| We are getting better - with the recycling rate in England and Wales up to 12% - but could we be doing more? Everyone agrees that recycling makes so much sense as it saves resources, energy and creates more jobs.
However, we are producing 3% more waste each year from our homes. This means we're consuming natural resources at a much faster rate than before and putting more strain on the environment's capacity to deal with our waste products.
There are 3 simple steps that you can follow to help reduce the waste you generate and to re-use or recycle other waste products.
Reduce
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Write a shopping list to make sure you don't come home with far more than you need. Don't be caught out by the 3 for 2! |
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Choose the products with the least packaging, for example fruit and vegetables that you chose yourself rather than the ones packaged in polystyrene trays and plastic wrapping. |
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Contact the mail preference service www.mpsonline.org.uk to stop 95% of the junk mail you receive |
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Use e-mail where possible to reduce printing and faxing and don't print e-mails out. |
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Think before you print at home and at work. |
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Really think about what you're buying. Think, do I really need that? |
Re-Use
So many products we buy end up in landfill within the space of a few months. Clothing, plastic bags, computers - loads of everyday items can be reused instead of dumped.
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The Furniture Recycling Network (FRN) co-ordinates over 300 projects in the UK. Items of a reasonable quality from businesses and households are readily accepted. Click here for a directory. |
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Plenty of charity shops can find a good home for clothes you no longer need. Pop in to any on your high street. Find your nearest Oxfam shop here here. |
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If your TV's on the blink or your stereo's stopped working think about repairing it before you buy a new one; its often cheaper, and cuts down on waste too. |
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Disposable nappies cause huge problems in landfill - they are hazardous and are not biodegradable. Real nappies are making a comeback - call the Nappy Line (01983 401959) or visit www.realnappy.com to find out details of any local schemes in your area |
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Use both sides of paper at work and encourage colleagues to do the same. |
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If you've really finished with that computer, send it to be refurbished or resold. Many international charities or schools can benefit from you unwanted equipment. |
Recycle
Recycling is on the increase in the UK, but there's still a long way to go. This section offers some tips, but recycling facilities will vary from area to area.
To find out more about recycling facilties in your own area visit www.reuze.co.uk, www.recycle-more.co.uk or contact your local authority.
Paper and cardboard
Recycling paper reduces pressure on natural resources and uses 30-70% less energy than producing paper from virgin materials. There should be a paper bank near you - make sure you deposit the right type of paper in the right recycling bank.
Metals
Simple - wash and recycle all your tins and cans. Don't forget your aerosol cans are recyclable, just like any other steel or aluminium container.
Plastics
If you're not one of the lucky few to live near the 2,851 plastic bottle collection points in the UK then recycling your plastic can be difficult. Visit www.recoup.org for more details on different types of plastic, where you can recycle them and how to buy recycled plastic products.
Electronic equipment
Action Aid's National Recycling Scheme for printer cartridges and mobile phones. Oxfam shops will take back your old mobiles, as should the retailer. Over 1.5 million computers are dumped in landfill every year in the UK. Throwing other electric equipment like fridges, televisions, or cookers into landfill is environmentally damaging, but unfortunately there are few take-back facilities for these products. This will change, when the EU WEEE Directive comes into force in 2006, and local authorities will have to provide a free service for households.
Batteries
Batteries are pretty nasty beasts. Many older types of battery contain potentially harmful metals like mercury and cadmium, and there are so many different sizes and types of batteries that sorting and recycling is difficult. Rechargeable nickel cadmium batteries, like those in drills or mobile phones, can be recycled www.rebat.com. Other types of battery are more tricky to recycle - the RABITT scheme offers some recycling services . The best plan? Use batteries as little as possible.
Glass
Glass is one of the best materials for recycling, as it can be recycled again and again, saving energy and raw materials. Before recycling your glass, make sure you wash the bottles and jars, and remove any tops or plastic attachments. Do try and put your glass in the right coloured banks - any contamination will lower the value of the recycled glass.
Garden & Kitchen waste
Organic waste is the main cause of methane emissions, a powerful greenhouse gas, from landfill sites. Instead of binning it, try composting. It's an easy, satisfying process; not only will your dustbin be less smelly, but you'll be improving your local environment and even saving money in the process. If you don't have a garden to compost in, some local authorities have set up community composting sites. Visit the Community Composting Network or the Composting Association. |