Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

In the Royal Borough we recycle and compost 44% of our waste, the rest goes to landfill.

We all produce waste, however, we can change how much we produce, how we manage it and what we do with it.

By following the simple steps of the Waste Hierarchy we can manage our waste in a more sustainable way.

Follow some of our practical tips to reduce, reuse and recycle at home, in the garden, at school, at work and when shopping.

REDUCE the amount of waste we send to landfill.

Reduce the amount of food waste we throw away. In the Royal Borough just over 40% of our black bins are made up of food waste. 1/3 of the food bought in the UK is thrown away, this costs a family on average £680 every year. So planning weekly meals and using up leftovers can help us reduce food waste. For more tips and ideas have a look at the governments Love Food Hate Waste campaign.

Reduce unwanted mail. Many organisations now offer secure online billing instead of monthly paper bills. Eliminate junk mail by registering for free with the Mail Preference Service to have your name, as well as those of previous residents, removed from direct mail lists.

Shop sensibly. When shopping buy items with less packaging or that can be used again rather than disposed of.

REUSE items we might think about throwing away.

Reuse items such as bags when shopping, water bottles for drinks and ice-cream tubs for packed lunch boxes.

It's not rubbish, it's a resource. Mobile phones, computers, printer cartridges, clothes, books and even left-over paint can all find happy homes away from the landfill site. Reuse websites like Freegle and The Furniture Re-use Network have local sharing networks, national charities like BHF collect unwanted furniture or donate unwanted textiles, toys and games, cd's, dvd's and books to charity shops.

Use reusable nappies rather than disposable ones. For more advice and tips have a look at the Real Nappy website.

RECYCLE and COMPOST as much as possible.

Why recycle and compost? To dispel any negative myths, recycling conserves natural resources, saves energy, helps protect the environment through reducing greenhouse gases and reduces the amount of waste we send to landfill.

Get rewarded for recycling. No matter where you live in the Royal Borough, you can be rewarded for recycling. If you have a blue recycling bin you can sign up for the Individual Weight Based Scheme and if you use communal recycling bins, recycling boxes or sacks you can sign up for the Community Weight Based Scheme. You can recycle tins and cans, aerosols, paper, cardboard, glass and plastic bottles (which include milk, fizzy drink, shampoo, detergent and even bleach bottles among many others) all in the one container.

Green Waste subscription scheme and discounted composters. The Royal Borough offer a subscribed garden green waste collection service for a small charge of £30 per year or £55 for two yeras. Home composting is a simple alternative to throwing away some food waste. If you would like to order a discounted home composter please call 0845 130 60 90 or order online at Straight Recycling.

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