Interested in signing up for commercial/business recycling?
Contact:
Basin Disposal
(509) 248-7533 Yakima
(509) 837-2488 Grandview
Yakima Waste Systems
1-800-572-9738
For a list of what can be recycled through their program, click here.
Why Recycle at the Office?
Save Resources
The average office worker throws away four pounds of high-grade recyclable paper every week. Recycling one ton of paper saves the equivalent of 17 trees, 380 gallons of oil and 7,000 gallons of water.
Extend the Life of the Landfill
Landfills are very expensive to build and maintain. One ton of paper occupies 3.3 CUBIC YARDS of landfill space.
Reduce Waste Disposal Costs for your Business
The less hauled off, the more you save. The more you recycle, the less your company pays for waste disposal. Balance recycling costs by paying less for disposal.
Show your Company Cares for the Environment
Workplace Recycling Tips
1. Put a small recycling bin beside your desk. If you have co-mingled recycling collection at your workplace, the following items can be placed in your desk-side bin: mixed paper (i.e. newspapers, magazines, catalogs, envelopes, and sticky notes), plastic bottles #1-7 (with a neck), aluminum cans, and cardboard.
2. Take your lunch to work in a reusable container. Use real plates and silverware, instead of disposable products.
3. Reusable grocery bags. Keep re-useable grocery bags at your desk in case you need to do some shopping for home or office.
4. Reuse blank sides of paper for planning and “To-do” lists.
5. Try worm composting. An office worm farm is a great way to dispose of food scraps around the office.
More information about worm composting
6. Use your own mug or cup instead of disposable products.
7. Paper waste can be reduced by using email instead of faxes/mail.
8. Print all unimportant documents double sided. This will greatly reduce the amount of paper used.
9. Invest in rechargeable batteries and battery chargers.
10. Create a collection area for batteries, fluorescent light bulbs (including CFL), printer cartridges, and cell phones. Bring these to the Household Hazardous Waste Facility at the Terrace Heights Landfill (appointments are required for businesses 509-574-2450). Household Hazardous Waste
11. Recycle your electronic waste. Electronics Recycling
12. Fight junk mail. Take steps to reduce the amount of junk mail that your office receives. Reduce and Reuse.
13. Buy recycled content and recyclable products. Buy recycled toner cartridges and send your spent toner cartridges to be recycled.
Buy recycled products!
How to Start Recycling Your Office?
For step by step guides that explain how to establish or improve upon an office recycling program, visit www.paperrecycles.org, and www.Earth911Business.com. The following are excerpts from AF&PA’s Office Recycling Guide, available in its entirety at www.paperrecycling.org.
Assess the discards.
Conduct an audit to determine the amount and types of materials that are recoverable or recyclable. For most offices this will mean a variety of papers. An audit also provides information about where most of the recyclables are generated in the company. Records from the local recycler may be helpful to understand any material fluctuations or cycles.
Target materials for recycling.
Identify all materials that are potentially recyclable. Evaluate how much could be recycled, and how recyclables might best be separated for collection. Target those materials that are most abundant in the recycling stream and would be the easiest to separate for recovery.
Talk to your recycler.
Your recycling company can provide information about the types of materials they accept for recycling. Work with them to determine how recycling specific materials might impact your current hauling contract, services and costs. If your company is a tenant in a large office building, the building owners or management company may contract with the recycler. If the recycler is not able to accept the materials you want to recycle, contact a local recycling center. Smaller companies may also want to consider drop-off recycling.
Engage and coach employees.
Employees make a recycling program happen. They are a recycling program’s most valuable assets. Educate employees, talk up the recycling program, and get the word out. Communicate positively, clearly, and often.
Get management support.
Gain the support of your company’s top management for a recycling program. Before going to management, arm yourself with information and data that shows program value or identifies a need to improve an existing recycling program.
Measure and share results.
Track results to show the merits of recycling and motivate employees. When management and employees see progress, momentum for the recycling program will take off. Achieving recycling goals, lowering costs, realizing environmental benefits, or improving participation are all opportunities to show off program successes.
Track the amount of recycled material.
Work with the recycler to gather this information regularly, such as monthly. Use a database or other system to record and store data.
Get Help!
If your business needs help starting a workplace recycling program, let us know. We are available to come to your office to evaluate your current recycling options, give presentations to management or staff, and provide educational materials.
For additional information about recycling in the workplace and beyond, please check out the links below:
US Environmental Protection Agency’s Waste Wise Program website: 
Environmental Defense Fund 
America Recycles Day 
Promotes buying recycled
Buy Recycled Business Alliance 
Established by the National Recycling Coalition.
Recycle the whole building!
Don’t send your building supplies to the landfill. Habitat for Humanity—ReStore of Yakima accepts tax deductible donations of usable new and used building materials and products. Reusable materials are diverted from the landfill, saving resources and saving the donor from paying disposal fees. The ReStore accepts tax-deductible donations of usable, new and used building materials and fixtures in 100% working condition. Shopping at the Restore is open to the public, with access to quality materials at low prices. The ReStore sells doors, windows, paint, hardware, cabinets, plumbing and electrical fixtures, recycled lumber and many other new, used and vintage items. Please contact the Restore at 509) 576-8077 to see what materials are currently needed.
www.yakimahabitat.org/restore.htm
The Restore is located at:
202 West Mead Avenue
Yakima, Washington 98902.