Does your company need to get rid of electronics, heavy machines, scrap metal, plastics, and many other recyclable materials? Many of these materials can be delivered to recycling centers for a bit of money back on your investment, but you have to be careful not to waste your potential earnings on the recycling process itself. To come closer to breaking even or even making a profit with your waste management processes, here are a few recycling planning concerns and ways to work around the problem points.

Getting To The Dumpster Without A Workers Compensation Claim

Not all trash is so light and easy that it can be tossed into a dumpster without a problem. Computers are probably the lightest of common business recycling systems, and even that can lead to some back and spine injury issues if you're not careful.

Every business should review OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) guidelines on materials handling, which covers lifting, pushing, pulling, and many other tasks. These simple tasks--while annoying in some situations--can keep your business running smoothly and keep the specific workers from ruining their lives with chronic pain.

Well, at least keep them from blaming you for it.

Along with proper materials handling, you need to determine an efficient path, place efficient tools, and clearly establish the goals. There should be a particular path to take for people who need to carry recyclable materials from offices and storage rooms to the recycling container, meaning that all employees need to know how to yield to people carrying heavy objects. 

It also means that if you can create a clear path, do so. Lower traffic areas designated for people who need to service different parts of the company would be a great way to keep things efficient. It doesn't mean that no one can use certain corridors except for movers and cleaners, just that the company should understand who has the right of way.

Container Placement Planning

To make this job easier, you'll need multiple types of containers. Hand-carry containers can hold multiple small objects, rolling carts allow employees to push heavy objects around without suffering significant injury, and the recycling dumpsters will make pickup and delivery for recycling centers easier.

A sanitation company can provide portable dumpsters, waste containers, and other types of containers to make life easier for the recycling process. If your business plans on separating specific metals and materials while keeping an eye on daily-changing recycling rates, you can even get color-coded containers to make organization easier.

The final recycling container for all materials can be marked as recycling-only to separate it from the standard garbage. This is important because some municipal trash services won't pick up certain materials, and you need a way to make sure that your recycling measurements are accurate.

You will also need strategic placement for the container, which should make it easy for workers to access while being far enough away from standard garbage so that workers won't throw their standard trash in with metals and plastics.

Contact a dumpsters and portable container professional, such as from Tennessee Trash Service, L.L.C, to discuss available products to make your business recycling plans more efficient.