The Importance of Being Environmentally Responsible and How We're Doing Our Part

The Importance of Being Environmentally Responsible and How We're Doing Our Part

In the UK alone, 100 million tonnes of waste are produced every year. For some perspective, a small car weighs one tonne! Of this, more than 75 percent is commercial waste. As these numbers are increasing every year, it’s imperative that local businesses do their part in disposing of waste responsibly. But how?

Our Goal

At Oxford Direct Services, we’re focused on sustainability. We encourage environmental consciousness through the recycling services we offer and do our best to provide local businesses with smart, viable solutions. While we (unfortunately!) can’t force locals to recycle, we can help by diverting waste from landfills.

What Are We Doing to Help?

  • We dispose of general waste at the Ardley Energy Recovery Facility (ERF) in north Oxfordshire where it’s burned to produce electricity. Through the ERF, 95 percent of Oxfordshire’s general waste is kept away from landfills and enough electricity is generated to power around 38,000 homes.
  • We send food waste to an Anaerobic Digestion plant to create nutrient-rich, organic fertiliser called Digestate. This compost is used to fertilise farm lands and helps support sustainable farming practices throughout the UK.
  • We pulp and recycle paper to be used in future paper products.
  • We send glass, metals and plastics to be repurposed.

How Can You Help?

Now that you know what we’re doing, what can you do? As an individual or as a business, you can consciously choose to ditch plastic bags, use reusable containers for food storage and start composting. And we encourage that! But, if you’re looking for a place to start, replace generic bins with recycling bins and educate staff and customers about what goes where.  In order to ensure your waste is recycled properly, there are a few rules you should familiarise yourself with.

Top Tips

  1. Make sure you clean the bottles and containers that you recycle and get rid of all food or drink residue.
  2. Be aware of what can and can’t be recycled. Food waste, bin bags, clothing/shoes, cling film, metallic plastic (like a crisp packet), glass, wood and rubber can’t be mixed in with other recyclables
  3. If you’re disposing of food waste, don’t include any bin bags, black sacks, plastic packaging or cooking oil.

We’re here to help! If you have any questions about recycling or want to learn more about our services, don’t hesitate to contact us!