Waste in the Office happens everyday in the vast majority of companies. Important quantities of paper, cardboard, ink or even cups are used and thrown away everyday.
This waste can be easily dealt with in a sustainable manner.
This part provides companies with solutions as well as suppliers to reduce office waste and better recycle it.
- Adopt a centralized bin system. This includes:
More details here.
- Install 1 paper bin next to each printer
- Ensure consistency in the selection of bins and communication tools (same colour, visible name and with a symbol)
- Make sure that the cleaning services and the contractor are aware of the waste management requirements
- For Lobbies and Waiting areas, remove bins and do not let people create discards in those areas. This will save time for the cleaner, save space in those walking area (safety improvement) & make the place look cleaner.
- Conduct Regular Monitoring of your Waste Management: Monitor results, correct wrong practices, set higher targets annually. Ask the help of a professional if need be.
Find out more here.
60%-70%
is an achievable recycling rate if you operate efficient recycling schemes for paper, glass, cardboards, cans and toner cartridges.
(WRAP UK)
40%
of recyclables placed in the blue recycling bins cannot be recycled, being contaminated with food and liquids.
(Eco-Business)
Zero Waste City is an engineering consulting business specialised in waste reduction for commercial and industrial facilities. They help businesses to save money by reducing waste and to achieve Zero Waste goals. Their services include:
Peters is a rotomoulding company with full manufacturing facility in Singapore since 1989. They design and supply litter bins, office products, street furniture, trash bags and stretch films. They are not specialised in sustainability but provide a wide range of recycling bins for your waste management.
Grande Alliance Corporation is a plumbing & sanitary ware supplier. They also provide a large range of Bins and Containers, including Compost bins, Recycling bins and Wastepaper baskets.
Upstream:
It is interesting to train staff and start segregating bottles (plastic, aluminum cans...) as Singapore has a beverage bottle buyback system (Deposit Refund Scheme DRS - part of the Packaging EPR) coming live in 2022 and will build a bottle PET recycling plant for it.
Downstream:
3.40 billion
tonnes of global waste is expected annually by 2050. In comparison it is 2.01 billion tonnes per year today.
(The World Bank)
23%
% of global waste generated by ASEAN Region.
(The World Bank)
Learn more about the deposit refund scheme (DRS), which is part of the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR).
For beverage containers, it is coming up in 2022.
SembWaste is the largest municipal waste collection company in Singapore, serving 5,000 industrial and commercial, government agencies and healthcare establishments daily and over 600,000 households, schools and trade premises.
They provide Collection and Post-collection Treatment for General Waste and Recyclables.
Sembcorp also operates a Waste-To-Energy plant to supply steam for the local industries in Jurong Island, Singapore.
Environmental services provider for public and private sectors in Singapore:
They can customise waste pickup and recycling solutions.
Remove bins and do not let people create discards in those areas.
This will save time for the cleaner, save space in those walking area (safety improvement) & make the place look cleaner.
Individuals will be able to discard their rubbish in other areas of the facility.
Apply the 3Rs principle:
1- Reduce paper usage:
See more Best Practices in Paper & Printing in our Green the Office category.
2- Reuse paper:
3- Recycle properly:
Paper is easily recyclable. It can be recycled up to 7 times.
75%
of office waste is paper.
(Ademe Report - Sept. 2019)
20% only
of paper is recycled at work vs 41% at home.
(Ademe Report - Sept. 2019)
This company strives to create a better liveable world through recycling. They offer waste management, recycling (paper specialist) and document shredding + recycling services to clients and workplaces. Waste management and recycling services for public and commercial facilities.
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Package Pals is a circular packaging initiative that collects used packaging from the public, distributing it back to businesses seeking eco-friendly packaging options. They collect and distribute:
For Greener Office, they can provide secondhand, eco-friendly packaging (poly mailers, paper envelopes, clear plastic wrappers, padded envelopes, bubble wrap) to businesses. They can also help to establish a takeback program with the business's own packaging.
Businesses may donate packaging (poly mailers, paper envelopes, clear plastic wrappers, padded envelopes, bubble wrap) to be reused by other businesses. Please contact Package Pals prior to donating these items.
ST Paper Resources have more than 20 years of experience as a paper recycling, importer of waste paper and exporter of pre-consumer waste. The company operates from its 40,000 sqft office and factory with a computerized automated system, consisting of fully automated two-ram balers with the capability to bale up to 50 tons of recyclable material per hour.
Besides collection, recycling and trading, they provide off-site confidential shredding services and a wide range of compactors and specialist containers - request a free audit for your business needs.
Paper Towels are not recycled and have a higher carbon footprint therefore explore solutions to replace with:
Choose an energy-efficient hand dryer.
9 to 40 grams
of CO2 is emitted if you use an electric hand dryer, to be compared with 56 grams when using 2 towels.
(Stanford Magazine)
Apply the 3Rs principle:
1- Reduce:
2- Reuse:
3- Recycle:
Cardboard is easily recyclable. It can be recycled up to 5 times.
38%
only of paper and cardboard are recycled in Singapore.
(NEA)
46 gallons of oil
saved along with 4000kW of electricity, 9 cubic yards of landfill space, 17 trees and 7000 gallons of water saved by recycling one tonne of cardboard rather than making new cardboard.
(Cardboard Balers)
This company strives to create a better liveable world through recycling. They offer waste management, recycling (paper specialist) and document shredding + recycling services to clients and workplaces. Waste management and recycling services for public and commercial facilities.
ST Paper Resources have more than 20 years of experience as a paper recycling, importer of waste paper and exporter of pre-consumer waste. The company operates from its 40,000 sqft office and factory with a computerized automated system, consisting of fully automated two-ram balers with the capability to bale up to 50 tons of recyclable material per hour.
Besides collection, recycling and trading, they provide off-site confidential shredding services and a wide range of compactors and specialist containers - request a free audit for your business needs.
Switch to reusable cups. Bring your Own.
0.11kg
Quantity of CO2 produced by the production and transportation of one single cup.
(Ecobarista)
1.2 billion
Number of single use cups Australians dispose of in a year.
(Mobile Skips)
Bamboo Straw Girl is an online store of plastic-free & low-impact lifestyle products, from production to point of sale. The founder Melissa Lam aims at engaging eco conversations, starting with a simple straw. With her team, she focuses on waste reduction and on impacting the communities of artisans they work with in South East Asia.
They were the very first "zero-waste lifestyle" store in Singapore.
- For high traffic lobbys: consider using compostable cup that can go into a food waste digester (It requires specific bins and good waste management practices. See our General - Management & Infrastructures solutions for more details.
- For medium traffic lobbys: consider using reusable cups and get the staff at the reception to clean them with a dishwasher.
- For low traffic lobbys: consider removing the beverage dispenser.
With BFOODING.BIO we provide sustainable and innovative packaging solution to address FMCG and F&B markets. As the trend set leader in Singapore F&B industry, Bfooding awareness is now worldwide.
Bfooding.BIO is part of the SPhere Group European leader in BIO compostable plastics.
Packing Green creates disposable tableware and food packaging made from plants. We offer a wide range of sustainable alternatives to traditional plastic disposable tableware. Help reducing the fossil fuel-based plastic use in HORECA and opt for our bio-based packaging collections.
Biopak's mission is to produce packaging that puts the planet first and their ultimate goal is a waste-free world. They want to offer a very sustainable and innovative packaging and they’re dedicated to reducing any negative impacts their business has on the environment. They are also the first packaging company to become carbon neutral in Australia and New Zealand.
Detpak is an innovative manufacturer of paper and board packaging solutions, working with some of the world’s largest and most iconic retail, foodservice and fast moving consumer goods brands. Across a global network of manufacturing and sales locations, Detpak design, manufacture and supply a market leading range of sustainable packaging solutions, including both recyclable and compostable options.
Detpak is proud to deliver the ultimate in service and value, whilst also maintaining the utmost in quality and care.
🌏 What if sustainability became the norm in business, rather than a nice to have? That's our mission: using Technology, we simplify sustainability for organizations by making it more accessible, transparent and measurable. We are building the first wholesale marketplace for sustainable products, connecting verified sustainable suppliers, manufacturers and brands.
✅ For brands, we offer uncompromising accessibility to all the sustainable products you need for your business. TEORRA rigorously vets all suppliers, so you as a buyer have absolute confidence and trust in the sustainable vendors you introduce to your supply chain; all while helping you measure your businesses impact as a result of choosing sustainable products.
✅ For suppliers, we help eliminate competition with conventional products by providing you with a marketplace specifically designed to servicing buyers looking for sustainable options. We make it easy for your business to attract new customers while helping you grow your brand globally.
Contract with a specialised supplier to properly recycle or discard lighting items such as bulbs, lamps, fluorescent lamps etc. They are considered e-waste.
As of July 1st 2021, they are managed under the EPR e-waste scheme.
As stated on NEA website: "Fluorescent lamps and compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) are different from other types of lamps as they contain trace amounts of mercury within the glass enclosure. Mercury plays a pivotal role in the production of light and cannot be totally eliminated". It is important to properly recycle them.
0.9 million metric tons
of lamp waste is generated every year worldwide.
(The Global E-waste monitor 2020)
11.7% only
of the e-waste documented and collected was properly recycled in Asia.
(The Global E-waste Monitor)
Since July 1st, 2021, NEA appointed Alba as E-waste PRS operator. PRS stands for : Producer Responsiblity Schemes. The ALBA Group, formed in 1968, has been operating such Producer Responsibility Schemes in countries such as Germany and Hong Kong. Please find here more information about this scheme. For all regulated e-waste, with a volume above 1 m3, you can arrange for free collection by Alba E-Waste.
Upstream:
Ink cartridges can be reused.
Prefer recyclable or biodegradable material, use plant-based ink, opt for refurbished / remanufactured cartridges.
Dowstream:
Work with a suitable contractor for e-waste. As of July 1st 2021, they are managed under the EPR e-waste scheme.
1 million
cartridges are thrown away each day.
(Cartridge World)
1,000 years
needed for a printer cartridge to fully decompose in a landfill.
(The Recycling factory)
The Lyreco Group is the leading European distributor and third largest global distributor of workplace solutions for businesses. The group is present in 25 countries and operates via partnerships in 42 countries. With a turnover of more than 2.2 billion Euros, its results can be attributed to its close partnerships with its customers, outstanding logistics and the ambition that it shares with its 9,000 employees: "Always at your side to make your work life easier". In Asia, Lyreco has been operating in 5 countries for the past 20 years: Hong Kong, Korea, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand.
They provide Green office products such as paper, pens, notebooks, remanufactured ink cartridges & toners etc. that are falling under their own green tree certification (see their green tree logo).
Since 2008, Green Cartridge has been taking part in the conservation and preservation of the environment through waste reduction and recycling of waste materials, particularly printer cartridges. Green Cartridge allows you to save as much as 60% of your printing cost compared to using OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) cartridges.
Besides remanufactured cartridges, they provide printers repair, printers loan, and a buy back scheme for your empties, even in small quantity.
SingInk provide ink bottles to refill cartridges and toners instead of buying new ones.They cover most of the popular brands.
The « green journey » may feel overwhelming sometimes, but you are not alone.
Our Buddies have tried, succeeded, failed to implement change in their companies. They share their experience so you can learn, take shortcuts, get inspired and ask questions.
Everybody can become a Buddy and give back to the community; if you are keen, get in touch with us.
A lawyer by training, Eliza has been in Private banking since 1996, with roles ranging from Relationship Management to Head of Strategy for PWM Latin America at Deutsche Bank New York, and a member of the Management Committee. Eliza was also the Business Manager and Head of Business Compliance for the International markets at Bank of Singapore, before joining Azqore as COO for Asia. Eliza has worked in Kuala Lumpur, Frankfurt, New York and Singapore and in addition lived in London, Tokyo and Hong Kong, an experience that has shaped her outlook and made her very much a global citizen.
A banking operations professional, Loretta has had experience across various firms, like UBS and Nomura, before joining Credit Agricole 5 years ago. Currently Azqore’s Head of Asia Operations, she has worked in Singapore, Hong Kong, China and even had a short stint in India. These experiences have opened her eyes to various cultures and cuisines.
Both Eliza and Loretta kicked off the Azqore Asia CSR initiative in 2020 and have never looked back since.
I am a Sustainability Change Agent who wants to help businesses implement more sustainable practices — and have fun while doing them. I am committed to the idea that small changes can make a big impact, and I am great at motivating others to act. Having worked on this issue for years, I have developed the expertise and experience needed to help businesses cultivate more sustainable actions. That’s why I founded GreenPush — to inspire, educate, and engage the next generation of sustainability champions. We are the push you need to make sustainable change.
I started my career as a mechanical engineer for 5 years and joined TayPaper Recycling in 2018. Tay Paper Recycling has grown from an informal scrap dealer to now a leading paper focused recycling company in Singapore. On top of just recycling, we also offer confidential data disposal services to help clients comply with PDPA, GDPR and recycle at the same time. I am now working at KGS, an e-waste and data sanitization company.
With 17 years of experience in IT across different sectors and industries, Benoit managed a team focusing on project management and IT application support in Singapore. In 2017, he was one of the founders, and later on leader of Credit Agricole CIB's first green team in Singapore. Since 2022, he has started in France a new adventure within Credit Agricole Assurances (CAA) and managed up to 24 people, in software integration team.
Recently, in September 2023, he was promoted to ECODESIGN Coach within CAA. He is creating and deploying a new framework for all projects to add a sustainability dimension to help CAA reduce its environmental impact.
Package Pals is a circular packaging initiative that seeks to extend the life cycle of packaging. We collect used e-commerce packaging from members of the public, distributing it back to businesses seeking eco-friendly, second hand packaging options. There are 7 categories of packaging we collect: poly mailers (<A4),paper envelopes (<A4), plastic wrappers (<A4), bubble wrap, padded envelopes.
Package Pals has worked with multiple large and small businesses, schools, NGOs and governmental organisations since it was started in May 2020. Other than carrying out collection and distribution, we also focus on education and outreach, seeking to educate our 4k-strong audience on packaging waste and other environmental issues, through social media, webinars and other events.
Mary has founded Journey Makers to support organisations in their online presence blending customer experience and employee experience. She was previously in charge of Customer Experience for Lyreco Asia and worked on accelerating Digital and Marketing activities. In 2020, she was appointed sustainability ambassador as well for the region, as the topic was becoming a strategic one for the company. Thriving to drive the change internally and externally, she launched a Green Team that she co-led with her colleague.
Prior to this role, Mary had made her career essentially in the hospitality industry at global and regional role, from trade marketing, sales to Digital marketing. Before moving to Singapore in 2015, she was based in Dubai, UAE and France.
Before joining Chanel, I was General Manager of BSI Singapore for 2.5 years. Prior to joining BSI, I held different job assignments for the international retailer Carrefour. For them, I oversaw Quality, Food Safety and Sustainability in China and then at the Group level.
I spent most of my career working in Asia: in Shanghai, Hong Kong and I have been happily settled in Singapore for 8 years now.
I have a real passion for sustainability and nature conservation and I love to share the knowledge and experience I gained in this field. I am also a volunteer for the Singaporean NGO called Climate Conversation which aims to raise awareness on climate change.
Founder and Director of the consulting business Zero Waste City, Rémi provides engineering consulting services to large commercial and industrial facilities on waste management, energy efficiency, and packaging design.
He has gained a strong experience as a consultant covering a wide range of industries and technologies in New Zealand, Australia, and Singapore.
He is a certified TRUE Advisor (Total Resource Use Efficiency) by the U.S. Green Building Council Inc. This certification recognised his knowledge in Zero Waste programs and his ability to support businesses to achieve the TRUE Zero Waste certification.
Carolin is a passionate and driven entrepreneur and sustainability advocate. She is involved in many projects and initiatives that contribute to reducing our environmental impact.
In 2020, Carolin founded the social enterprise susGain.
susGain is a rewards-based engagement app that focuses on driving behavioural change within communities (corporates, schools, NGOs etc.) whilst measuring ESG reportable data on the impact created. By better connecting the environmentally and socially conscious stakeholders, susGain hopes to accelerate the change towards more sustainable communities.
Prior to susGain, Carolin worked as Account & Project Manager in an HR consulting and change management firm, where she was responsible for business development and end-to-end project management of training and consulting projects across APAC.
In July 2021, Carolin won the Finder's Expatpreneur Sustainability Award. susGain has also been recognized by Global Initiatives at the Sustainable Business Awards Singapore 2020/21.
I run a business called Bright Green where I work with corporates to engage employees in impact projects in the areas of environmental and social impact. I also facilitate sustainability learning programs to educate employees on developing an eco-friendly mindset and high impact actions they can take in their homes and daily lives.
Before founding Bright Green in 2020, I have been working in Project Management, Change Management and Continuous Improvement roles within Human Resources and Recruitment. I love that I get to work with organisations that are making commitments to net-zero and inspire employees to make an impact!
