waste — from bulk recycling pickups for thousands of spent light bulbs to small, pre-paid mail recycling containers for a few pounds of used batteries. Get The Word Out Simply knowing that recycling is an option and that various services are available is not enough; guidelines specifying all aspects of recycling are necessary. Not only do guidelines allow for participa-tion on the part of all staff, they make a recycling program run more efficiently and with fewer hiccups. “Well-written guidelines are not left open to interpretation — they will outline who is responsible, what is being recycled, where recyclable items are being collected and why this is important to the facility and the community,” notes Hamel. Strategically placed signage can serve as a reminder that certain products used by custodial professionals — and other staff and building occupants — can be recycled and diverted from the waste stream. “Building awareness to the issues and educating those within the organization to simply ʻdo the right thingʼ and recycle is one step that needs to be taken,” proclaims Derek Wardwell, corporate marketing coor-dinator for the Armor Group. To increase the rate at which items are recycled at a facility, one should: Explain the benefits of recycling to staff and other building occupants Show workers and building occupants how much can be saved — both mon-etarily and in trash from landfills Allow all employees to develop the recycling program Create incentives for employees and building occupants who recycle. The ‘Cradle-to-cradle’ Mindset Lifecycle or “cradle-to-cradle” thinking is the practice of waste-free, efficient production. It is no longer sufficient to manufacture products with high levels of recycled con-tent — a more comprehensive approach in which products are designed to reduce environmental impacts from the start is necessary. “The post-consumer use aspect of waste management has traditionally been consid-ered beyond the manufacturerʼs direct con-trol and therefore, out of scope,” says Lisa Morden, global sustainability leader for Kimberly-Clark Professional. “However, manufacturers are increasingly considering this question as they and their customers seek ways to reduce their environmental footprint.” Wardwell adds that manufacturers who embrace this mindset and produce prod-ucts that can be reused, recycled or com-posted instead of being disposed of and placed in landfills start a chain reaction of environmental responsibility. “When you think about it, the options are endless as to what can be recycled or com-posted,” concludes Wardwell. CM Circle Product Information no. 211 on page 32 www.cmmonline.com 37
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