhanced Recycling Efficiency

Efficiency is the key to a successful recycling program. When plastic waste is segregated at the source, it becomes much easier to sort and process. Mixed waste often contaminates plastics, rendering them unfit for recycling. Proper segregation eliminates this issue.

Reduction in Waste Incineration

As mentioned earlier, reducing incineration is beneficial for the environment. By segregating plastic, more of it can be recycled, reducing the need for incineration and extending the lifespan of existing landfills.

Economic Benefits

When you segregate plastic waste, it becomes a valuable resource that can be sold to recyclers. Additionally, the cost of processing segregated plastic is usually lower than mixed waste, leading to more efficient recycling processes and potential cost savings for businesses.

Ensures Safety

Segregating plastics at the source ensures that toxic or hazardous materials don’t mix in with recyclables. This not only keeps the recycling process safe but also protects the workers involved in it.

5 Incredible Uses of Recycled Plastic

Concrete & Bricks

Recycled plastic aggregates or fibres can substitute natural aggregates or steel-reinforced mesh (SRM), creating sustainable and durable construction materials. Non-profit organisation Recycle Rebuild empowers communities to recycle waste into affordable, high-quality building materials, whilst providing an immediate source of income for those affected by natural disasters.

Trainers

Companies like Adidas have partnered with Parley to create Adidas Ultra Boost Parley shoes, offering style and sustainability in one package. These trainers are made from recycled plastic that is intercepted from beaches and coastal communities before it reaches the oceans.

Tennis Courts

RecycleBalls is an innovative organisation that recycles tennis balls into a crumb rubber mix, which is then used to construct new tennis courts, turning waste into resourceful use. The organisation has saved 11,000,000 from landfills, helping to reduce greenhouse emissions.

Toys & Skateboards

Brands like Buero use plastic fish nets to create skateboards, clothing, and sunglasses. Such initiatives contribute to the circular economy, where waste becomes the raw material for new products. Buero uses 100% post-consumer fishing nets, preventing the most harmful form of ocean plastic pollution.

Start Recycling Your Business Waste

Recycling plastic in your business is not just an environmental initiative; it’s a smart business strategy. Embrace plastic recycling, and you’ll reap the rewards—both economically and ethically. Together, we can work together to make the world a greener place. Want to discover how to reduce the carbon impact of your business through plastic recycling? Book a call HERE with one of our team today.