Recycling at work

There are a number of easy changes you can make at work which can make a big difference to the amount of waste you throw away.  

Reduce single-use plastic 

To reduce your single-use plastic, you can:

• use a reusable cup - take a reusable cup when buying hot drinks from shops and cafes, many will offer a discount too
• use a reusable shopping bag - remember your bag when you go out to lunch and avoid the 5p charge
• use a reusable water bottle - there are water coolers all over our buildings for you to fill up your water bottle. You can even refill for free when you are out using the Refill app​
• use reusable cutlery - keep some reusable cutlery in your locker or bag, ready for when buying food on the go
• say no to plastic straws - many retailers are now opting for paper straws, but saying no is even better
• use green purchasing - if you’re responsible for buying items, investigate if there are greener alternatives available. Although some items might be more expensive, they might be better made and last longer​

What you can do when hosting a meeting 

If you're hosting a meeting, you can:

• provide reusable glasses - buy a reusable water jug and glasses for meetings to avoid using single-use plastic cups 
• send a reminder - if you are having a meeting, send round a reminder to bring their reusable cup and water bottle 

What you can do if your team runs or attends events

If you're running or attending an event, you can:

• avoid giveaways - if your team attends events, think about the types of giveaways you use and if these can contain recycled content
• run a prize draw - use one higher value prize to engage with residents rather than small giveaway items
• avoid using helium balloons - balloons are a single-use plastic item and if they are let go, can cause damage to local wildlife​

​What other things you can do at work

Other things you can do at work include:

• minimising the amount of paper towel used in kitchens - try and use just one or two sheets 
• recycling as much as possible - find out what you can recycle at work​​​

More ways to reduce your wa​​ste

If you’ve already made these switches and are looking for more ways to reduce your waste, check out some other reusable switche​s.​​​