Waste Managers at Home
On average every person in England produces just over half a tonne of household waste every year - equivalent to around seven times their own body weight. The majority of this waste is sent to landfill sites which are rapidly becoming full.
We all have a responsibility not only to recycle as much as we can but also to reuse and ultimately reduce the amount of waste we produce. Here you will find information on how to become an effective waste manager in your own home, including information on home composting and cloth nappies.
The 3 R's
Reduce
Reuse
Recycle
Reduce
Reducing your rubbish is the most effective way to deal with waste because it is not being made in the first place, therefore we don't have to worry about what to do with it.
- Buy in bulk to reduce the amount of packaging
- Use reusable shopping bags instead of disposable carriers
- Use both sides of a sheet of paper
- Consider stopping junk mail coming through your door by registering with the Mailing Preference Service
- Use cloth nappies instead of disposable ones
- Compost your leftover kitchen waste and garden cuttings on a compost heap or in your home composting bin
- 6.7 million tonnes of food is thrown away by households in the UK every year. The 'Love Food, Hate Waste' campaign introduces simple steps you can take to save food as well as money. Visit www.lovefoodhatewaste.com for more information
Reuse
'One man's trash is another man's treasure'. Before you throw anything away think 'can it be used by someone else?' or 'can you use it for something else?'
- Take your old carrier bags back to the shops to use again or use them as bin liners
- Consider subscribing to a local milk round - returned glass milk bottles can be washed and reused up to 24 times
- Donate books and magazines to hospitals, doctor's waiting rooms and second-hand book shops. Good used clothing, toys and household items can be donated to charity shops
- The Freecycle Network is a not-for-profit movement made up of local groups that allow people to give away things they no longer want to other members. This not only means you can get your hands on something for free, but it also saves it from being sent to landfill. For more information or to find a group near you visit https://www.freecycle.org/.
Recycle
If it can't be reduced or reused, then can it be recycled? Over 60% of household waste can be recycled and made into new and useful products.
Uttlesford District Council's household collection service provides green lidded bins to recycle paper, card, plastics, tin cans and foil, and brown lidded bins to recycle kitchen waste
- Make use of the public recycling sites which provide facilities for recycling materials such as glass and textiles that are not collected for recycling as part of the household service
- Take larger items such as green waste, wood and electrical equipment such as TVs and household appliances to the recycling centre for household waste
- Uttlesford District Council also provides weekend 'drop-off points' for garden waste, available at various times and locations across the district
Remember - before you throw anything away ask yourself if you can 'Reduce', 'Reuse' or 'Recycle' it