In Norfolk, businesses are lucky. Any company which wishes to do its part for the planet and go green have a range of options to help them recycle the cardboard, plastic and tones of paper waste generated in the average office in addition to a councillor dedicated to helping them find the right option for them.
Compared to businesses, most households generate just a small amount of waste and have an easy time disposing of it in the council’s recycling pick ups.
Restaurants, shops, offices and companies find things slightly more difficult. For one thing, they generate a lot more waste than most households including printer cartridges, fluorescent tubes and cardboard boxes.
It is estimated that every year in Norfolk, 1.39 million tones of trash is generated by businesses alone. Despite those numbers local authorities keep household recycling programmes their priority and leave commercial waste reduction on the shoulders of the companies.
There are some district councils which will pick up recycling from companies for a fee. In some areas, it costs 50 pence less to empty a recycling bin with plastics, paper and cardboard, than a bill full of waste. Where this service is not available from the local authority, businesses must rely on private waste companies.
Alder Tye, an environmental business advisor with Norfolk County Council, offered some advice to local businesses. “We advise companies to pick and choose and to talk to as many companies as they can to get themselves a good quote,” he said.
“Norfolk County Council does not have a statutory responsibility to deal with business waste but because it is such a huge issue we provide a free service and give impartial advice and support.
“We can give them a list of companies for them to contact. It does not matter how small the business is, I know of companies in Norwich which will collect waste in bin bags so there are options out there. Prices depend on individual companies, how often they would use the service and the quantities they have.”
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