Paper recycling services are available in many ares throughout the country, but they are still under utilized. In many cases, offices and industrial factories and warehouses can implement their own paper recycling process by teaching employees how to reduce waste in general, and making sure that any paper waste employees do create is promptly taken to in-house paper recycling centers, or to paper recycling service providers in the area.

Teaching paper recycling basics in the office will not only help the environment, it will also give your company green image in the public eye. You can begin your recycling program by implementing these steps:

1. Learn all you can by perusing paper recycling information.

2. Start a corporate paper recycling program in the office or warehouse.

3. Teach employees how to recycle in the workplace.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Learn why industrial paper recycling is important

You cannot convince anyone to help you with a paper recycling effort unless you believe in it yourself, so taking the time to teach yourself and your employees about the importance of paper recycling is an essential element in raising the rate of participation.

I recommend: Educate yourself about paper recycling by reading facts about recycling paper put out by Green Living, or by check out the Secret Life Series on recycling paper.

Start a white paper recycling program in your office

Once you learn about how recycling works and why it is important, create a recycling program in the office that will get all the employees involved. There are many different ways to set up a program, and it is up to you to find the best fit for your environment.

I recommend: If you are ready to start a recycling program in your business, read tips on how to start a commercial recycling program put out by the City of Houston. You can also check out guidelines from the Environmental Protection Agency for creating successful paper recycling centers in the workplace.

Teach employees about office paper recycling

For many companies, paper recycling equipment only involves bins marked with the type of substance you want to recycle. For most offices, and even for some industrial businesses, this will be paper. To make the program work, teach your employees about the importance of recycling paper, and also what can and cannot be recycled through your program.

I recommend: WakeGOV has useful tips to teach your employees about paper recycling so that you can maintain your program successfully. Even simple videos like the one from TAPPI can help employees learn their part in recycling and why it is important.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Teaching paper recycling basics in the workplace takes more than just implementing the program, so keep track of participation and make sure the program is sustainable.

Industrial paper recycling is being used by many companies. Are you finding that a large part of the waste that your company produces is office paper? It’s not surprising since some estimates show office paper making up as much at 40% of municipal waste. So how do you get rid of all that paper, while keeping costs down and doing a little something for the environment as well?

You can approach office paper recycling in a few ways. It is important to have a well thought out plan in place before instituting a new policy. This includes knowing what you want to accomplish by making this change as well as having paper recycling services lined up ahead of time. Before instituting a corporate paper recycling rule in your organization, here are a few things to consider:

1. Your specific office paper recycling goals.

2. Getting a paper recycling process in place for employees.

3. Locating paper recycling centers and services in your area.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Develop what you want to accomplish by instituting an office paper recycling program

Is your sole reason for wanting to recycle your office paper because of the environmental aspect or is it a security concern? Knowing what you want the result of your recycling program to be will start you on the right track.

I recommend: The Recycling Products website offers a calculator to give you an idea of how much of the paper products that your company currently produces can be recycled. Paperrecycles.org has a guide to office recycling as well as ideas on how to promote the program within your organization.

Find a list of your local corporate recycling information resources and councils

Most cities have plenty of resources to assist a company in setting up an industrial paper recycling program. There may even be incentives such as assistance with recycling fees and paper recycling equipment, free advertising in newsletters and decals to advertise your participation in a corporate recycling program.

I recommend: The Greater Philadelphia Commercial Recycling Council offers startup information such as laws and regulations pertaining to corporate recycling as well as the opportunity to nominate another company--even your own--to receive an award and recognition for a recycling job well done. The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity runs a program called the Illinois Recycling Grants Program that assists companies in collecting and processing recyclables for areas like Chicago. The California Integrated Waste Management Board website has resources to help companies throughout the state start a recycling program in their organization. They also have a program to allow businesses to gain public recognition for their outstanding waste reduction efforts.

Find paper recycling service providers in your area

It is important to find reputable paper recycling companies that provide all of the paper recycling services to meet your needs. Some charge per pound of materials while others charge per visit. Ask questions to ensure that their services are the right fit for your organization.

I recommend: RecyclingCenters.org lets you search by zip code to find paper recycling service providers in your area. Blue Mountain Recycling services throughout the Philadelphia area and has been able to provide clients with up to an 85% reduction in waste materials. America's Most Trusted Recycling Services provides recycling services of all kinds throughout Illinois. Finally, CR&R Waste and Recycling Services provides recycling services to business in cities throughout Southern California.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Most paper recycling companies will provide you with the proper paper recycling equipment such as bins if you do not already have your own.

Paper recycling services turn used paper products into new paper products. There are a number of advantages to using paper recycling service providers and recycled paper products in the workplace, from decreased energy consumption through paper recycling, to less landfill usage, to cleaner water and air through less pollution.

Corporate paper recycling is, for many businesses, not a difficult task. However, it does take some time and effort. For this reason, many employees and organizations benefit from paper recycling education and training, such as:

1. Being able to attend office green seminars or online webinars.

2. Reviewing paper recycling and green office certification options.

3. Enrolling in classes and watching tutorials to learn not only to recycle, but also to become more paperless, using less or no paper.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Learn the benefits of office paper recycling and other green office practices through seminars

Information on paper recycling, be it white paper recycling or mixed paper recycling, and other green office opportunities can be taught to companies and their employees through seminars where knowledgeable individuals share their ideas and recommendations with those who need it.

I recommend: A World of Green offers seminars to businesses covering a variety of topics, such as how businesses can save money by going green, make money through recycling, reduce the amount of paper and material waste generated in the office and how to inspire "green" thinking among business employees. This seminar is beneficial in the ways that it provides simple, no or low-cost solutions to help improve the ecological ramifications of industry paper and product use. The Green Office offers similar online webinars to convey an education ensuring a convenient, cost-effective green future for the company including courses like Office Greening 101 and Carbon Offsetting.

Complete green office certification to learn more about office paper recycling and other practices

Green office certification helps to illustrate to employees, clients and the business on a whole that actions are being taken to ensure a more environmentally friendly work ambiance. In almost all instances, office paper recycling is a requirement of earning such certification.

I recommend: GreenLinePaper.com offers certification to businesses which meet their environmentally friendly criteria. Businesses which enjoy this certification are required to use energy in moderation and wisely, recycling, such as taking part in a paper recycling process, and utilizing materials which are energy efficient. OfficeGreeners.com also offers similar, but more isolated and specialized, certification processes, requirements and benefits.

Become educated on paper recycling services and paperless options through classes and tutorials

Significantly more paperless offices help cut down on the amount of waste being generated by an office, while still allowing the business to invest in industrial paper recycling for the paper they do use. This is beneficial for the business from a cost perspective, as well as for the environment.

I recommend: K2Enterprises offers a course which teaches businesses and their employees the most optimal methods for document management and creating a more paperless work environment, including options for eliminating paper usage. UIS.edu offers a tutorial on electronic documentation and creating a more paperless office environment for businesses.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Before implementing a paper recycling program at one's place of business, make sure all the necessary paper recycling equipment is present. For many companies, this includes bins and paper shredders for recycling shredded paper. It is also important to identify local paper recycling companies and paper recycling centers that can work with your business to decrease paper wastes in landfills.