Would having more efficient recycling at work, or being able to reduce your waste management costs make you a happy bunny this Easter?

If you are worried about the levels of waste at your organisation please give us a call, we would be delighted to provide a free waste audit. A common question is ‘how can I reduce my waste collection bill’ and there are a number of different ways you may be able to achieve this which our free waste audit could help identify, so do get in touch.

Just call a member of our customer service department on 0845 260 2000 option 2 or email enquiries@cawleys.co.uk.

Worried about packaging waste

It is after all the time of year when people complain most about excessive packaging and waste.  Why? Because of Easter egg packaging. In a survey carried out back in 2008 called “Public attitudes to packaging” Easter eggs came out top among consumers for excessive packaging.

There have been a lot of improvements since then, not least because Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) set up the Seasonal Confectionery Working Group (SCWG) aimed at reducing packaging.  All the major confectionery brands, manufacturers and retailers worked together, initially focusing on medium-sized Easter eggs. It was a very effective programme, so much so that in 2009, just one year after that survey was carried out, the amount of packaging on Easter eggs was reduced by 25 per cent and in some cases by 50%.

You can read more about this initiative on this WRAP information sheet

Benefits of well-designed packaging

However, Easter eggs will always have to be well packaged because they are so delicate.  Without the correct packaging chocolate eggs can be easily broken, creating a huge amount of waste, which we all want to prevent happening.

Well-designed packaging helps to reduce wastage and it serves other purposes too.  It helps to ensure better pallet optimisation and distribution efficiencies during storage and distribution which in turn keeps costs down for everyone in the retail sector from the manufacturer to the consumer.

It can also help to increase stock on-shelf in shops which again helps to keeps costs down, with fewer hours required to stack shelves or replenish short lines of goods.

Efficient recycling services

Waste management companies have also made great strides in recycling packaging materials too, and at Cawleys we’re especially proud of our role in helping companies to recycle packaging efficiently.  In 2008 we opened our own Materials Recycling Facility (MRF) in Luton where all the recyclable elements in waste are separated out so that they can be recycled and given second life uses.

The importance of segregating waste

We have also encouraged our customers to understand the importance of segregating waste at source, in their own offices or business premises, so that direct savings to their waste management costs can be made as well.  The three main components in Easter eggs packaging are plastic, cardboard and foil.  Each of these resources is recyclable.

The less contaminated waste streams are, the better price can be achieved for the material, which helps to keep your waste management costs down.  Cardboard in particular loses any value as a recyclate if it is contaminated, for example by coming in to contact with food or oil, which changes its molecular structure, making it unsuitable for recycling.

This is why it is so important to try and segregate your waste at source, and to keep it clean and dry if you really want to make sure you are maximising recycling and minimising waste. And if you can’t manage that, the next best thing is to make sure it is passed through a highly efficient MRF, like the Cawleys one in Luton.

To find out more about Cawleys collection and waste services, please contact us on 0845 260 2000 or email sales@cawleys.co.uk.  Who knows, perhaps your Easter treat could be a reduction in your waste collection bill, or less waste produced at work overall, which might make you a very happy bunny!

Wishing you a very Happy Easter.