Tips

Creating a Safer and Cleaner Environment with Trash Enclosures

When it comes to keeping your employees safe while also allowing them to work as efficiently as possible, it is necessary to give them the proper tools and materials. While trash removal is something that is often overlooked when making plans for a business or an organization, it is an essential component that must be addressed from a practical and proactive sort of way.

Let’s face it, trash can pile up quickly. Not only is it an eyesore, but it also creates a potentially unsafe workplace or business for both employees and customers. So, how can this be addressed in the best way possible? One excellent option is to purchase enclosures for your trash and recycling receptacles.

What are Trash Enclosures?

As the name implies, trash enclosures are like little garages in which you park your trash receptacle. As such, they are often referred to as cart garages. While the waste does not go directly into the trash enclosure, the enclosure holds the receptacle and contains a slot through which the trash can be passed into the receptacle.

What are the Benefits to Trash Enclosures? Trash enclosures offer many benefits. First, since they hold the trash receptacle inside of an additional structure, it helps to reduce the visibility of the trash. The enclosure also keeps the trash from being exposed to weather elements, thereby reducing the chance of it being blown from the receptacle or becoming soaked by rain or snow. This also prevents passersby from touching the trash, thereby reducing risk of injury.

As an employer, trash enclosures also help to keep your employees safe. In addition to preventing them from being overly exposed to the waste, a trash cart can be easily wheeled in and out of the enclosure. This allows employees to empty the trash by simply pulling out the cart and moving it to where the trash is to be dumped. These carts are also specifically designed to be used in the automated trash removal process, thereby allowing you to collect an extensive amount of waste and then rolling the receptacle to the area where an automated system can dump the contents into a dumpster or garbage truck.

Purchasing a Trash Enclosure for Your Business or Organization

At Securr, we are pleased to offer a variety of different trash enclosures from which you can choose, allowing you to select the size and design that best suits your needs. Options include 32-gallon, 65-gallon and 95-gallon options in either a solid body design or with the laser cut logo option. With both designs, the side panels are interchangeable and bolt in for easy replacement. In this way, if the panel is damaged, you can easily remove and replace the panel without needing to replace the entire receptacle. Both styles are also constructed with high-grade materials and finishes, including stainless steel hinges, UV resistant powder coat and galvanealed steel frames. As such, they offer exceptional corrosion resistance in even the harshest of environments. Visit the Securr website to learn more about our available trash and recycling enclosures.

4 Tips for Creating a Food Court

Whether starting a full-blown food court business or attempting to add some type of food court to an existing business, there are many factors that you need to keep in mind in order to be successful. If you are interested in setting up a food court or creating the food court experience, here are some tips to keep in mind.

Tip #1: Plan for Pedestrian Traffic

When looking at the space that you have available for your food court, be sure to consider how people will move in, out and through the food court area. By setting the food court up in such a way that encourages one-way traffic, you will help to keep crowding under control so people can move through the area easily. It is also important to keep enough space available for pedestrians to walk while carrying trays without fear of bumping into other people or items.

Tip #2: Provide Adequate Seating

Food courts experience a great deal of traffic during certain peak times, which are primarily around breakfast, lunch and dinner times when most people’s stomachs are programmed to become hungry. Outside of these peak times, you may not need to have a great deal of seating. During peak times, however, you will need to be sure to have adequate seating to meet the needs of those who will be visiting the food court. If you are setting up a food court for your employees, you should have a rough idea of how many people are likely to visit the food court during peak hours. If you are installing a food court in a public area, such as in a mall, determining these figures can be a bit trickier.

Tip #3: Make Refuse Removal Easy

By providing your customers with easy-to-use receptacles that are placed in strategic locations, you can limit the amount of work that you have to put into cleaning up after those who have dined at your food court. The food court waste receptacles available from Securr help to make this possible.

Designed specifically for high-volume food courts in both indoor and outdoor areas, our receptacles are made from corrosion-resistant steel and feature a top that is specifically designed for holding dirty trays until they can be retrieved for cleanup. Our food court waste receptacles also keep the waste enclosed and safely locked away. In this way, the waste remains inside the container until you are ready to pull out the receptacle and remove the waste. This innovative design also helps to alleviate stress on your back as the waste is easily pulled out rather than up from the receptacle.

Tip #4: Know Your Audience

If you are creating a food court in a busy downtown location, offering a wide variety of food types may be a good idea. By offering pizza, chicken, Mexican, Oriental and other types of foods, you are more likely to please a wide audience of customers. If you are installing a small food court in at your business for employee use or for a small group of customers, however, it is generally best to keep the selections simple.

5 Steps for Increasing Workplace Safety

Keeping employees safe in the workplace is of the utmost importance for employers. Not only do you have to follow OSHA guidelines to avoid fines, but workplace safety also lets your employees know that you care. Keeping your employees safe and healthy also ensures they are able to perform their jobs properly without needing to find replacements. So, how do you keep your employees safe? With these guidelines, you will be sure to create a safer work environment.

Step 1: Teach Awareness

Awareness should be a key component of your safety plan. By having regular safety meetings and addressing potential issues with your employees, you help to keep safety at the forefront of their minds. If everyone is vigilant about safety and addressing potential dangers, the entire workforce is safer.

Step 2: Get Expert Advice

Asking an expert for advice on how to make your workplace safer can be enlightening. Often, simple things that you may have overlooked can make a significant difference in creating a safer work environment. Furthermore, little changes such as using trash can cart enclosures can help to increase safety in the workplace. In addition to keeping the trash out of reach, a trash can cart enclosure makes it easier to remove the refuse without creating unnecessary back strain.

Step 3: Create a Plan

After assessing your workplace and coming up with potential solutions, you will need to develop a plan to implement your new safety measures. While some safety measures may be expensive, others may be relatively inexpensive or possibly even free to implement. For example, holding regular safety meetings with your employees to review safety measures will only cost you about 15 minutes of your time. Starting off each shift with a quick review of the proper safety measures will ensure safety is at the forefront of each of your employee’s minds. While you may be concerned about the lack of productivity for those 15 minutes, the payoff will be greater when your employees remain safe and uninjured.

Step 4: Implement Your Plan

Once you have created a plan that you believe you can follow, it is time to start implementing the new safety measures that you have developed. Be sure to look at all pricing options when purchasing new equipment or materials to assist with safety. If you are purchasing trash can cart enclosures from Securr, for example, you can qualify for reduced pricing when you purchase 25 units or more. While not all workplaces require this many trash receptacles, larger businesses can save while increasing the safety of employees by taking advantage of these bulk prices.

Step 5: Review Your Plan

While you have taken all of the proper steps to have your workplace analyzed so you could create a great plan, things change over time. In addition, as safety becomes more of a priority for your employees, more methods for improving safety may come to light. Regularly reviewing your safety plan and making adjustments as necessary will ensure you are continually improving the safety for everyone in your workplace.

Securing and Destroying Confidential Documents

Whether you work for a school, a government agency or other place where confidential documents needs to be properly disposed, developing a system for secure removal and disposal is essential. Not only is this important in terms of maintaining the privacy of other people, but mishandling confidential information can lead to a lawsuit and a whole host of other problems for your business or organization. Therefore, it is essential to consider all of your options when developing a plan for disposing of sensitive documents.

Disposal by Shredding

Shredding is the most common method for disposing of sensitive documents. There are six levels of security for shredding:

  • Security Level 1: For shredding of general internal documents – Strip-Cut of 3/8” or Cross-Cut between 3/8” x 1 1/2” and 3/8” x 3 1/8”
  • Security Level 2: For shredding sensitive internal documents – Strip-Cut of 1/8” or 1/4”
  • Security Level 3: For shredding confidential documents – Strip-Cut of 1/16” or Cross-Cut of 1/4″ x 1/8″
  • Security Level 4: For shredding secret documents – Cross-Cut of 1/16” x 5/8”
  • Security Level 5: For shredding of top secret documents that are DOD approved – Cross-Cut of 1/32” x 1/2″
  • Security Level 6: For shredding of top secret documents that are NSA/CSS approved – Cross-Cut of 1mm x 5mm (approximately 1/26” x 1/5”)

While most office supply stores do not list shredders according to their security level, they do list the dimensions of the cut. It should also be noted that some government shredders that fall within the Securty Level 5-6 range are called disintegrators. These are very large machines that are also capable of destroying microfilm, hard drives, cell phones and other similar items.

Disposal by Burning

Other than shredding, it is possible to dispose of sensitive documents by burning. By burning documents, you eliminate the possibility of the documents being reconstructed. To security dispose of documents in this way, you should use a Burn Bag, which is simply a bag that is designated to get incinerated each day or whenever you otherwise schedule the disposal of the documents. Burn bags can also be used in conjunction with a shredder, with the documents shredded before they are incinerated. Not only does this help increase the security before the items are burned, but it also assists with the actual burning process.

Prior to shredding or incinerating your documents, you may need a safe place to store the items. At Securr, we offer a Document Control Cart Enclosure that is specifically designed to keep sensitive documents secure. This sturdy steel enclosure comes with a rolling poly cart inside that can be easily removed for transport of the contents. Fire can be contained inside the enclosure in order to meet indoor safety requirements, while the two-point locking mechanism further ensures security.

The Document Control Enclosure from Securr is available in 32 gallon, 65 gallon and 95 gallon varieties. Contact us today to learn more about your options for securely storing sensitive documents or for more information about how you can enjoy discounted prices by purchasing your items in bulk.

Eliminate Eyesores and Increase Safety with Cart Garages from Securr Trash

When it comes to waste removal, there are a number of options available to explore. Ideally, the option selected should be one that helps to efficiently and effectively remove waste without creating an eyesore in the process. Or, even better still, the option you select can help to further create the image that you wish to display for your employees, clients and others who may be visiting your business or organization. To help maintain an attractive appearance while still making waste removal simple, many businesses, parks and other locations choose to utilize a cart garage. To decide if a cart garage is the right option for you, it is a good idea to learn more about what is a cart garage, how they are used and the benefits that they have to offer.

What is a Cart Garage?

A cart garage is a sturdy metal enclosure that is used to house the wheeled plastic trash receptacles used for the curbside collection of waste. The plastic waste receptacle is simply placed inside of the cart with the lid turned down, thereby allowing waste to still be collected in the receptacle through the opening of the cart garage. When the plastic receptacle becomes full or when it is time to remove it for remove it for curbside collection, it can be easily wheeled out from the cart garage. The lid can then be folded back into place so that it closes the receptacle, which can then be wheeled to its pickup location.

What are the Benefits of Using a Cart Garage?

Cart garages make it possible to place garbage directly into the plastic, wheeled waste receptacle that is used for curbside removal. This makes it possible to effectively utilize the larger amount of space that can be found in these receptacles as opposed to smaller trash cans that need to be emptied multiple times. Not only does this make more efficient use of space, but it also eliminates the need to remove plastic garbage bags in order to place them in the pickup receptacle. This eliminates the potential for making additional messes while also reducing the risk of injury.

Where are Cart Garages Used?

Cart garages can be used virtually anywhere, including at residential locations, but they are particularly useful in areas where multiple receptacles are desired. For example, cart garages may be used to house waste receptacles along walking paths at parks, zoos or amusement parks. They may also be used in the workplace where multiple receptacles are desired in order to cover a large amount of space.

What Kind of Cart Garages are Available from Securr?

Securr offers cart garages in three sizes, capable of accommodating 95 gallon, 65 gallon and 32 gallon receptacles. These enclosures are available in a variety of different sizes and colors, including those with powder coat panels, stainless steel panels and solid bodies. It is also possible to put a laser cut logo on some of the cart garages, thereby allowing you to create an even more attractive garage for your business or organization.

What You Need to Know About Recycling Plastic

When it comes to recycling plastics, you may be wondering why some plastics can be recycled and others cannot. The reality is that even some containers containing the recycling symbol on the bottom will not actually be recycled, despite the fact that they are technically recyclable. This is because that symbol is actually a resin identification code, which is used to help sort the different types of plastics. If there is no demand for that particular type of plastic, however, it is not likely to be recycled. In fact, there are a variety of reasons why some plastic items may not be eligible for recycling. Here are some of the reasons why some containers will be recycled while other will not.

Considering the Demand

Most Material Recovery Facilities (MRFs) sort plastic containers according to the identification code. This is done to ensure the items are placed in the proper bin with other containers with the same resin. In short, the first thing that is used to determine whether or not the container will be recycled is the type of resin that it is made from. The shape of the container is also considered when determining recyclability. This is because both of these factors affect whether or not there is a market demand for that particular product. If there is no demand for that particular type of recycled product, it will be disposed of in another way.

Preparing Recyclable Goods

Once the plastics have been sorted, the MRF bales the materials to sell. The MRF can command a higher price for the bales depending upon the quality of the product. “Quality” is determined by the purity. In other words, the more consistently it contains only one kind of resin, the more valuable it is. This means the MRF wants to take whatever steps necessary to ensure there is as little contamination in the product as possible. At the same time, they want to invest as little time as possible in the actual process of sorting the plactics. Since the products are typically hand sorted and because the MRF wants to use its employees and time as efficiently as possible, certain products may be tossed without a great deal of inspection to determine the identification code.

Water bottles and clear narrow-neck bottles used for soda are almost always made from PETE, which is the most commonly requested plactic material, so those items are likely to be kept and baled. Most MRFs will not keep odd-shaped containers, such as those that hold spinach and mixed greens, because there are many similarly-shaped products that are not made from PETE and inspecting each of these containers is too time consuming.

Since the ultimate recyclability of plastics is based on market demand for recycled products made from that particular type of plastic, you can help increase the amount of plastic this is recycled by purchasing products made from recycled plastics. The greater the demand for a wider variety of recycled plastic products, the more incentive MRFs have to invest in more effective sorting equipment and to bale all types of plastics.

6 Tips for Reducing Your Waste

Reducing your waste is not only a good way to help save money in terms of waste removal, but it is also a great way to help reduce your impact on the environment. While it may not be possible to completely eliminate the amount of waste that you produce, there are a few steps that you can take to help reduce your waste. Here are a few tips for cutting back on waste without causing a great deal of inconvenience.

Tip #1: Use Reusable Bags

Taking reusable bags with you when you go shopping is a great way to reduce the number of plastic and paper bags that you use. Reusable bags and containers are also a good option when packing lunches, storing leftovers or when packing items for travel.

Tip #2: Avoid Individually Wrapped Items

When purchasing products, avoid buying those that are individually wrapped or that come in single-serve containers or snack packs. Buying items in large containers or from bulk bins will help to reduce the amount of waste you produce. When purchasing in bulk, however, look out for double-packaging in which bulk items still contain individually wrapped items.

Tip #3: Choose Returnable, Reusable and Refillable Products

Purchasing products that are returnable, reusable or refillable allows you to either use the container over and over again or return it for recycling or reuse. Whenever possible, choose these products over single-use items. You can further reduce your waste by purchasing products that are made from recycled goods or buy purchasing clothing and other items from second-hand stores. Reusing items reduces the amount of waste by reducing the need to manufacture new products. Similarly, purchasing quality products that do not need to be replaced right away can also help to reduce waste.

Tip #4: Purchase Concentrated Products

Purchasing dish soap and laundry detergents in their concentrated forms helps to increase the life of those products, thereby decreasing your need to purchase more products and create waste. Often, purchasing the concentrated forms can also help you save money by significantly decreasing the amount of the product that you need to use each time.

Tip #5: Compost Food Scraps and Yard Waste

Some studies have found that approximately 11 percent of garbage is food and yard waste.  Therefore, you can further reduce waste by composting your food scraps and yard waste. Fruit and vegetable waste, egg shells, coffee grounds and other food scraps can be added to a compost bin along with leaves and yard trimmings.

Tip #6: Find New Uses for Waste Products

Finding new ways to use waste products can also reduce your overall waste. For example, the clean side of unneeded print paper can be used to make a scratch pad. When using a notebook, use both sides of the paper whenever possible. Some items, such as spaghetti sauce jars, old bottles and even keys that you no longer need for arts and crafts projects can also help reduce your waste.

5 Simple Recycling Tips

If you want to do your part to help protect the Earth, one of the easiest ways to accomplish this goal is to actively recycle items that can be recycled. To get the most out of your recycling, however, there are a few things that you should keep in mind. In some cases, this involves thinking outside of the box and looking for items to recycle that are not typically included in the recycling conversation.

Know What Can Be Recycled

Oftentimes, people place items in the recycling that cannot actually be recycled. As a result, those items and possibly even additional items may find their way to the landfill when there might have been other options. Before you put out your recycling, check with the recycling rules for your area and become familiar with your town or city’s specifics.

Choose the Right Programs

Some recycling programs create more waste than they prevent. For instance, if items are collected and then shipped across the country for recycling, you may be creating more pollution with carbon emissions than you are saving through recycling. Look into programs to make sure they are genuinely beneficial rather than simply making you feel good about recycling.

Recycle Water

Most people know about recycling paper, plastics and aluminum, but many don’t consider how they might be able to recycle their water. Rearranging your plumbing so that wastewater from your shower and tub is used to flush your toilet, for example, can help you get more use out of your water. If you use a biodegradable soap, you can even use leftover bathwater and dishwashing water to water your garden.

Recycle Gadgets

Many electronic gadgets can also be recycled, with many non-profit organizations collecting items such as computer parts and transforming them back into workable computers. Other companies help unwanted electronics find new homes by giving them to those in need. Major appliances that need repairs may also serve as a good donation to trade schools, repair shops or even hobbyists who might want to tinker with the item. Batteries can also be recycled, though the better option is to use rechargeable batteries in order to reduce the number of batteries that you need to toss away.

Give Away Unwanted Items

If you have clothes or other items that are still in good shape that you simply don’t need or want anymore, consider giving them away to charity or posting them on sites such as Freecycle and Recycler’s Exchange. Another option is to post the items in the “free stuff” section of Craigslist. Not only will this prevent the creation of additional waste, but you will also be recycling the item by helping it to find another home.

Of course, the best way to reduce waste is to make wise purchases. Purchasing items with minimal packaging will help to reduce your waste. On the other hand, purchasing items that are made with recyclable materials helps to ensure you will be able to recycle the packaging after you have opened the product. Thinking ahead when making purchases is a good way to reduce your overall impact on the planet.

Tips for Composting in the Winter

Composting is a great way to reduce waste while also creating organic manner that creates healthy gardens and lawns. For many people throughout the country, however, composting in the wintertime can be difficult. After all, composting relies upon aerobic bacteria to break down the waste and warmer temperatures are needed to stimulate this bacteria. In other words, warmer temperatures result in faster decomposition. Nonetheless, even when the temperatures drop, you can still manage to get rid of certain types of waste with the help of a compost pile. To help make this happen, consider the following strategies.

Build a Block Structure

Building a block structure around your compost pile can help maintain the internal heat of your pile long into the winter. Simply stacking cinder blocks around your pile is an easy solution.

Add a Roof

Another way to better control external environmental factors is to protect your compost pile with a roof. This is particularly helpful during the winter months because it helps to keep the snow from forming a layer over your pile.

Use a Tarp

If you don’t have the money or inclination to build a roof over your compost pile, another option is to simply place a tarp over the pile. In addition to helping to keep snow and other unwanted precipitation off of your compost pile, this will also help to contain the internal heat within the pile rather than allowing it to escape into the air.

Expand the Size of the Pile

To help prepare your compost pile for the winter, you should start building the size of your pile during the fall months. A larger compost pile is better capable of continuing the composting process into the winter months. A simple way to increase the size of your compost pile is to add leafs to the pile rather than burning them or packing them up for disposal.

Break the Materials Down

Shredding your material to pieces that are less than two inches in size before adding them to the compost pile helps the pile to heat more uniformly. It also helps to better insulate the pile from outside temperature extremes.

Bury It

Digging a hole and burying your compost, a process known as compost-holing, can help fend off the cold winter temperatures. For compost-holing, you should dig a one foot hole anywhere in your yard and cover it with a board or bricks until it is filled with organic waste. Another option is to dig a trench around your garden or flowerbed and add your compost material to the trench, making sure to bury the waste each time you add more to the trench.

Use a Holding Unit

Instead of having a compost pile, another option is to use a holding unit. Not only are holding units a more attractive option, but they also protect your compost from external factors while helping your compost stay warmer in the winter. During the warmer months, many of these holding units can be easily spun in order to turn your compost and further assist with the decomposition process.

Eco-Friendly Tips for Your Spring Garden

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Growing one’s own food, herbs, and flowers can be extremely rewarding, not to mention a great way to save money. If you’re thinking about starting a garden this Spring, it’s important to have all the necessary equipment on hand long before the first seedling goes into the ground. To help you achieve a successful harvest, here are nine eco-friendly gardening tools to get you started.

Upcycled seeds starters: The most economical way to grow food is to start from seed, but you can’t just throw those little guys directly into the ground. A month or two before you want to begin your Spring garden, it’s time to sprout your seedlings in a protected environment. Forget the wasteful plastic seed starter flats you see at Home Depot and upcycle your own seed starting pots using this LifeHacker post as your guide.

Bambu garden tools: Bambu, a company well-known for making household essentials out of quick-growing bamboo, recently expanded into the gardening genre. These natural and hand-crafted gardening supplies include a solid bamboo fork and trowel set, along with bamboo gardening stakes. The tools are extremely light and shaped to fit your hand, making them a joy to use.

Gardening gloves: We romanticize the notion of getting our hands dirty, but really that’s only fun for about a minute. After scrubbing them and picking soil out from under your fingernails just once, you’ll be searching for some quality gardening gloves. We’re particularly fond of these recycled plastic mesh gloves by West County Gardener, and these bamboo fiber (biodegradable, anti-bacterial and anti-fungal) all-purpose gloves by Go Greens.

Soaker hose: Irrigation is essential to any garden’s success, but sprinklers and hoses are notoriously wasteful. First of all, they deposit the water on top of the plants and soil, meaning much is lost to evaporation. You’re not trying to water the entire world, just give your plants a drink, right? The best way to do that is to deliver the water right to the roots by using a soaker hose that’s buried just under the surface.

Cork flower pots: Planning a container garden? Corkits are recycled cork pots that are great for small plants such as herbs, spices, and flowers. The pots’ cork construction makes them antibacterial, extremely durable, reusable, and sustainable. Each Corkit pack ships with seeds, coir soil and a flowerpot with an optional drainage hole.

Recycled rain barrels: Another easy way to conserve water in your Spring garden is to collect rain water. Sure, you could just set a bunch of buckets around in your backyard, or you could use one of these stylish recycled plastic rain barrels instead. When it rains, water flows from your gutter through a screen and into the barrel. Then, when watering time comes along, the included spigots make it easy to attach your hose and give your plants a drink without using a drop of municipal water.

Upcycled herb garden markers: Once your seeds have sprouted, you’ll get to think about laying your Spring garden into the ground. Many plants look alike when they’re small, which is why you’ll need to label the rows or pots to keep track of what’s what. These upcycled herb garden markers we found on Etsy are possibly the cutest way to stay organized.

Eco garden tool tote: When heading out for a weeding or pruning session in your Spring garden, it can be hard to carry everything you need. To eliminate unnecessary trips back and forth from garden to shed or garage, stash all your tools in these garden totes from The Hunger Site. Made out of recycled rice and feed bags by female artisans in Cambodia, they help reduce both waste, and poverty.
DIY watering globe: If you’re planning a container garden for your porch or balcony, watering becomes an even more important issue. Unlike plants in the ground, water can collect in the bottom of containers, rotting the roots and killing your harvest. Protect against over-watering by upcycling your own self-watering globes that dispense water as the plants need it. Use this handy tutorial by Rad Megan to get started.