How much profit are you throwing away each week? Your bins could be bleeding money – and most businesses never realise. The truth is, most businesses overlook the hidden value in their waste. But with the right recycling strategy, you can cut costs, boost resource efficiency, and even unlock entirely new revenue streams. A few smart changes are all it takes to turn waste into profit. Want to see how? Keep reading to find out.
Recycling doesn’t have to be complicated or costly. When it’s done right, it saves you money, reduces waste, and helps your business run cleaner and leaner. At ETM Recycling, we help businesses across Bristol and Bath turn waste into opportunity with simple, cost-effective solutions. In this blog, we’ll explore different ways you can utilise recycling to meet your environmental targets while cutting operational costs.
Get in touch today and discover how much more your business could save.
Innovative Ways to Recycle E-Waste in the Workplace
Old laptops, phones, and tangled chargers – most of it ends up in landfill, leaking toxic waste into the environment. But with a few smart moves, businesses can cut down the damage and lead by example. Here’s how:
- Use Devices for Longer: Before throwing something out, see if it can be fixed or upgraded. A new battery or more storage can make a device last much longer. If it still works but isn’t needed, donate it to a school or charity that can use it.
- Set Up an E-Waste Drop-Off Point: Put a box in a common area like the break room where people can leave old tech. This makes recycling easy for staff and keeps e-waste out of the bin.
- Work with E-Waste Recyclers: Many recycling companies will collect your old electronics for free. They safely wipe any data and make sure the parts are reused or recycled the right way.
Discover how businesses are leading change with innovative recycling >
How Businesses Can Reuse Materials to Reduce Costs
Reusing materials is a simple way to save money and cut down on waste. But many businesses still throw out items that could easily be used again. Here are a few smart ways to put them to good use:
- Packaging & Shipping: You can reuse delivery boxes, shredded paper for packing, and wooden pallets, or return them. You can even brand reused packaging with stamps or stickers to highlight your eco-efforts and build customer trust.
- Office Supplies & Equipment: Companies can save money by using refillable ink cartridges, giving employees reusable water bottles, switching to digital documents, and fixing or donating old office furniture. Creative offices go a step further by upcycling broken furniture into original décor or team-building DIY projects.
- Turning Waste into New Products: Coffee shops can give used coffee grounds for biofuel, and breweries can turn leftover grains into animal feed. Some businesses work with local artisans or farmers to transform waste into candles, compost, or skincare products and even make money from it.
Need ideas for monetising your waste? Read our guide to the most valuable recyclable materials >
The Environmental and Economic Benefits of Recycling Steel
Steel is one of the easiest materials to recycle. Unlike plastic or paper, it retains its strength through every cycle, so it can be used again and again without losing strength.
Builders can reuse steel beams to cut costs on new projects. Factories can sell scrap metal instead of paying for waste removal. Even small businesses can recycle steel items like shelves, machines, and old appliances. Recycling steel uses less energy, lowers pollution, and reduces the need to dig for new materials. In fact, making new steel from old steel also takes 60% less energy than making it from iron ore.
The UK has a strong market for recycled steel, so companies can often make money from scrap materials. Some recycling services even collect scrap and pay good prices, making it simple for businesses to turn waste into profit. ETM Recycling buys scrap metal in Bristol and Bath, and we can help you turn old steel into extra income.
Curious how much your business could earn from scrap? See how metal recycling boosts economic and environmental value.
Circular Economy Principles: A Guide for Sustainable Business Practices
The circular economy is all about cutting waste by keeping products and materials in use for as long as possible. Instead of the usual “take, make, throw away” approach, it focuses on reusing, repairing, and repurposing to create systems that loop rather than end.
One way to follow circular economy ideas is by working with suppliers who care about the environment. Make sure to choose businesses that sell products made from recycled or eco-friendly materials. For example, office suppliers that sell recycled paper or packaging companies that use biodegradable materials can help your business have a smaller impact on the planet.
Another way is to change how you make your products. You can design them with parts that are easy to fix or upgrade instead of tossing them out. You could also set up a return program, where customers send back old items for recycling or repair.
Explore our range of specialist recycling solutions in Bristol and Bath to see how we can help.
Transform Your Business Sustainability with ETM Recycling
Recycling can help your business cut costs, run more efficiently, and build a stronger reputation. With a smart approach, you can reduce waste, keep materials in use, and show customers you’re serious about sustainability. Whether it’s reusing office supplies, recycling electronics, or supporting a circular economy, your actions add up.
You’ve got waste to manage and a business to run. We make it easy to do both. At ETM Recycling, we design recycling solutions around your business, not the other way around. Whether you’re dealing with e-waste, scrap metal, or need a full circular economy strategy, we deliver fast, compliant services that fit your workflow.
Our advanced facilities recover high-value materials and keep waste out of landfills. That means less environmental impact, more savings, and peace of mind knowing your waste is handled the right way. Let’s simplify your recycling. Talk to our team today and see what we can do for you.
Find out how to reduce your business’s carbon footprint with recycling >
Explore the role of waste management in climate change mitigation >
