Tips for Cutting Plastic Waste

The month of July has been set aside as a time to reflect and act on the problem of plastic pollution. It’s estimated that the United States has generated 44 million metric tons of plastic waste to date. Plastic Free July^® addresses this issue as a global movement that works to be part of the solution.

In celebration of Plastic Free July, ABCO Cleaning Products, a manufacturer of sustainable cleaning tools, recently shared the following tips to help reduce plastic waste at your facility.

1. Limit plastic bottles. Take inventory of your facility’s cleaning supply closet. You’ll often find an abundance of the same type of cleaning product. Start by tallying up how many cleaning chemicals your facility has on hand and use up what you already have before ordering more. Moving forward, try ordering only one type of floor cleaner, glass cleaner, and so forth, to reduce the number of plastic bottles your team uses. 
2. Consider packaging that’s proven to be recyclable. Some plastic used for packaging isn’t as easily recyclable as one might think. Packaging companies sometimes incorporate nonrecyclable chemicals into the packaging, making it nonreusable and thus adding to our planet’s plastic waste crisis. To combat this, consider working with companies that make trustworthy claims regarding the recyclability of their packaging. 
3. Encourage recycling. A recent study found eight in 10 employees want to see more sustainability at their workplace. A great way to do this is by incorporating strategically placed recycling bins throughout your facility. 

“Each of us plays a vital role in lowering plastic waste,” said Carlos Albir, ABCO president, “so we encourage all business leaders to make impactful changes to help our planet.”

In another effort to reduce waste, the American Cleaning Institute (ACI) launched two new online guides this July that can help consumers better understand how to recycle cleaning product packaging. Both are a part of ACI’s sustainability initiative to make all cleaning product packaging “circular.”

The first educates consumers on what to know when recycling different containers and how to find information on local recycling programs through resources like How2Recycle.Info. It also emphasizes the role curbside recycling plays in overall cleaning product sustainability.

The second deals specifically with recycling cleaning product packaging in an easy-to-follow, step-by-step format. 

“Cleaning products need to be safely transported and stored. Packaging helps make that happen, but that doesn’t necessitate waste,” said Nathan Sell, ACI senior director of sustainability. “We all need to do our part to keep recyclable materials out of the landfill and in the loop.”