The government is doing its part, but there's a lot that businesses can do to reduce their plastic waste and help protect the environment.

1. Conduct a waste audit:  A waste audit is a process that businesses can use to identify and quantify the types and amounts of waste they generate. Conducting a waste audit can help businesses understand their waste streams and identify areas where they can reduce plastic waste. By conducting a waste audit and taking steps to reduce its plastic waste, businesses can not only protect the environment but also save money by reducing their waste disposal costs. It’s a win–win situation for businesses and the environment!

2. Implement a recycling program: To reduce their plastic waste, businesses can set up a recycling program for their employees, customers, or both. This can include providing recycling bins in the office or offering incentives (such as points, perks, or discounts) to customers who bring in their own reusable bags or containers. In addition, businesses can work with local recycling facilities to ensure that their plastic waste is properly disposed of and recycled.

3. Provide customers with reusable bags: Reusable bags can be a great alternative to single-use plastic bags, as they can be used multiple times and reduce waste. They can be made from a variety of materials, such as canvas, nylon, or recycled plastic. For maximum eco-friendliness, consider implementing a “borrow a bag” program that allows customers to donate and take reusable bags for free. Providing customers with reusable bags can be a great way for businesses to promote their commitment to sustainability

4. Ask your customers what they need: Before giving your customers disposable or single-use items, such as plastic cutlery and packaged condiments, ask them if they'd like to be provided with these products. You might be surprised by how many customers say "no, thank you"! In fact, some businesses are going so far as to only provide such disposable items upon request, omitting paper napkins, straws, plastic cutlery, and single-use condiments unless a customer specifically asks for them. 

5. Introduce a bring-your-own-container (BYOC) program: Bringing your own container, also known as BYOC, is a waste reduction strategy that encourages people to bring their own reusable containers when purchasing goods, such as food or drinks, rather than using disposable containers. BYOC is an easy and effective way for individuals and businesses to reduce waste and promote sustainability. It can also help customers save money by purchasing products in bulk, and it helps create a sense of community and responsibility for the impact of the waste we produce.

6. Go paperless: Going paperless is a waste-reduction strategy that involves reducing the use of paper products in a business. This can be achieved by using digital alternatives---such as electronic documents, receipts, and communication—instead of paper-based ones. This can help reduce the amount of waste generated and save businesses money on paper and printing costs.

7. Educate employees and customers: Finally, Canadian businesses can reduce their plastic waste by educating their employees and customers on the importance of reducing plastic waste and the small changes they can make to this end. This can include providing information on recycling and composting, and promoting sustainable practices to both employees and customers. By raising awareness and encouraging others to take action, businesses can play a key role in reducing plastic waste in Canada.

These are only a few of the ways in which businesses can reduce their plastic waste.

Reducing waste is a complex task, but it’s not impossible. Canadian businesses can play a big role in waste reduction by making small changes to their operations and practices. By conducting a waste audit, implementing recycling programs, using eco-friendly products, asking your customers what they need, introducing a BYOC program, going paperless, and educating employees and customers, Canadian businesses can reduce their plastic waste and help protect the environment.

It's also important for businesses to stay up-to-date with the new policies and regulations regarding plastic waste management in Canada, as the government is also taking steps to tackle this issue. By working together, businesses and the government can help reduce plastic waste in Canada and make a positive impact on the environment.
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For more information about how your business can reduce its plastic waste, follow our blog or email [email protected]

If you live in Toronto, you probably already know that most forms of dental waste, like toothbrushes and toothpaste tubes, can't go in your regular recycling bin.

Unfortunately, the city's waste management services don't currently have the resources to properly recycle these items. This means that most of our dental waste ends up in the garbage.

Given that most people use multiple dental-hygiene items (toothbrushes, floss, toothpaste, etc.) each day, this amounts to a staggering amount of waste: In the United States, approximately 1 billion toothbrushes are thrown away each year, while it's estimated that Canadians throw away as many as 111 million.

So, what should you do with your old toothbrushes, toothpaste tubes, and other dental waste? Consider dropping them off at our next REmarket event! 

Starting at our January 25-26, 2023, REmarket, we will be collecting most kinds of dental waste to be responsibly recycled by Terracycle (don't worry -- all you have to do is drop the items off -- we'll take care of the rest!). 

Specifically, we will be collecting the following items for recycling: 
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• Toothpaste tubes and caps (discard any remaining toothpaste)
• Toothbrushes (all types), toothbrush heads, and plastic toothbrush covers
• Dental floss containers (can contain floss of all types)
• Floss threaders
• Flosser picks
• Soft-Picks and Stim-U-Dents
• Sulca brushes
• Proxabrushes
• Gum stimulators
• Tongue scrapers
• All other dental hygiene aids
• All outer packaging for the
  aforementioned items (plastic,
  cardboard, etc.), including boxes with metallic features

While not a type of waste related to dental hygiene, we'll also be collecting disposable razors and razor heads to be recycled.

You can also check out the graphics below for a quick visual guide to what we accept.
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Did you know that packaging with metallic features (e.g., like what you see on boxes for fancy whitening toothpastes) is not accepted by Toronto recycling? These items usually have to be placed in the garbage, but we'll be accepted them for recycling through Terracycle. 

REmarket is held three times per year. This makes it easy to save up your old toothbrushes and other dental-hygiene items and drop them off when it's convenient for you! 

Full REmarket event details and guidelines can be found here. 

​We hope to see you there!

The circular economy in our daily lives

In the circular economy model, waste is transformed into a resource. It involves reusing, repairing, sharing, and recycling existing materials and products for as long as possible. This way, we can keep waste to a minimum, combat climate change, and save money while creating value.

The term circular economy is becoming increasingly popular, and many brands, such as IKEA and Adidas, are implementing this practice in the design of their products. For example, IKEA buys back used products to send them to an IKEA Circular Hub for resale and donation. They also offer workshops to share tips on how to prolong the life of products. Other industry examples include companies redesigning electrical devices in a way that is easier to repair and reuse.

So how can we, as consumers, adopt a circular economy approach when making consumer choices? 

In this article, we share some tips to lead a more circular life based on the 5R’s of the circular economy: rethink, redesign, reduce, reuse, and recycle. 

TIP 1: Make thoughtful consumer choices.

• Rethink and reduce. Reflect on your consumption habits. Do you really need that extra pair of shoes? The best way to avoid waste is to buy fewer things. Revise your current inventory, and think of buying second-hand items. After adopting this practice, you’ll be surprised by how many things we buy that we don’t really need!
• Reuse and recycle. Whenever you buy a product, it’s important to consider what you’ll do with it at the end of its usable life. For example, when it's time to replace your sneakers, what will you do with your old shoes? What about donating or selling them online? In this case, Soles4Souls (S4S) has a program that allows you to donate your shoes, keeping them from going to waste by sending them to people in developing countries. There are also recycling programs, like the ones carried out by TerraCycle, where you can drop off all kinds of used goods to be recycled. Reusing and recycling your products is easier than it seems, and the impact and reward are outstanding. It takes a bit of research at first, but once you’ve done it once, it’ll be much easier the next time! 
• Redesign (or repurpose). Can you reuse or repair your old shoes to extend their lives? Can you find other uses? Get creative. You can find ideas on Instagram and Pinterest to find new uses for your old materials—so many items can be repurposed and upcycled in innovative ways!

Did you know there are many new startups and apps designed to help us make more environmentally considerate decisions? 

For example, here are some useful apps to look up that aim to keep food waste to a minimum:
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• Too Good to Go: This company’s mission is to reduce food waste. It allows you to buy unsold food leftover at the end of the day and/or packaged items nearing their best before date for a very low price.  
• NoWaste and Fridgely: Their mission is to combat food waste. They’ll help you identify which items you need to consume before they expire. Not only can this help you reduce waste but it’ll also save you some money!

TIP 2: Increase demand for products or services that are most consistent with circular economy principles.
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• As much as possible, try to purchase items that adhere to circular economy principles; this will further increase the demand for these products.
• How do we know if the goods we are buying are consistent with circular economy principles? One way is to look at the labels. Here are some examples of recognizable labels that can help you identify products that have been produced using sustainable practices. In later articles, we’ll explain in more detail the different labels that can help identify sustainable products.
  
  

TIP 3: Learn more about the places you shop and their sustainable practices. 

• Are they committed to sustainability? Do they operate using any circular economy principles? Do they offer more sustainable alternatives to the products and/or services that you’ve been buying? 
• You can start by looking at company websites, but you can also look around in store. When no public information can be found, it doesn’t hurt to ask a shop employee—chances are, they’ll be able to tell you a bit about their sustainability practices! 
• If you discover that the shops you’ve been purchasing from aren’t very sustainable, consider taking your business elsewhere. You can always try googling things like “sustainable stores near me,” “sustainable products near me,” or “zero waste stores near me.” You might be surprised at how many search results there are! 

TIP 4: Think about the packaging.

Do I need that much plastic to protect my purchase? Can I use my own bag instead? Can I use a reusable cup or container instead of a disposable one? Be sure to ask yourself questions like these before making a purchase. 


Key takeaways

It’s often the little things that make all the difference, and we can each do our part to protect the environment. If you’re interested in learning more about the circular economy and finding better uses for your old products, come check out REmarket! 

REmarket is an initiative that the St. Lawrence Neighbourhood Waste Reduction Group (SLNA-WRG) has put in place to reduce local waste by collecting unwanted post-consumer goods to keep them out of the landfill. They also offer repair services to extend the life of your products and a totally free market to give back to their local communities.

Full event details can be found here, and don’t forget to review the full event guidelines before participating!