We often think about rubbish and what can be recycled and what goes in our household bin. Did you know that recycling and disposal are actually towards the bottom of the waste hierarchy. If you want to protect the environment and save money, why not check out our top tips on reducing the amount of rubbish you make, reusing items where possible and recycling your items correctly.
Reducing the amount of rubbish you use is the most effective way to minimise your impact on the environment. If you use less then less resources are used in the production of new items/ packaging and less power is used to make them, less fuel is used for transportation, and less rubbish has to be disposed of.
All these actions have a positive impact on the environment.
There are countless ways to reduce the rubbish you produce. Why not start by reading our top tips and see which you could start doing today!
Check you are storing food correctly and find recipes to use up leftovers and reduce food waste even more
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You can help the environment and reduce the amount of resources being used by using items that are made to be used over and over again. Some examples are washable nappies and sanitary products, reusable straws and reusable shopping bags. These items can be used, washed, and used again for the same purpose and get rid of the need for disposable items.
Passing items on to others through charity shops, selling sites or passing on to family and friends is also a great way to ensure products are reused for all of their useful life. The longer something is used for its intended use, the better it is for the environment. Once it is no longer fit for purpose it should be reused in another way or recycled so the materials are not wasted.
Another way to reuse is to use items for something other than their original use. For example washing out takeaway boxes and using them for packed lunches and storing food, making gift tags from used cards, or using empty yogurt pots as seedling trays.
We can all make a difference if we start to think differently.
Recycling means reprocessing items back into a usable material form. For example when plastic bottles are placed in the recycling bin they are then separated from other material types, cleaned and then melted down before being made into pellets that can be used to make new plastic bottles.
Although this is a far better way of dealing with rubbish than sending it to landfill or using it for energy from waste, it still uses resources such as power, water, fuel etc. so it is better to try to reduce or reuse your rubbish first.
Recycling is incredibly important as it means less raw materials have to be mined, drilled or forested, reducing our impact on the wider environment.
Some materials such as metal ore and crude oil are as finite materials which means when they're gone, they're gone! This is why it is imperative that we recycle as much of these materials as possible rather than letting them be wasted and lost.
Renewi has an Education Team dedicated to providing environmental education in a fun and interactive way.
Renewi working in partnership with Wakefield Council opened a purpose built Waste Education and Recycling Education Centre in 2016, based at our state of the art waste facility in South Kirkby.
The centre introduces you to the wonderful world of waste and recycling through interactive exhibits which explore the types of waste generated in Wakefield and the journey that your rubbish takes . The education centre is free to visit and open to the public 6 days a week.
Renewi’s Education Team deliver interactive workshops and assemblies to schools, colleges and youth groups across the district, as well as visits and talks to the public at community events. Renewi is keen that everyone helps to make Wakefield a more environmentally friendly district. All sessions delivered by the Renewi Education Team are completely free of charge.
Look out for our team, events are updated on our website and our Facebook page Wakefield Recycles, or book us for your event.
A new sculpture has been installed and unveiled at the South Kirkby Waste Management facility....
Read MoreWakefield Council’s recycling partner Renewi are running a series of educational events over the summer...
Read MoreA virtual lesson all about what happens to rubbish in Wakefield District
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