Whether you want to improve your company's green image, save on dumpster service, or reduce your impact on the environment, there's a lot you can do to limit the amount of waste your office produces. Unless you're already making a conscious effort to reduce trash production, there are a number of places around the office that generate a surprising amount. Through audits of your internal processes, policy changes, and specific training, employees and leadership can work together to improve your waste management in the following ways.

How to Reduce Your Waste Production

1. Cut Down on Packaging

Take a look at the products your business relies on. These may be tools and materials for creating products, paper and toner for printing documentation, electronics, and even food provided to employees. Look at the type of packaging used on each product. If anything has unnecessary or excessive packaging or is double wrapped, look for alternatives which require less cardboard and plastic. For instance, you can get many products like toner used or refurbished, and they'll come with minimal packaging.

2. Go Paperless

Paper documentation is far less important to most businesses than it used to be. Electronic document storage takes up less space; is easier to sort, update, reformat, and analyze; and can be made remotely available to multiple offices and employees working from home. Look at your current systems to see what could be emailed or kept in a database instead of being printed.

3. Use Your Food Waste

Food scraps from the office can be composted, either on the premises if you have a large company campus or through an agreement with another individual or business who needs compost. Food waste can also be fed to pigs, if there are any livestock owners in your area. You may have to research local agricultural operations to find the right partner to provide waste management for these scraps.

If you need a recycling center to help with your waste management, choose Freedom From Waste in Farmington, MO. This locally owned and operated trash pickup and recycling provider in St. Francois County prides itself on giving back to the community and investing in the local economy. To schedule service, call them at (573) 747-0550 or visit them online.