As the property manager, you might be concerned about all of the waste that your apartment complex generates. Along with taking other environmentally friendly steps within your complex, you may want to encourage your tenants to recycle. These are a few ways that you can encourage your tenants to participate.
Put Out Plenty of Recycling Bins
If it is too time-consuming, your tenants might not go out of their way to recycle. Therefore, you will want to make recycling as easy as possible for the people who live in your complex.
For example, if you operate a large, spread-out apartment complex, consider renting multiple recycling bins. Set them up in convenient locations around the complex. Then, tenants should not have to walk too far from their units to recycle, which can encourage them to do it a lot more often.
Dump Recycling Bins Regularly
Once you start encouraging your tenants to recycle, you might have a surprising amount of participation in the program. This can lead to recycling bins filling up quickly. Make arrangements to empty your recycling bins on a regular basis.
This will help prevent them from overflowing and becoming an eyesore, and it will help encourage tenants to continue using them.
Provide Guidance for Your Tenants
Some tenants do not actually know a lot about recycling. If your tenants do not know what to do, then they might not participate at all, or they might toss their recyclable items in the wrong bin.
When you first implement your recycling program, send out flyers that encourage your tenants to participate. Provide as much information as you can about where the recycling bins are and what can and cannot be recycled.
Additionally, provide signage with clear instructions on or near all of your recycling bins. For example, you can instruct tenants to break down boxes, rinse out cans or bottles, and otherwise prepare their recycling. You can also use signs to help direct tenants to the proper recycling bins, based on what they dispose of.
Lastly, let your tenants know that you are available to answer any questions that they might have about your recycling program. This can help you encourage compliance and ensure that items are recycled properly. Plus, this is a great way to know your tenants better.
Let Your Tenants Know Why Recycling Is Important
Some tenants might not realize just how important and helpful recycling really is. As you might know, though, you have many benefits to increasing recycling among your complex. You might be surprised to find that more tenants will want to participate once they are aware of the reasons why they should do so.
For example, consider providing information about just how much garbage is disposed of from your complex. Let tenants know that your complex can save on the cost of garbage disposal by recycling and that these savings can be passed on to them. Additionally, give them a little more information about the environmental benefits of recycling.
Provide stats to back up your information and resources where tenants can look for more information.
Lead By Example
If your maintenance crew regularly throws items that could be recycled away in the garbage can, it does not set a good example for your tenants. Make sure that all of the property managers, maintenance technicians, and other professionals who spend time on the property lead by example.
If you would like to increase recycling in your apartment complex, the tips above can help. Contact us at Cleanlites Recycling if you need help with setting up your apartment complex recycling program. We look forward to speaking with you.