You’re nearing the end of your sales season / big project / quarterly something-or-other, and it’s time to toss everything into archives or the garbage bin. Maybe you’re considering throwing everything into a pile in that meeting room you don’t use or sweeping it under the proverbial (or literal) rug. Save yourself some time and mess this season by handling your office trash removal fully and properly. Whether you’ve got file cabinets full of old reports or storage closets stacked with outdated electronics, it’s important to empty out and start fresh – but not all office trash removal can be handled the same way. If you were about to toss those old papers into the same place as your 1990s keyboard collection, you should keep reading to learn the most efficient – and eco-friendly – ways to perform your office cleanse.
Office Trash Removal: It’s not just about separating recycling from traditional garbage
By 2017 most people are probably aware that they should be recycling as much as possible. Unfortunately, most people also don’t realize that not everything that is technically recyclable can be disposed of in the same manner. Yes, papers and plastics should both be recycled, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they should go to the same place. Similarly, a lot of people are likely to take their old computer monitors, light bulbs, expended batteries, etc. and toss them in the same recycling bin, or even worse – take them to the dump. In these cases, not only can improperly going about your office trash removal be a waste of perfectly recyclable resources, but it can be incredibly harmful to the environment over time.
So what do you do about this? You can always search the web for the proper information on how to dispose of these different types of trash yourself, but that takes up more of your time and energy between the research and the trips to the right locations, not to mention renting or borrowing a vehicle to haul everything and then doing the physical hauling yourself. Your easiest option if your office trash removal needs include a mix of different paper, plastic, furniture, and electronic trash is just to call in the professionals and let us handle it. We’ll ensure your trash makes it to the correct, eco-friendly locations if it needs to be disposed of, or the right recycling facility to make use of what’s still functioning.
Disposing of Hazardous Substances
Not all office trash removal is as simple as throwing some trash bags into the dumpster behind your office. In fact, not all trash is solid waste. If your company handles certain liquids, dumping everything down the drain at the end of the day won’t cut it. Not only can certain liquids and chemicals be bad for the environment once they reach the other end, but they can wreck your plumbing on the way there – neither of these is a desirable outcome. So how do you dispose of a dangerous substance properly?
Chances are, if your company handles hazardous chemicals as part of their daily routine, you’ve been briefed on a standard procedure for safely disposing of them. That’s all well and good, but not all hazardous waste cleanups are part of standard procedure. Maybe there’s been an accident and you need to know how to properly clean up blood or other unexpected, potentially hazardous waste.
You’ll need the right attire. Depending on the severity of the situation this could include gloves, goggles, special shoes, or even a full-body suit. Here are some general guidelines on more common occurrences:
- Blood or other bodily fluid: dispose of all materials in a properly labeled biohazard bag with zip tie
- If broken glass is involved: dispose of materials in a plastic container.
- Flammable liquid: dispose of materials by using plastic scoop into a polyethylene bag
And after cleaning the mess, depending on the surface and the substance involved you’ll need to make sure you apply the correct amount of the proper disinfectants. As always, your best bet for safe and stress-free office trash removal is leaving it to the pros. We’ve been at it for years and offer all services from standard to hazardous to emergency response.
The Next Step for Office Trash Removal
Now that you have a better idea of how to handle office trash removal in a few different instances, what’s your next step? You could consider doing any or all of these things on your own, adhering to a set schedule and ensuring you don’t need any massive trash removal days at the end of each year. On the other hand, you could get someone whose entire professional career is dedicated to making regular visits and keeping up with routine cleaning. Whatever you choose to do to handle your office trash removal, hopefully you can go forward now and do it with more confidence, more efficiency, and a greater measure of knowledge and safety. And don’t forget: you don’t have to do it alone!