One of the hottest buzzwords in the waste and recycling industry right now is “urban mining”. Up until recently this term was defined as the process of scavenging through the scrap metal in old electronic goods in search of precious metals contained within these products. However, urban mining has been broadened in definition by many industry experts who now use the term to refer to the process of reclaiming compounds and elements from products, buildings and waste. Let’s consider some of the ways your business can benefit from urban mining.
What can my business do with the materials reclaimed?
The materials you recover from collected waste can be reused, re-purposed or sold. For example, gold is used in the circuit boards of mobile phones thanks to its high electrical conductivity. One type of buyer who will pay good money for the metals you’ve mined is the scrap metal yard.
What is a green office makeover?
There are lots of ways your office can be given a green makeover from recycling the paper you use in the printer or photocopier to re-using office equipment and supplies instead of sending them off to landfill. Start by considering ways you can reduce your energy consumption such as using energy-efficient electronics and reusing or recycling office junk. You’ll be surprised how much you can improve your business’ carbon footprint by making only a few small changes.
How can my business start saving money on office equipment and supplies?
Reusing and repurposing are two great ways you can save your business money. From reusing old office furniture that other companies are throwing or giving away to turning old junk such as timber offcuts into office stools and desks, the sky is the limit. There are lots of website nowadays and groups on social media in which people are giving away office furniture and other valuable items as they simply want to make space or upgrade.
What should I do with old electronic goods which I no longer need in the office?
Rather than simply throwing them away, it’s a good idea to put a workplace process in place whereby you collect all your old office electronics in a bin or room. When, you have collected a substantial amount you can harvest the precious metals contained inside them or simply contact a local scrap metal pickup company and let them do the hard work for you. Metal Men Recycling will come and collect your electronic scrap and other scrap metal at a time convenient you and exchange it for cash. Simply give us a call on 03 5941 6677 and we’ll take care of the rest.