Waste not want not
Prevent, reuse, recycle and so on does not stop at our homes. It follows us to work and runs through our businesses. If we want a Scotland with a sustainable economy and climate, we need to move from a take, make and dispose model to one where materials stay in use for as long as possible. That is the circular economy in practice.
Scotland’s progress on waste
According to the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA) in 2023 Scotland generated an estimated 9.55 million tonnes of waste from all sources. To put that into perspective, that’s roughly the same weight as 95 aircraft carriers. Of this, 1.81 million tonnes went to landfill, about the weight of 145,000 double-decker buses. The overall recycling rate across all sources was 62.2 percent. .
This progress shows that Scotland is moving in the right direction, but it also reminds us that recycling is not always the first answer. Not everything can be recycled, and the process itself uses energy and money. The Scottish Government’s waste hierarchy places prevention first, then preparing items for reuse, and then recycling. By exploring ways to design products and packaging that avoid waste building up in the first place, businesses can contribute to a more circular Scotland while often saving money and resources too.
Re-design, Reduce, Re-use and Recycle.
Why should I bother reducing my business waste?
“Everything we buy and use has an impact on the environment. It all must come from somewhere, and that uses energy, water and sometimes scarce materials. It can also create pollution in the environment, and use land which could be used for something else or left to nature”
Edinburgh Council
Scotland’s direction of travel is toward a more circular economy. The Circular Economy (Scotland) Act 2024 was passed in June 2024 and became law in August 2024. It gives ministers powers to:
- set statutory targets for delivery of a circular economy to measure progress in transforming the economy
- restrict the disposal of unsold consumer goods, to prevent good products ending up in landfill
- introduce charges on single use items.
A practical example is the proposed minimum charge on single use beverage cups. The Scottish Government consulted on this in 2024. As of mid 2025 it has not yet been brought into effect, but it is a live policy discussion that businesses can prepare for
Responsibly disposing of waste is already a legal requirement, but more than that, it is also a chance to reduce costs and contribute to Scotland’s environmental goals.
This does not have to be complicated. A large share of office waste is made up of materials that can be recycled, particularly paper and card. Guidance from WRAP.
What’s my next move?
Three easy options…
- Donate your old office furniture by using Recycle Scotland who can collect your office furniture, re-use and re-engineer it and if they can’t they can break it down to use/ recycle the parts
- Donate your old electronic equipment to Edinburgh Remakery for free tech disposal for your business where they wipe, repair and sell on to help keep electronic equipment out of landfill for longer
- Buy refurbished/ second hand office furniture at City Used Office Furniture and Recycle Scotland to help the circular economy start turning
- Buy refurbished electronic equipment from social enterprise Edinburgh Remakery or even the Back Market
For wider support, Zero Waste Scotland offers free circular economy business advice, from design to procurement.
Simple everyday changes to reduce waste
We know that most businesses will not be replacing equipment or furniture every day. It is the small habits that can make the biggest difference.
Paper
Much of a business’s waste is still paper. Recycling one tonne of paper saves around 17 trees. To reduce paper waste in your office:
To reduce paper waste:
- Use scrap paper for rough notes
- Print only when necessary and print double sided
- Set printers to require a release code so jobs are not forgotten and reprinted
- Recycle all paper that has been used
Packaging and cardboard
The UK generates billions of pieces of packaging waste every year, which works out at around 159 items per person. Ordering in bulk reduces packaging and usually saves money too. Better still, products and packaging can be designed to use fewer materials from the start. Zero Waste Scotland provides tools and resources to support this.
The next step
Among many other practical actions, you could also take the free CPD certified training course by Business Energy Scotland to become a Green Champion which teaches participants how to identify savings, collect data and encourage change. This can help build a more waste aware workplace culture that often spreads into daily habits at home too
For those who go on to become Green Champions in their workplace, we would love to hear what you do to reduce waste
For more information please contact Jayne Saywell, one of Business Advisors. Her knowledge, experience and ideas can help your company thrive in a wellbeing economy, and find joy in a sustainable future.
