Reducing Waste in the Workplace

Reduce-Reuse-Recycle

Reducing office waste is not only an environmentally-conscious thing to do, it's a great way to protect your bottom line.

By practicing the three Rs of "reduce, reuse, recycle," your office may end up purchasing fewer supplies, keeping a lower inventory, and paying lower trash bills. Simply put: Reducing waste boosts efficiency...and that adds up to a wider profit margin.

Solid waste from business and industries in Thurston County accounts for more than 40 percent of the total waste stream.  Your efforts to reduce waste are vital to our community as well. Click on the links below for tips.

Reduce

Reuse

Recycle

Conduct a Waste Audit

Business Food Scrap Recycling

Restaurants, grocery stores, schools, nursing homes and other large food-waste generators are signing up for the "Food Plus Recycling" program. Participating businesses simply place food waste and food-soiled paper into a single bin, which is collected and emptied at a composting facility.

Green Building

If you're in the construction business, you can create cutting-edge, environmentally-friendly structures and reduce your trash disposal costs. Click here for details.

Waste Assist Visits

Thurston County Solid Waste staff can visit your workplace and perform waste audits to identify areas for improvement. E-mail Allyson Ruppenthal at ruppena@co.thurston.wa.us for more information.

Presentations

We offer a variety of presentations to benefit your staff at work and at home.  Many employers offer "brown bag" voluntary presentations to their staff -- employees eat lunch while they learn. Topics include: Smart Shopping, General Waste Reduction and Recycling, Composting, Buying Recycled and Less Toxic Products, Reducing Toxins at Home and at Work!  E-mail Allyson Ruppenthal at ruppena@co.thurston.wa.us for more information.

TechnoTrash

Monitors, mice, CDs, cell phones....the amount of e-waste generated in today's office is daunting. The good news is that many local businesses and national chains are now accepting electronics.

Questions:  Call 754-3355 ext. 7676 or e-mail ruppena@co.thurston.wa.us . 
Last updated: 01/14/2010