4 Steps to Help Start an Apartment Recycling Program

Waste management for apartment tenants is a little more complicated than it is for homeowners. In an apartment complex, you can’t put your recycling bins in the garage or the side of the house. That means apartment recycling bins need to be adaptable. The good news is, unlike houses that are subject to municipal recycling programs… an apartment recycling program can be customized to fit the needs of the building.

For each individual apartment, in-unit recycling and organics containers are often provided by your local municipality. However, the larger recycling bins with lids found in most apartment lobbies, parking garages, or “garbage rooms” are provided by the complex. Oftentimes these recycling bins are under-utilized and most waste ends up in the garbage chute instead of getting sorted into the apartment recycling bins.

As one of North America’s top recycling solutions experts for 30+ years, we will be discussing the benefits of implementing a recycling program for apartment complexes and where to start:

The Benefits of Apartment Recycling Programs

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If you are a property manager, some of the benefits of implementing an apartment recycling program can help with any of the following:

Lowering trash pickup costs
Attracting and keeping tenants
Creating an additional revenue source
Keeping your complex cleaner

If you are an apartment tenant, some of the benefits of participating in an apartment recycling program may include:

Feeling a stronger sense of community among residents
Developing an eco-friendly mindset
Utilizing space in the apartment that was previously taken up by recycling waste
Cutting back on waste that ends up in the landfill

When your apartment complex doesn’t have easily accessible recycling bins or a recycling program, you are missing out on all of these opportunities and more! Don’t let the price of implementing a recycling program deter you from making a change, the benefits outweigh the costs… making it a worthwhile investment.

How to Start an Apartment Recycling Program

If you are interested in starting a recycling program at your apartment complex but don’t know where to begin, here are 4 steps you need to take:

1. Conduct a Waste Audit

Starting a recycling program for an apartment complex can seem challenging at first. Whether it’s a lack of space, disinterest, or a constant overturn of tenants – it may feel impossible to focus on the end results. That’s why it’s important to identify all the waste that gets discarded throughout the week. Seeing waste that can be recycled for money end up in a trash can is a great way to stay motivated. Not to mention, it may uncover previously unknown problems that could be increasing facility costs.

2. Make Apartment Recycling Easy

It’s easier to get property managers, landlords, and tenants on board with a recycling program if the process is easy to understand. What’s the point of implementing recycling solutions if they make life harder?

Here are our recommendations to help make apartment recycling easier:

Make sure management is dedicated to making the recycling program work.
Educate tenants so they know what is recyclable, and what isn’t.
Place recycling bins in convenient locations and high traffic areas.
Make sure tenants can tell the recycling bins apart using effective graphics and signage.
Encourage tenants to collapse boxes and containers to help fit more items in the bins

If possible, providing tenants with their own personal recycling bins in or near every building in the apartment complex can also help to remind tenants to recycle.

3. Communicate Recycling Goals Effectively

Recycling bins can fill up fast in larger apartment buildings, so it’s important to speak with your waste hauler and custodial service to determine a schedule that works best for the complex. Making sure bins get emptied regularly is crucial to prevent overflow. Regularly full recycling bins encourage tenants to throw the recyclable waste that doesn’t fit in the bin into the dumpster or garbage chute instead. It is also important to remind tenants and staff about the apartment recycling program and the rules on a regular basis. This can be done via email, flyers, or by posting reminders in all common areas if your apartment building or complex has them.

4. Purchase Future-Ready Recycling Bins

Sorting waste can already feel like a chore to some less-enthusiastic recycling program participants. The last thing you need is a complicated recycling bin layout. Simplifying as many steps as possible is the key to success, therefore the recycling bins need to be designed well enough so that the people filling them AND emptying them have nothing to complain about. If you’re not sure you can afford the investment, recycling grants are a good incentive to justify the purchase of quality apartment recycling bins.

So there you have it! Everything you need to know about starting an apartment recycling program. For more information on how to get a recycling grant, please click here.

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Looking for more recycling program tips? Check out these other blogs:

CleanRiver Recycling provides a variety of innovative, flexible, and customizable recycling solutions. Start saving money today with our green recycling programs.

If you have additional questions that weren’t answered in this blog post please call us at 1-866-479-4038 or email solutions@cleanriver.com