Australian businesses ‘don’t care’ about recycling

A SURVEY by waste and recycling company BusinessWaste.com.au claims that up to 80 percent of companies in Australia have no green policy in place and do not separate recyclable waste from non-recyclable.

BusinessWaste said business was indiscriminately filling landfill waste sites and some were resorting to “illegal activity” to get rid of rubbish.

The research showed most businesses do not sort paper, food and glass waste, despite the practice being widespread in domestic waste collections. 

BusinessWaste’s survey found business were commonly not recycling paper and cardboard, plastics, printer cartridges, green waste for composting, electrical waste and old computers.

“It reflects very badly upon us as a nation,” said BusinessWaste recycling manager Jonathan Ratcliffe.

“Other countries have forged ahead with commercial recycling, but a high proportion of Australian companies seemingly can’t be bothered and contribute to the millions of tons of waste we produce every year.

“Landfill is both wasteful and expensive and businesses are hitting themselves in the bank balance because of their inability or unwillingness to recycle. It’s not a great step implementing a green policy, and it saves money almost from the start.”

The BusinessWaste survey of more than 1200 businesses also found that some companies were prepared to break the law in order to reduce or eliminate their waste-handling costs.

“We’re well aware that some companies will still fly-tip in this day-and-age,” Mr Ratcliffe said. “But we've found some smaller businesses prepared to admit that they dispose of their waste at the household tip while posing as a member of the public.

“It’s a dangerous game. Companies that breach their waste management duty of care face unlimited fines if they get caught.”

Mr Ratcliffe said fortunately governments were incentivising green policies and recycling through tax breaks for energy efficiency, and the landfill tax, which penalises organisations that do not recycle their waste.

Local governments around Australia are also increasingly offering commercial and industry recycling collection services. One of the most comprehensive business recycling services began through Brisbane City Council in 2010.

“At up to $102 per tonne going to landfill, it soon adds up for companies that don’t recycle,” BusinessWaste’s Mr Ratcliffe said.

“Our company is committed to the vision of a zero-waste, 100 percent recycled economy.”

www.businesswaste.com.au

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