Are Businesses Responsible for Sorting Their Waste?

Every business in Nova Scotia is responsible by law for providing receptacles that allow the public and employees to sort waste. Businesses must ensure that waste is properly sorted before it is collected for disposal, whether through curbside collection or a contracted waste hauler. In 1996, the Province of Nova Scotia enacted a Banned Landfill Materials List which prohibits the disposal of a number of materials in Provincial landfills. Municipal Waste Collection and Disposal Bylaws state how the wastes are to be separated based upon the Provincial Regulations and the Sites receiving the wastes. The Regulations allow waste materials to be recycled, reducing the need for increased resources to be consumed through processes such as tree cutting, mining and refining. Materials which are sorted correctly and delivered to facilities such as the Lunenburg Regional Community Recycling Centre are sent to recycling markets and the materials are tranformed into new products.

How Can Businesses Improve Their Waste Separation?

There are a lot of free resources available to assist business owners and staff in understanding the sorting guidelines! Here are a few services and resources which are available for businesses in the areas of Bridgewater, Mahone Bay and the Municipality of the District of Lunenburg:

Staff & Management Training Sessions - The Lunenburg Regional Community Recycling Centre's Public Outreach team can train your staff and managers how to sort the waste your business produces through waste training sessions which can be delivered in as little as a half an hour. Times are flexible and multiple trainings may be arranged to accomodate shift changes or large groups. Examples of waste are shown and the proper waste diposal stream is discussed. Sessions may be arranged by calling the Public Outreach Coordinator at 543-4277. Refresher courses are always available for those who need to be reminded where things go or in cases of staff turnover.  Staff meetings and toolbox meetings are great times to provide this type of training.

Waste Audits - The Public Outreach team can arrange a convenient time to meet with you and examine the types of waste which your business produces. This is a great opportunity to ask questions and to learn where your waste goes. This may be arranged by calling 543-4277.

Business - Specific Waste Separation Signs and Brochures- Signs may be developed as Public Outreach examines your waste. A few examples of waste may be used to create graphic signs with wording such as organics, recyclable, paper and garbage. This may be arranged by calling 543-4277.

General Waste Sorting Brochures - The Lunenburg Regional Community Recycling Centre has developed general waste sorting guides. They may be printed from the LRCRC website. Public Outreach is happy to provide a number of paper copies as well.

General Waste Sorting Signs - Signs are also available on the Lunenburg Regional Community Recycling Centre's website. They may be printed and are quite durable when laminated. Public Outreach can provide quite a few laminated and peel and stick signs to help businesses get things on the right track.

Bin Set Up and Bin Manufacturing Companies - Public Outreach can guide you in placing your bins effectively for maximum waste separation. Waste separation bin manufacturers are available on-line. Several manufacturers operate within Nova Scotia.  

Create a Waste Policy

Clearly define roles and responsibilities for your staff and help them understand why they must sort waste. Include the procedures and guidelines for your recycling program in all employee orientation and occupational health and safety sessions.

Talk to your staff to determine who would like to lead the recycling challenge for your business. Work with your staff and Public Outreach to identify what types of waste are produced and post waste sorting guides for your employees to use as a reference. Position bins together in central locations such as lunchrooms and common areas for sorting organics, paper, recyclables and garbage. Training your staff regularly and ensuring new employees know 'what goes where' is essential to your success.

Make it easy for customers to sort waste.  Customizing your bins with signs based on your business waste will help customers and staff sort waste properly. The easiest way to ensure waste is sorted correctly, especially in restaurants, is to ask customers to leave their waste on tables to be sorted by staff. Many restaurants have adopted this approach and find it saves time. The Sorting it Out brochure created by the Resource Recovery Fund Board is a great reference for food establishments that wish to improve or develop a waste management strategy.

Business of the Month Award

The Lunenburg Regional Community Recycling Centre wants to promote businesses which have developed sustainable waste management systems and waste reduction practices. Call 543-2913 to arrange an interview and your business may be featured next month! Businesses which receive the award are highlighted through two local newspapers, a month-long Business of the Month segment on CKBW (98.1 fm) and the Lunenburg Regional Community Recycling Centre's website. Businesses which manage their waste exceptionally well may also be nominated for the Resource Recovery Fund Board's Mobius Environmental Award! Previous regional winners include the Windbag Company, Lunenburg and Walmart,  Cookville. No business is too small to be recognized and every bit counts! 

Waste Reduction Tips for Businesses

Every business can adopt practices such as encouraging employees to bring their own reusable mugs, cups, dishes and cutlery for break time. A bottle brush and detergent at the lunchroom sink makes rinsing mugs and dishes fast and easy. Meetings may be held using reusable mugs and plates when refreshments are served.

Set your printers to print double - sided, reducing paper consumption. Use unneeded paper for scribbling notes. If possible, read from your computer instead of printing and bookmark website pages.  

Buy regularly used items in bulk when possible to avoid excess packaging. Purchase recycled products whenever possible and re-label file folders to keep them in circulation. Offer office supplies or electronics to others within your office to extend their use. Re-using is even better than recycling!  

Use a projector for presentations and e-mail the presentation to attendees for their reference, avoiding the need to print multiple pages. E-mail instead of faxing documents to decrease paper consumption.

Companies may consider using corrugated plastic shipping boxes instead of cardboard, to reduce consumption. Packing peanuts, bubble wrap and other shipping materials may be stored in a crate and reused for future shipping.

Restaurants can wash and reuse food containers, tubs and buckets for storing spices, dry goods and other supplies.   

Electronics Reuse and Recycling Links

Businesses may donate unwanted computers and components to the Computers for Schools Program. For more information, visit the Computers for Schools website. Computers are refurbished and distributed to schools throughout the Province. Reuse is the best option for unwanted items.

Unwanted electronics may be recycled through the Atlantic Canada Electronics Stewardship Program. For a list of accepted electronics items and a full listing of depots which accept these items for free, visit the Atlantic Canada Electronics Stewardship website.