Creating A More Powerful Home

Recycling containers and pickup schedules are often sized for two types of customers: residential customers and large businesses. Multiple residential containers can be handled by a single vehicle, while large businesses have dedicated pickup planning or their own private recycling policy. Small businesses are in an awkward position of needing non-standard recycling containers to go with their standard dumpsters, and every business' waste management use is different. Here are a few ways to size up your business waste, along with the types of containers needed.

Measured Storage And Scheduled Pickup

It's hard to know how large your storage container needs to be until the container starts filling up. Weight is just one component and not the whole story, as some objects have greater mass or strange shapes that take up more container space than smaller, denser materials.

One way to measure the amount of disposal space you need is to localize the recyclable materials and measure the size as close as possible. You can gather recyclable materials in their specific areas, measure the length and the width for square footage, and add the square footage to get a general idea.

You don't need every single recyclable item in the business. Just figure out the size of the largest items, such as computers or file cabinets. A 1 foot by 2 foot computer is 2 square feet, and if you have 10 computers to recycle, that's 20 square feet that need to be accounted for. For cardboard, just measure the length and assume that every flattened piece of cardboard is about an inch. 

If your business is already piling up with recyclable metals or large amounts of cardboard, it's alright to order an oversized container. You may be overpaying for the first month, but this investment can be an easier way to get everything out while sizing up your true recycling need with the help of sanitation professionals.

Individual Bins For Small Materials

Do you plan on recycling smaller components such as electronic expansion cards, gold filing, aluminum bars, or steel bolts? Certain materials have higher recycling rates than paper and plastics, and may be worth your time to recycle in bulk.

Ask a dumpster rental professional for hand-carry recycling bins or totes. These bins can be used inside the business to deposit smaller items that can be recycled later, and many sanitation companies have color-coded options to make organization easier.

Contact a dumpster service representative to discuss your business' recycling needs.