Reducing Single-Use Plastics: How Parry & Evans Can Help Your Business

1st July 2025

Reducing single-use plastics has become a key focus in global sustainability efforts. The goal is simple: to eliminate unnecessary plastic waste by promoting reusable alternatives, helping individuals and businesses reduce their environmental impact.

Plastic Free July is a global movement that sparks important conversations around plastic pollution, both at work and at home. It was created to show how small, everyday changes can lead to big environmental wins by cutting down on the waste that ends up in landfills – or worse, polluting our streets, nature and oceans.

That’s why, at Parry & Evans, we’ve created this blog to help your business rethink and reduce its reliance on single-use plastics in the workplace. Below, you’ll find practical, easy-to-implement tips that can Save You Money, Boost Your Sustainability Credentials, and help you Stay Compliant with Evolving Commercial Recycling Regulations.

Why is it important to Reduce Single-Use Plastics in your Business?

When looking at your daily business operations, you’ll likely spot single-use plastics everywhere, from the disposable cutlery used in the canteen to the shrink wrap in the warehouse.

Unlike household waste, the scale of plastic use in business settings means the environmental impact is significantly greater, making it all the more important to address.

If left unmanaged, these single-use plastics may at best end up in the recycling bin—but more often, they’re discarded with general waste and sent to landfill or incineration.

And even the plastics that are sent for recycling are typically manufactured using mixed materials or are so small that they are difficult to recycle efficiently.

That’s why the Plastic Free July movement focuses on eliminating single-use plastics entirely, rather than relying on improved recycling rates alone.

With New Recycling Laws in England and Wales now requiring all recyclable materials to be separated, there’s never been a better time to reduce the plastic waste your business produces and make compliance simpler in the process.

Smart Single-Plastic Ideas for a More Sustainable Business

At Parry & Evans, we have come together with a list of simple but effective changes that you can implement in your business to start reducing single-use plastics right away:

♻️ Encourage Reusables

Educate staff on single-use plastics and encourage the use of, or provide, common reusable alternatives. Examples of this include offering staff branded reusable water bottles and installing filtered water stations around the workplace.

Other alternatives include offering reusable food containers and cutlery in your canteen or breakroom, or if you have an on-site cafe, partner with them to offer incentives for reusable coffee cups.

🔍 Audit Your Packaging Materials

Take a moment to audit the materials that come in and out of your business and the packaging used. Ask yourself, is there excess plastic in your packaging? Are there opportunities to switch to recyclable or returnable alternatives like pallet wrap, bubble wrap or strapping?

A quick packaging audit can uncover some easy wins on your journey to becoming more sustainable.

👥 Talk to Your Suppliers

It may be that single-use plastics are entering your workplace through no fault of your own. After auditing what materials and packaging come into your business, speak with your suppliers about reducing unnecessary plastic packaging or switching to recyclable alternatives.

🗑️ Make Bin Areas Clear and Convenient

It is not always possible to remove all single-use plastics from the workplace, so when it is necessary to use plastics, ensure that you have appropriate recycling areas and bins in place.

Assess the best location for these designated waste management areas, such as easy access, high-traffic areas like kitchens, printers, and staff entrances. Then set them up with clear labels and ideally with pictures of what materials go in each.

🧠 Train Staff to Think Plastic-Smart

Reducing single-use plastics isn’t just about systems and operations; it is also about the habits that exist in your workplace. Hosting a short training session or including tips in your internal newsletter can help reinforce the why and how of avoiding unnecessary plastics and How To Recycle Plastics that are necessary.

This can be tied in with the encouraging of reusable plastics in the workplace and also fun workplace challenges like ‘Plastic Free Friday’.

✅ Looking for help with reducing the use of plastics in your Business? Book A Parry & Evans Audit Today!

Our tailored waste audits identify where unnecessary plastics are being generated and where recyclable materials may be slipping into general waste.

We’ll help you improve your recycling, reduce waste, and stay compliant with the latest commercial regulations, all while supporting your sustainability goals.

Let’s make recycling simpler and more effective for your business.

📞 Call us today on 01244 848 790 or

📝 Fill in our Total Waste Management Audit Form