Even in the digital age where we execute most of our document-related activities online, Americans still use loads of paper. Statistics show that the average office worker generates two pounds of paper daily, while paper makes up 90% of all office waste. 

These paper waste products (and any other waste material in the office) have to go somewhere to create a clutter-free office space. 

A rubbish and recycling bin is an essential requirement to declutter your office and ensure vital work documents don’t mix up with piles of paper waste. 

However, choosing an office garbage bin isn’t as straightforward as most business owners think, with varying factors influencing your choices. That said, here are four tips for choosing a trash bin for your workspace: 

1. Conduct an Office Waste Audit 

An office waste audit can help determine the type and amount of waste your office generates. Based on this information, you can decide the office trash bin to purchase. 

Does your office waste consist of small scraps of paper only? Then you’ll require a small waste basket. 

However, a bigger trash bin is necessary if you’ll need to dispose of other materials, such as plastic water bottles, food scraps, and juice boxes.

Consider your recycling requirements, as well. The type of paper you’ll recycle determines the ideal recycle bin for your office. Confidential paper waste typically requires lockable recycle bins. 

On the other hand, open-recycle bins are ideal for non-confidential documents. 

2. Consider Your Office Space 

Your office’s size plays a role in your garbage bin choice. A large recycling bin could take up too much space in a small office space.

However, larger offices with more employees often generate more waste products. As such, smaller general waste bins could fill up quickly in such workspaces. 

A large rubbish and recycling bin is a better fit to cater to your waste needs if you own a big office with a larger workforce. 

However, if you have a small office with loads of daily or weekly waste products, you could opt for small waste bins for individual desks and empty them into a larger trash and recycling can outside the office premises. 

You could also opt for a small general trash can within the workspace with more frequent collection from your waste disposal service.

3. Differentiate Trash and Recycle Bins 

Opting for trash and recycling bins with similar colors can confuse your employees. They may end up throwing recyclables in the compostable bin and vice versa. 

Sorting out recyclables from office bin liners can be challenging, and you could eventually lose some of these reusable products in the process.

To avoid recycling contamination, separate your recycling bin and trash containers using colors and signages. This way, your employees know the purpose of each bin and won’t mix recyclables with trash. 

You can avoid recycling contamination in your office using color-coded trash bins

4. Use Lockable Recycle Bins for Confidential Documents

If your business deals with confidential information, you may require a lockable recycling container to dispose of sensitive documents. 

It’s best to also color-code these lockable bins so employees don’t toss these documents elsewhere, putting client information and the company at risk. 

Furthermore, leveraging a confidential waste shredding service to remove these files from the workspace is a necessary step to consider.

Conclusion

A rubbish and recycling bin is a non-negotiable requirement to guarantee a tidy and environmentally-friendly office space. 

That said, you can’t choose just about any trash bin for your office. Your workspace’s size and the type of waste your employees generate daily should influence your waste disposal choices. 

However, when choosing a recycling bin for your office, it’s best to consider color-coded containers to avoid recycling contamination. Lockable recycle bins are also helpful to dispose of confidential documents.