Easi Recycling Blog

The Most Hygienic Bin in the World? Make your business Covid-19 safe

Jon Earnshaw — Mon, 23 Mar 2020 03:02:21 GMT

Longopac- the Most Hygienic Bin in the World?

Make your business Covid-19 safe by making small changes that make a big difference. Systems, procedures and equipment all needs reviewing, from washing our hands thoroughly; using sanitiser; to how we dispose of used tissues / wet wipes.

Cycling & Recycling 3,000 km through NZ – Cape Reinga to Bluff

Jon Earnshaw — Mon, 09 Mar 2020 02:39:04 GMT

February 17th marked the start of the Tour Aotearoa Brevet 2020. Held every two years, this self-supported, amazing 3000km route from Cape Reinga to Bluff, was carefully designed by cycling guidebook writer Jonathan Kennett.

Waste Bins or Waste Stands? What’s the Difference

Jon Earnshaw — Tue, 09 Jul 2019 00:19:00 GMT

Do you measure the ‘running cost’ of your waste bins? This may seem like a silly question but every bin could be costing you time, wasted plastic and high waste collections costs. If you’re a Multi-National organisation, it’s likely that you have thousands of random waste bins, if these were monitored, it is also likely you would find the collective financial and environmental costs to be very alarming. Having a good waste management system is essential for any business, yet little thought is put into what type of bin we actually use.
At Easi Recycling, we’re often asked if there’s a difference between the traditional waste bin and a waste stand? In order to answer that question, we’ve outlined the pros and cons of each to help you choose the right waste solution for your business. It all begins with the bin.

The Traditional Waste Bin

The typical waste bin comes in all sorts of shapes and sizes - some with liners, on wheels, static, lids, colours etc. But the one thing that most traditional bins have in common is that you cannot see the waste inside. While it may seem beneficial not to see dirty, smelly mixed rubbish, the truth is that it can have a negative impact, placing waste in the correct bin is the foundation of a success of your waste management programme. Often with traditional bins, the waste is mixed, meaning that it’s not correctly separated. However, even if a well labelled coloured bin is used properly for recycling, black liners are often used. This makes it impossible to distinguish which type of waste stream is inside the bag once it leaves the bin – meaning that when it arrives at the skip it could be a case of ‘if in doubt, chuck it out’ and any recycling efforts are wasted.

What’s more, most companies only buy one bag type and size. But the problem is that these bags are often oversized in order to fit a number of various sized bins that may be scattered around the workplace. More often than not, the bag also tends to be less than half full due to ‘overlapping’ to help hold the bag in place – meaning that half of your plastic bag liner is used as a ‘holder’ and not for waste storage itself.

Is the solution to not use a liner?

If no bag is used, often bins will need to be

thoroughly washed & cleaned in order to remain hygienic.

The Recipe for Successful Restaurant Recycling

Jon Earnshaw — Fri, 14 Jun 2019 21:25:00 GMT

From leftovers to product packaging, the food industry generates a lot of waste on a daily basis. In fact, it’s estimated that just one restaurant alone can produce over 1 tonne of waste per week. That being the case, it may be time to consider a restaurant recycling programme to help your food establishment efficiently dispose of all that waste…

Innovative Advancement in the Last 50 Years – Does Recycling Have a Place?

Jon Earnshaw — Mon, 20 May 2019 21:32:19 GMT

Technological advancements are often developed in order to meet a problem or an opportunity. In the world of business, technology can be used in a number of ways, to help improve customer care, transportation, business communication and even employee efficiency. However, while most business owners and managers readily acknowledge the importance of innovative technology within the workplace, when it comes to advancements in recycling, many businesses seem to be stuck in the seventies.

What’s the Difference Between Compostable and Biodegradable ?

Jon Earnshaw — Sun, 21 Apr 2019 22:08:38 GMT

Compostable and Biodegradable

Compostable and biodegradable can be two confusing terms that often come up in the world of recycling. Technically speaking, they both describe biological processes so the question is, what exactly is the difference between these terms? And why is knowing the difference so important? To get a better understanding, let’s first take a close look at the meaning of both words.

Biodegradable

To put it simply, according to American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) a product is only ‘biodegradable’ if it will break down safely and quickly by naturally occurring microorganisms such as fungi, bacteria, algae or some other biological process. In fact, the meaning is right there in the word itself. ‘Bio’ means life, ‘degrade’ means to break down and ‘able’ means that it can happen. Really then, biodegradation is just nature’s way of breaking down materials. However, certain materials break down at different rates depending on what they’re made from. The truth is that many items are biodegradable, if enough time is given. Materials such as plastic are known to take years, even centuries to break down naturally – but they will eventually do so. That means, technically speaking, that they are biodegradable… So when a company labels their packaging as ‘biodegradable’ all it really means is that it will eventually break down in a land fill. While that’s great news, the real question is, how long does a product take to biodegrade? The less time this natural process takes, the better it is for our planet.

Compostable

Composting is the recycling process of organic waste so that it breaks down into its natural elements and can eventually be reused. However, in the packaging world, this term means something a little different. Generally, when a packaging company labels their product ‘compostable,’ what they really mean is that it can be turned into compost…but only when placed into an industrial composting facility. This means that compostable labelled products don’t always break down naturally in a landfill and in order to do so, they will most likely need the right kind of conditions - those that are only found in an industrial facility. In fact, compostable products can take a long time to break down naturally, especially if they’re placed in an ‘air locked’ landfill where no oxygen is present. So, while compostable products are certainly better for the environment, it’s vital that your business disposes of items properly, always ask your waste provider if they can dispose of compostable material correctly.

So what’s the difference?

Looking at the definition of both terms, it’s clear to see why it may be confusing but there is a vital difference. While composting may be a faster process, compostable materials need the correct environment in order to break down fully, whereas a biodegradable product will eventually break down naturally in the landfill. That being said, both these products are better for the planet than items made purely from plastic – which can take centuries to disintegrate.

5 Top Tips for Facility Managers to Reduce Waste Costs and Increase Recycling

Jon Earnshaw — Wed, 20 Feb 2019 20:31:57 GMT

Simple Tips to Reduce Waste Costs and Increase Recycling ?

Recycling has caused quite a stir this last decade and has quickly evolved from a ‘good idea’ to a regulatory requirement and Brand expectation. While the issue of "waste and recycling" may not seem exciting, it’s important and starts from the top. With some small changes the results can be very rewarding - certainly from a business cost and environmental perspective.

As recycling continues to develop, so does the technology. Facility managers need to keep improving their disposal systems and implement new innovation to achieve the most efficient and cost-effective waste management solution possible. With that in mind, Easi Recycling has put together our five top tips to help facility managers implement a simple but effective waste and recycling programme, that benefits your bottom line, brand credibility and the planet too.

Five Ways Supermarkets Can Manage Waste More Efficiently

Jon Earnshaw — Tue, 12 Feb 2019 18:40:00 GMT

Each year, New Zealanders send 122,547 tonnes of food waste to landfill – all of which could have been consumed. Not only does this cost us money but it’s harmful to the environment too. While increasing our recycling efforts at home will greatly help, the issue of food waste also spills over into the retail sector. In fact, within supermarkets, there are many different areas where the management of waste material can become an issue – be it excessive packaging or combustible and edible waste. This being the case, there’s a desperate need for stores to increase their recycling efforts by separating and sorting their waste at source
In the western world, we largely depend on supermarkets. However, a store that regularly makes or buys more food than it can sell isn’t sustainable – neither environmentally nor economically. That’s why it’s important that stores frequently review their practices and make a concerted effort to manage food waste efficiently with landfill being a last resort.

Environmental Impact

In fact, according to ‘love food hate waste’, the food that we waste in New Zealand creates 325,975 tonnes of carbon emissions. To put that into perspective, they say that to offset this damage, 118,107 cars would need to be removed from our roads each year or 130,390 trees would need to be planted! It’s clear that when it comes to food waste, more must be done to have a significant impact but having an efficient supermarket waste management strategy is a good place to start. To help, we’ve put together five ways that will help your store manage food waste more efficiently.

5 Ways Supermarkets Can Waste Less Food

Assign a Waste Champion – the first step is to educate and assign a staff member or two to be in charge of your store recycling efforts. They can work along with one of our Easi consultants to make sure they have all the information needed to ensure that the correct bin systems are in place and used properly.
Identify Key Waste Streams – start by carrying out a free waste stream audit here or by speaking to one of our friendly consultants. This way, you can identify all your key waste streams, how to separate them and how they can be recycled correctly.

Use Colour Coded Bins that are Clearly Labelled – such as these here. This will really help your staff. If your bins are clearly labelled and colour-coded with different waste streams, they will find it easier to separate food waste correctly.
Educate, Educate, Educate – once your bins are set up and your waste streams are identified, it’s time to educate your staff so that they understand what waste to separate in their department and also what they should empty their bins into once they’re full. In fact, why not invite your Easi waste consultant along to run a brief workshop on the importance of recycling and how to do so correctly?
Set a Waste Minimisation Goal – Discuss your environmental ambitions with your team and your Easi consultant. For example, how about making it a goal to reduce your landfill bin empties or try aiming to hit a 95% waste diversion rate? We all need something to work towards but be sure to keep it achievable and realistic. Remember to monitor your progress too, with friendly reminders to staff along the way.

Educate Customers
Take your commitment to our planet one step further and work with your customers to help them reduce food waste at home too. How? Print advice on how to freeze or store leftover food on the packaging of your products. Alongside this, why not try an in-store campaign that highlights how much food is wasted and what can be done about it? Supermarkets can’t solve this issue alone but any initiative to reduce food waste is certainly worth the effort.

Is A Waste Free Future Possible?
Food waste is a difficult problem to tackle but with help from supermarkets, we can work toward a meaningful solution. The challenge is large but implementing our five supermarket waste management tips can help get your store on a greener path.

If you’re interested in innovative waste handling and packaging solutions for your store, Easi Recycling can help. Our bins make sorting food waste easy and environmentally safe – making them the ideal solution for a supermarket. To find out more click here or contact us today on 0800 342 3177.

Smarter Waste Management in Schools

Jon Earnshaw — Tue, 05 Feb 2019 18:33:00 GMT

Smarter Waste Management in Schools

The lessons that our children are taught in school can lay the habits of a lifetime. Included in those essential lessons should be the importance of recycling and smarter school waste management along with why it’s imperative for our planet. Recycling in school can be integrated very easily into a range of subjects and should be part of every school curriculum. By teaching students how to reduce, re-use and recycle, it will also help to lower your schools environmental footprint. With just over 2,500 schools in New Zealand, the waste that each produces contributes significantly towards the amount of waste that NZ produces on the whole.

Small Changes, Big Rewards - it does not need to be complicated 😁

In order to create a sustainable school waste management programme, we first need to start with the student’s hearts and minds. They must understand the effect we’re having on this planet and why we need to make changes.
Without greater education on hazardous materials – such as electronic waste, heavy metals in batteries and mercury in fluorescent lighting – we’re denying the next generation of the information that they need to make better waste disposal decisions. That lack of knowledge will result in increased pollution in the world that our children grow up in.
Teaching our children from an early age about contamination and segregation of waste at source and product lifecycles, will be skills that will compliment them and the environment for the rest of their lives, creating a strong foundation.

Creating a school waste management programme - the hardest part is starting 👍

The aim is to dispose of school waste in a way that has the least, negative effect on our planet. Separating, reusing, recycling, reducing and composting are great options for managing school waste.
As with every successful recycling programme, segregation of waste at source is key, so this is a great place to start with managing school waste too. Forty per cent of New Zealand waste is contaminated by food and trying to separate rubbish streams once they’re mixed is very hard. Sorting out food waste from dry waste at the source can dramatically avoid contamination and help to increase recycling.
Segregating at the source, with colour coded bags, not only helps to identify what type of waste is in that bag but it also makes sure that it goes into the correct container when it arrives at the waste contractor bins too.

Have bins set up for different types of waste and educate the students on which to use. They should be clearly labelled for paper, glass, cans, plastic and organic waste.

Paper – this has always been a quick win for recycling. Schools produce a lot of waste paper. Try teaching students to print or write on both sides of the paper, use scrap paper for notes where possible and to always recycle in the correct bin.

Plastics – this material covers a wide range of types and often requires further segregation. But a good place to start is by aiming to minimise the plastic that you throw away. For example, teach children about the importance of reusable water bottles, straws and coffee cups.

Organic Food Waste – as we’ve mentioned, it’s really important to segregate food waste at source so as not to contaminate dry recyclable waste. So why not teach the students how composting works? As you can use compost on school gardens, this saves money too. Set up worm farms and use them to teach part of the curriculum.

Cardboard – this normally comes from supplies. Depending on the volume, a small baler on site may be required. This will reduce the number of bins needed and the collection frequency too. Often small cardboard bales are collected free of charge.

Take the first step

Swapping to our unique Longopac system will also save you 70% on plastic liners, help increase recycling and reduce costs ♻️

Call Easi Recycling today to learn more or click here

Please try our 15 minute Free no obligation mini online survey
at a time to suit you.

Environmental Sustainability – Is it Economical in the Long Run?

Jon Earnshaw — Fri, 18 Jan 2019 18:14:00 GMT

The environmental landscape of this world is fast-changing and our planet is in ‘power-saving’ mode. As a result, more businesses are now committing themselves to conserve energy and resources in order to save our dying habitat. However, it begs the question, does running an environmentally-friendly business have a greater impact on cost-efficiency?

We understand that when most business owners hear the word ‘eco-friendly’ they associate it with reduced profits and extra costs. However, the opposite is often true. Running an environmentally-aware business can often mean greater profitability in the long run.

Here are some facts based on research by non-profit CDP:

1. Businesses that create sustainability strategies are shown to outperform those who fail to adopt a positive attitude toward eco-friendly changes
2. Companies that are actively planning for climate changes receive an eighteen percent higher return on investment than those who don’t
3. Corporations that choose to invest in carbon reductions attained a fifty percent lower volatility of earnings over the last ten years as well as a 21% increase in dividends

How to ‘go green’ and save on everyday costs

One of the easiest ways to start your journey towards sustainability is to recycle. Simply by separating recyclables and non-recyclables, you’ll quickly begin to notice a lot of reusable materials that would otherwise end up in the general waste bin. As an added bonus – mixed recycling bins are often collected at discounted prices to landfill waste.

Reducing the number of waste bags used will also help the environment. However, it’s important to measure rubbish bags by total weight used rather than quantity. To determine if you’re receiving good value, the cost should be measured by cents per litre of waste, rather than cents per bag.

For many companies though, a large percentage of every waste bag purchased is not used. The bag is often too large for the bin, is only partially filled due to weight restrictions or is emptied daily regardless of how full the bag may be.

To remedy this, a simple calculation can be used to find out if you’re using more plastic than necessary:

Number of bags used per day
Length of the plastic bag
Volume of waste per bag
Thickness of the bag
Average % filling

This is important because the extensive use of plastic has created a real problem for our planet and is hazardous to humans and animals too. The solution? Reduce your footprint by adopting innovative, cutting-edge technology from Longopac. Our bags are made from ultra-thin polyethylene material which is half the thickness yet three times the strength of a traditional bag. This solution offers not only offers better functionality but more importantly, it’s environmentally-friendly too. A bag that lasts longer and is always 100% full, reduces your yearly consumption. It effectively proves to be more sustainable on nature and your budget too.

Easi Recycling Blog

The Most Hygienic Bin in the World? Make your business Covid-19 safe

Longopac- the Most Hygienic Bin in the World?

Cycling & Recycling 3,000 km through NZ – Cape Reinga to Bluff

Waste Bins or Waste Stands? What’s the Difference

The Traditional Waste Bin

Is the solution to not use a liner?

The Recipe for Successful Restaurant Recycling

Innovative Advancement in the Last 50 Years – Does Recycling Have a Place?

What’s the Difference Between Compostable and Biodegradable ?

Compostable and Biodegradable

Biodegradable

Compostable

So what’s the difference?

5 Top Tips for Facility Managers to Reduce Waste Costs and Increase Recycling

Simple Tips to Reduce Waste Costs and Increase Recycling ?

Five Ways Supermarkets Can Manage Waste More Efficiently

Environmental Impact

5 Ways Supermarkets Can Waste Less Food

Smarter Waste Management in Schools

Smarter Waste Management in Schools

Environmental Sustainability – Is it Economical in the Long Run?

How to ‘go green’ and save on everyday costs

Every Longopac bag is 100% Full, average cost is 0.01 cents Per litre waste

On average Longopac uses 70% less plastic than a tradition waste bag.

Become an environmentally-friendly business