3 ways to deal with single-use items in your workplace
Single-use items are products that are used once before ending up in our garbage cans. With such a short life span, they generate recurrent waste and therefore have a significant impact on the environment.
According to Plastic Oceans, our planet produces more than 380 million tons of plastic each year, half of which is for single use.
Solutions exist to easily replace, recycle or reuse disposable items, whatever your workplace is.
1. Replace your disposable items by reusable ones
In most of workplaces, companies get rid of single-use items such as disposable cups and plastic bottles in order to reduce waste. Glass bottles, seaweed cups, water fountains… a lot of solutions have been successfully launched as alternatives to create more sustainable habits. This strategy to replace single-use items by alternatives with longer life spans applies to others: if your stapler can be refilled, so can your pen!
Scrutinizing the material components
The materials used in the product strongly influence its life span and frequency of use. If plastic is particularly criticized, it also exists in more responsible forms, especially when it comes from recycled materials. Other more responsible and sometimes surprising components can also stand as sustainable alternatives.
Lyreco Poland & Idea Bank: replacing plastics water bottles with glass jugs
Idea Bank has been cooperating with Lyreco for more than 10 years and considers Lyreco as a business partner with significant experience in CSR. When they faced the challenge to reduce the use of disposable plastic bottles by employees Lyreco Poland suggested a solution which led to significant reduction of plastic bottles use.
Packaging innovation towards zero waste
In Lyreco Switzerland since 2018, all chocolate products from our Swiss catering services have been shipped in thermal hemp bags, a natural and responsible product that offers optimal protection of the products against high or low temperatures, fully compostable and 100% made from renewable natural raw materials.
2. Find solutions to recycle
Applying circular economy principles to printing
Our customers strive for sustainable printing practices. Cartridges play a key role in this field. Lyreco has developed a high quality, environmentally friendly range of remanufactured cartridges that applies the circular economy principles to printing.
Lyreco toner cartridges are recycled to produce new cartridges. They are collected, reshaped, cleaned, have parts replaced and are refilled with toner... so they can be used again. This means that fewer raw materials are used.
Making your coffee experience more eco-friendly!
Both the coffee grounds and aluminum packaging can be recycled to support eco-product development and local agriculture.
Complimentary coffee ground recycling service is included in every Lyreco’s coffee subscription!
Coffee ground up-cycling workshops can be additionally arranged to further promote the green clause among your employees.
3. Make your workplace a zero-waste-friendly space
Ensuring greener practices starts with making your work environment a space where single-use items do not belong and where reuse and recycling are encouraged. Many solutions exist to make it easy for your employees to change their habits with great results.
Optimize your workplace to avoid waste
At Lyreco, we are convinced that solutions to fight against all climate stakes will be collective and that as a responsible partner, we must own up to our responsibilities and walk the talk.
That’s why we strive to organize our workplaces towards waste limitation and more circularity.
Towards zero waste workplaces
Because 50% of CO2 emissions come from consumer products and because most of workplace products are disposable and resource consuming, together with our customers, suppliers and employees we strive to make a difference to protect our planet.
And we do so by shifting from a linear model to a circular one, taking action through by:
- Offering a circular alternative for all ranges of products
- Banishing single-use items from our premises
- Removing non-circular packaging from the products we sell
- Contributing to develop a Circular Economy Standard for the workplace industry
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Circular Economy
