Trash – Recycling – Liners

 Unsuitable and inappropriate trash containers and liners can make emptying trash and recycling one of the most frustrating aspects of janitorial work. It can be time consuming and sometimes backbreaking when the following conditions apply:  

• The trash container is difficult to empty because it is an inappropriate receptacle due to design, age or condition.   If your containers are torn or broken, they may leak spilled liquids, and they are more difficult to empty.  Some older waste cans are heavy, difficult to empty and liners are difficult to attach to them.  This can cause back injury to a janitor who has to bend over and deal with cumbersome receptacles.   If a waste can cannot be emptied within 5 seconds, it’s an impediment to efficient housekeeping and not ergonomically safe.  The best design is a regular plastic can.  It isn’t heavy or cumbersome to empty, and liners attach more easily.  The two receptacles in the photo are our first choices for individual desks.
• The liner in the trash container is inappropriate for that particular trash receptacle due to size, density and difficulty in opening.   The best liners are those that can be opened quickly, attached easily, are the right size, and they are dense enough that they will not tear. It’s that simple!
• A client does not have an effective recycling and trash disposal program in place.   Correct disposal procedures help the janitor do a better job and at the same time protect the environment.  Clear guidelines posted to employees will help to ensure more efficient trash removal and prevent many items from ending up in the landfill.  

A company’s disposal practices can be counterproductive for the cleaning personnel or harmful to the environment in the following ways: 

• Recycling containers are often a confusing array of receptacles which are not clearly marked as “recycling” or “office mix”.    This oversight confuses the cleaning personnel, especially fill-in crew who are not as familiar with a building and individual preferences.   Some janitors are good enough to actually sift through recycling and pick out the incorrect items, but most don’t.  This becomes a problem then for the waste disposal companies.  If food contaminates recycling, the whole batch may end up in the landfill.
• Some clients have expectations for trash removal that are not environmentally sound.   They want liners changed even when they are not dirty, or they could be using liners that take longer to biodegrade.  There are trash liners on the market that are made from post consumer recycled content.   There are also liners that biodegrade within a few months to a few years rather than the conventional liners that can take up to 20 or even hundreds of years to decompose. 
• Employees dump food and liquid containers into their desk trash.    When employees dump food into their desk trash the liners get messy and need to be replaced more frequently.  Ideally, employees should dump ALL FOOD & LIQUIDS  into ONE trash container in the kitchen.   This keeps odors under control, ants at bay, and it reduces accidents from spilled liquids that leak through liners onto carpets.  Not a good thing!
• Employees over stuff their desk trash cans.    Overstuffed desk trash and kitchen trash is a time consuming hassle and one that frequently causes spills. When a trash liner is stuffed full it is difficult to pull out, and the liner frequently tears causing spillage if there are liquids in the trash.  Even if the liquid contents don’t  go onto the floor or carpet, it will leak into the trash can and it must then be washed out.  This is time consuming, frustrating and sometimes back breaking if it is a larger trash can. 

OUR RECOMMENDATION: 

• Ask your janitorial company how you can improve your trash and recycling methods to help the janitor do a better job for you – and then do it.
• Ask your janitorial company to recommend appropriate trash receptacles for all areas in your building: kitchens, bathrooms, desks, warehouses, etc…  Get rid of heavy and broken waste cans under individual desks.  Replace all cumbersome trash cans with more efficient ones.
• Get feedback from your janitorial company on what recycling containers are most suitable for the items you want to recycle, and make sure that all recycling containers and boxes are clearly marked. Examples: “recycling” -“office mix”- “co-mingle” – “glass” – “cardboard”  etc…  If you do not want your personal recycling removed, mark it “NO Recycle” to minimize confusion for the cleaning crew.
• Companies should have guidelines in place for employees to direct their waste to the proper receptacles.  If management doesn’t require that employees dump their waste and recycling into the proper containers, then a lot more accidents will occur, and more trash and liners get dumped into the landfill.
• Try to recycle as much as possible in your facility! Make recycling mandatory!