10 Recycling Facts Your Business Needs To Know

Whether you operate a high street retail store, an independent café or a bustling office, recycling is crucial. Having the right recycling equipment in place, and a well-planned process for your waste disposal brings so many commercial benefits to businesses of all sizes. From cardboard balers to picking stations, waste recycling machinery can help with all aspects of your disposal procedure. To help you understand a bit more about the world of recycling and the impact it has on our planet, we are sharing the top 10 recycling facts that businesses need to know.

  1. Recycling paper takes 70% less energy than producing it from raw materials

Not only does putting paper in your recycling machinery save on the raw materials, but it also significantly cuts down the energy consumption used in production. In fact, if everyone in the UK recycled 10% more paper than they do currently, we could save roughly 5 million trees every single year.

  1. Only 27% of batteries in the UK are recycled

Because of this, more than 20,000 tonnes of batteries are going into landfill. When a battery goes into landfill, it can leak toxic chemicals which are emitted into the environment.

  1. 75% of aluminium ever produced is still being used today

Aluminium is one of the easiest materials to recycle, and it takes 95% less energy to recycle a can that it does to produce a new one. Because metals are so simple to recycle, they should be your top priority for getting into your recycling equipment.

  1. Only around 50% of glass in the UK is recycled

Glass is 100% recyclable, and yet the recycle rate for this material is only 50%. A massive 28 billion glass jars and bottles end up in landfill every single year. The reason behind this low rate is that glass can be difficult to recycle, so if your business can’t recycle it, consider cutting down on how much glass you use.

  1. Roughly 80% of supermarkets and retailers recycle their cardboard

Shops are one of the biggest producers of cardboard waste in the UK, and there are still 20% of retailers out there which are failing to recycle this material. Recycling equipment can help your business to recycle cardboard quickly and efficiently.

  1. Only 23% of water bottles are sent for recycling

Products like reusable water bottles are increasing in popularity, but disposable water bottles are still used all the time. Less than one quarter of all plastic water bottles actually get recycled, with most going to landfill instead.

  1. 70% of waste from offices is paper waste

Offices are one of the biggest producers of paper waste in the country. If you are running a busy office, make sure you have the right recycling equipment in place to encourage employees to dispose of their paper properly.

  1. UK citizens are only recycling 3% more today than in 2010

Despite such a huge focus on recycling and sustainability, the UK’s recycling rate has barely risen in the last decade. From homeowners to business owners, everyone needs to work together to recycle more and help our planet.

For more information on recycling and recycling equipment, contact our team at WRT today.