Step by stepguide on

Refuse, Reduce,Reuse, Recycle

OFFICESOLID WASTEMANAGEMENT

SustainabilitySustainability

The toolkit is prepared byDr Kamel Mellahi | Dr Sangeeta Sharma

The toolkit is published by Dubai Chamber, Centre for Responsible Business. All Content is for informational purposes only. Dubai Chamber Centre for Responsible Business (CRB) cannot accept responsibility for any errors or omissions or any liability resulting from the use or misuse of any such information.

This publication may not be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in whole or in part or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopied, recorded or otherwise without prior written permission from the Dubai Chamber Centre for Responsible Business. Quoting portions or all of this work is permissible under the following citation: Dubai Chamber Centre for Responsible Business, 2020, Toolkit – Step by step guide on office solid waste management refuse, reduce, reuse and recycle, CRB, Dubai Chamber, Dubai, UAE

©2020 Dubai Chamber Centre for Responsible Business. All rights reserved.

ABOUT DUBAI CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRYDubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry is a private non-profit organisation whose mission is to represent, support and protect the interests of the business community in Dubai, by creating a favorable business environment, supporting the development of business, and by promoting Dubai as an international business hub. ABOUT THE CENTRE FOR RESPONSIBLE BUSINESSFounded in 2004, the Dubai Chamber’s Centre for Responsible Business (CRB) plays a leading role in promoting CSR and guiding organizations to adopt sustainable and responsible business practices.The CRB provides businesses with platforms, knowledge and tools to help them embed CSR and sustainability into their business practices.Currently, CRB engages the business community through a range of programs. They include:Dubai Chamber CSR LabelsEngage DubaiDubai Chamber Sustainability Network

MissionCRB assists members of the Dubai Chamber and the rest of the business community in adopting responsible business practices that enhance their performance and competitive advantage through� Promoting CSR, sustainability and good governance at all levels of the Dubai business community by imparting knowledge on these practices and creating tools and guides� Providing direct advice and feedback by evaluating companies’ CSR performance� Encouraging companies to integrate CSR, sustainability and good governance into their management, operations and processes at every level� Measuring and documenting responsible business practices in Dubai and the UAE

CRB’s objectives are:� Help the Dubai business community embed CSR and sustainability practices in their operations

� Engage the Dubai business community in assuming greater responsibility for the emirate’s social and environmental needs

� Promote Dubai as a regional and international business hub by offering its business partners an environment of transparency, strong governance, and rule of law

Visit www.dubaichamber.com/crb/centre-for-responsible-businessfor more information.

PURPOSEThis Toolkit has been prepared to assist public and private sector organisations in the adoption of best practices for the office solid waste management.

This Toolkit present an end-to-end practical guidelines for managing office waste by adopting approaches to refuse, reduce , reuse and recycle waste.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Solid waste management

Global and local key facts

Four approaches of solidwaste management

Seven steps guide to refuse, reduce,reuse and recycle waste

Annexure: Measuring, monitoringand reporting

Solid waste management involves control of waste generation, segregation of waste, in house collection,

storage, transportation, treatment and recycling of waste.

SOLID WASTEMANAGEMENT

GLOBAL & LOCAL KEY FACTS

1. https://www.theworldcounts.com/counters/shocking_environmental_facts_and_statistics/world_waste_facts2. Roth, J. (2018). The story of Stuff (2nd ed.).3. https://www.letsdoitworld.org/about/overview/trash-facts/4. https://www.powerknot.com/08/09/2019/its-time-for-restaurants-to-reevaluate-how-they-dispose-of-waste-food/5. https://gulfnews.com/uae/environment/new-uae-federal-law-aims-at-75-of-waste-recycling-1.22183956. https://www.emirates247.com/news/emirates/uae-s-waste-diversion-goals-can-be-achieved-with-private- sector-support-2019-07-11-1.6867947. Federal Law No. 12 of 2018, Issued on 18/12/2018, Corresponding to 10 Rabi' Al-Akhir 1440 H. On The Integrated Waste Management by Ministry of Climate Change & Environment, UAE

UAE FEDERAL LAW ON WASTE MANAGEMENTArticle -5, Article -7 and Article -10 of Federal Law No. 12 of 2018 on the integrated waste management, considers waste as a liability of the waste generator, encourages the establishment of waste treatment facilities for reuse and recycle and promotes the exchange of waste for the purpose of reuse between industries7.

GLOBALLY� 2.12 Billion tons of waste goes to dumping ground globally each year as per UN Report1.� 99% of the stuff purchased is trashed within 6 months2.� 8 million tons per annum of waste is thrown into the oceans3

� The decomposition of organic materials in landfills produces methane which causes 84 times more global warming then carbon dioxide4. LOCALLY� The UAE’s per capita waste generation is around 1.2 to 1.3 kilogram per day5.� Dubai produces close to 8,000 tons of waste a day, of which about 75-70% is produced by the private sector6. � The UAE Government’s Vision aims to divert 75% of the waste away from landfill.

FOUR APPROACHES OF SOLIDWASTE MANAGEMENT

Refuse

ReduceReuse

Recycle

1 2

� Purchase wisely and reduce extra purchases.

� Avoid single-use items while making purchases for your organization.

� Instil a culture of waste minimization across businessoperations.

� Curb purchase of new items if repair of existing items is possible.

� Ensure proper segregation of the recyclables.

� Recycle food wastes into compost soil.

� Recycle all electronics through specialized e-waste recycler.

� Recycle the basics–paper, plastic, metal and glass.

� Identify materials that can be reused or repurposed before throwing.

� Offer used items for staff purchasebefore discarding.

� Donate used items.

SEVEN STEPS GUIDE TOREFUSE, REDUCE, REUSE

AND RECYCLE WASTE

Step 1Identify categories of waste-recyclable and non recyclableCategories of Waste

Non-Recyclable

PAPER - coated and treated paper, paper with food waste, juice and cereal boxes paper cups, paper towels/tissue paper, laminated

paper or magazine

PLASTIC - foam hot drink cups, plastic cutlery, containers, and

yogurt, food containers, ice cream containers, garbage bins and bags

GLASS - any glass contaminated with stones, dirt, and food waste,

mixed colours of broken glass, mirror or window glass, light bulbs

Recyclable

Electronic Waste - Includes TVs, Computers, Telephones, mobile phone.

Tetra Packs - package milk, juice and various other liquids.

Aluminium & Metal Cans - beverage cans, aluminium foil, tin cans.

Glass - used glass bottles, jars and broken glass wares etc.

Plastic - water bottles, fruit juice and soft drink bottles, shampoo containers or

milk bottles, cordial, juice or squeeze bottles.

Cardboard - packaging boxes, egg cartoons, shoe boxes, cereal boxes, cardboard packaging, empty tissue

boxes.

Paper - white office paper, newspaper, coloured office paper, cardboard, white

computer paper, magazines, catalogues, and phone books.

Step 2Identify and measure your waste stream

STEP 1 STEP 2 STEP 3 STEP 4Collect all the office waste

(paper waste, plastic waste, bottles, cans,

other waste etc.) for 3-5 days.

Segregate the waste collected

into different categories.

Make separate provisions for

hazardous waste collection and

storage to keepit safe.

Put eachcategory in

separate waste bags and label

these.

Weigh each category bags of waste collected.

Identifying categories and weighing each stream of waste provides you with an understanding of the type and amount of waste under each category your office is producing.

Four steps to identify and quantify your office waste categories

Notes: Step 3 & 4 will help you in identifying the categories of waste and the quantity of waste generated under each category per day.

This will also help you in estimating the average waste generated monthly, quarterly and annually.

1. Placing your BinsPlan a Binless DeskThe concept of the “Binless Desk” involves the removal of the under desk general waste bins and placing recycling bins in central locations around the office.Placing the right bins in the right place� Labelling: Having the right bins with the right labelling.� Visibility and Accessibility: Placing bins in a location where these are visible and accessible.� Suitability: The size of the bins should be based on the quantity and type of waste collected.� Appropriateness: The bin opening should be designed based on waste type. � Conformity: The color of the bins should follow the local regulations if any.

2. Storing your waste Ensure an efficient system to store segregated waste up to the time it is collected by the waste recycling company.

3. Identifying your waste management or recycling partnerConsider the following checklist for selecting the right waste management or recycling partner:� Registration with the local government for waste management and recycling activities� Permits or license to operate in specific areas� Performance track record� Reference check through client companies � Sample reports of waste collected and recycled� Recycling process and its byproducts� Physical audit of the end to end process (collection, transportation, recycling and end product manufacturing).

Step 3Create recycling infrastructure

Step 4Conduct training and awareness sessionsStaff Communication & EngagementIt’s important to let your staff know what is the benefit of segregation and how the products are recycled. This builds ‘trust’ that their segregated waste will indeed be recycled and will not end up in landfill. Top tips for an effective staff engagement:� Create a company-wide communication campaign regarding office recycling initiative� Clearly communicate with all staff: ° what to recycle ° how to recycle ° why recycle� Communicate via internal communication channels� Organize events or activations to encourage recycling� Hold a ‘Recycling Fair’ or information drop-in session where staff are invited to learn more about recycling� Invite your recycler to show how the recycling process works, sign a pledge and other activities - open to all employees� Organize one to one talk with key staff on importance of reduce, reuse and recycle� Involve top management and department heads and ensure they play an active role� Identify green champions� Consider implementing a “bring your recyclables from home” campaign � Award employees green points based on the weight of the recyclables they bring. � Maintain a physical dashboard on weight of recyclables collected to keep everyone motivated� Measure and communicate the impact of the action taken.

Step 5Roll out office waste management program

� Brief employees on the benefits of segregation and to throweach type of waste in its respective bin.

� Monitor weekly, employees segregation practices to identifygaps and raise awareness accordingly.

� Recognize employees, departments through communicationor incentives for proper segregation.

1. Primary segregation – office employees

� Guide housekeeping teams to segregate again if thereis any waste put in the wrong bin.

� Orient them to keep the bags from different colorcoded bins separately (as explained in Stage 3).

� Train housekeeping team to treat organic food waste using on-site bio digester or send it for recycling to a food waste recycler only.

� Facilitate them to collect and store hazardous waste asper the standard operating procedures to handle it.

2. Secondary segregation – housekeeping team

� Weigh the waste after collection and before sending it for recycling� Maintain a log book on type and quantity of waste� Update dashboard � Set waste reduction targets accordingly

Step 6Weigh waste

Step 7Continuous communication with employees � Update employees on segregation and recycling tips� Maintain momentum by organizing activations on recycling� Continuously showcase the progress made against the waste reduction and recycling targets � Recurrently engage employees in awareness sessions � Celebrate achievements

ANNEXURE: MEASURING MONITORING AND REPORTING

MEASURING, MONITORING AND REPORTING

Companies should strive to measure, monitor and report on the following:

Recycling rateWeight of recycled items

Diversion from landfillWeight of recycled items + weight of food composted

SavingsReduction in waste management bills (if proper recycling

and food composting is done)

EarningsRebates from recyclers

UpcycledIf the products were converted to another product,

showcase the benefits and cost savings.

Environmental impactReduced carbon emissions, trees saved,

reduced methane production.

Weight of total waste

AcknowledgementThis Toolkit is produced as a part of the objectives and deliverables of Dubai Chamber Sustainability Network Task force on waste management. Dubai Chamber Centre for Responsible Business would like to thank companies for their contributions in the content development.