Reduce and re-use your waste

Further information

Don’t waste your money!

Here are some useful ideas to reduce waste and save you money

Food Waste

• Only buy what you need and take a shopping list when you go shopping.
• Don't buy heavily packaged items when you go to the supermarket (e.g. buy loose food items instead of pre-packed, its often cheaper and you buy only what you need).
• Buy drinks in a few large containers, rather than in lots of small ones. This saves waste and is more economical too!
• Use your own reusable bags when you go to the shops instead of taking home plastic carrier bags. 
• Buy a mixture of fresh, canned and frozen food.
• You can make lots of tasty recipes from leftover food and it’s a great way to reduce your waste and save money. See the Love Food Hate Waste website [external link] for more information.

Batteries

Give your batteries a longer life!

Do your tired, run-down old batteries need a change of scenery? – Bring them to our new BatteryBack bank so they can be recycled.

A collection point has been introduced at South Norfolk Council, Long Stratton and also Long Stratton Leisure Centre, Diss Swim and Fitness Centre and Wymondham Leisure Centre at Reception. All household portable sealed batteries (such as AA and AAA batteries) are welcome and can be deposited in the tub located on the Environmental, Health and Leisure services reception counter. Alternatively, batteries can be taken to any of the Household Waste Recycling Centres throughout the District.

Together we can help Britain meet its legal commitment to achieve 25% battery recycling by 2012.

Junk mail

Stop junk mail, by registering free with the Mail Preference Service [external link].

Inkjet Cartridges and mobile phones – Refill your old print cartridges at various shops and outlets across the county. If this is not possible in your area, many charities collect these items via post-back envelopes.

Nappies

Use washable nappies! As well as reducing waste, they can save you up to £600 with your first child. See the Norfolk County Council website [external link] for further information.

Shredded paper

Shredded paper cannot be collected in the green recycling bin, but can be recycled separately at South Norfolk paper banks – but better still reuse it as animal bedding or as packaging material. It can also be composted successfully.

Envelopes

Use envelopes again, stick a label over the original address.

Party plates & cups

Hire or borrow glasses/plates etc. when having a party, instead of using plastic disposable ones.

Clothes

Take your unwanted clothes and bric-a-brac to a charity shop, so someone else can use them. You might even find a bargain there yourself!

Bottles

Buy products in refillable bottles. Old plastic bottles cut in half make good mini propagators for seedlings.

Containers

Used plastic, cardboard, glass and metal containers can be put to use again – as containers! Used small jars are excellent for storing herbs and spices as they keep them airtight. Plastic fruit trays such as those that contain tomatoes can be used as seed trays. Better still – avoid all unnecessary packaging in the first place if you can.

CDs

Old, unplayable CDs and unwanted CD-Roms can be used as reflectors for gateposts or to scare away birds from your garden.

Your rubbish is someone else’s treasure!

• Give to and buy from charity shops and car boots, If something is broken ‘Fix it -don’t bin it’.
• Contact your local Furniture Re-use Network - they distribute unwanted furniture and household goods to those in need.
• Join South Norfolk’s very own Freegle group! Freegle - which means Free Giving, Locally and Easily, is an online group which lets people to find new homes for unwanted but useful items, rather than throwing them away. Visit South Norfolk Freegle and start Freegling [external link]

In South Norfolk you can recycle paper, cardboard, plastic bottles and cans & tins at home using your green recycling bin. You can also:

• Take your glass to your nearest glass bank;
• Use the Mini Recycling Centres and Household Waste Recycling Centres;
• Compost any organic waste produced in your household, and take advantage of our subsidised compost bin;
• Buy recycled! Buy recycled at the RecycleNow website [external link].

Buying recycled products

Recycling has not truly taken place until we buy a recycled product, which has been made from recycled materials. Buying recycled helps to create demand for recycled materials, promote industry growth and create jobs, and of course it helps our environment.

There is a common myth that recycled goods are of inferior quality, but this is simply not the case. There are many excellent quality recycled good out there, so look out for them when you next go shopping!

Recycle or compost?

Organic materials (those that were once alive) such as garden and vegetable waste can be recycled by the natural process of composting.

Schools Waste Action Club (SWAC)

The Schools Waste action Club (SWAC) is an exciting Norfolk County Council Programme that provides hands on help and advice on waste reduction, re-use and recycling in schools. It was developed by the national charity Waste Watch and works in partnership with South Norfolk Council.

SWAC is a free resource for all schools which links curriculum based activities to practical waste reduction initiatives. Through activities like waste audits, SWAC guides pupils and staff through the identification of waste issues within the school, and encourages them to develop their own waste minimisation action plan.

Please note SWAC is not currently running any programmes, please see their website for further details.

For further information visit the SWAC website [external link].

External links

Global Action Plan UK
Practical help for households wanting to reduce waste and their environmental impact.

Mail Preference Service
Fed up with junk mail? You can get your name and address removed from up to 95% of direct mailing lists by subscribing free. Also see the Fax Preference Service and Telephone Preference Service linked from the Mailing Preference Service site.

Norfolk County Council - Waste disposal and recycling in Norfolk

Ollie Recycles
Ollie Recycles is a website for kids all about the 3R's – "Reduce, Re-use, Recycle." It's full of games, puzzles and loads of information for school projects.

Recycling Guide
This site emphasises the importance of recycling and provides advice on how people can recycle at home, in schools and how to recycle different materials. Includes a useful tips section.

RecycleNow
The RecycleNow campaign is designed to encourage everyone to recycle more things more often. Recycling is easy and your efforts can make a real difference.

Recycle More
Offers information on recycling to schools, households and businesses as well as links to other recycling resources. This site also has a searchable Recycling Near You page – just enter your postcode and it will tell you what is available in your area.

reuze.co.uk
Lots of information about waste, reduction, reuse and recycling. Also available information on where to obtain reclaimed/reconditioned materials and items and on collection services.

Schools Waste Action Club (SWAC)
The Schools Waste action Club (SWAC) is an exciting Norfolk County Council Programme that provides hands on help and advice on waste.

Women's Environmental Network
Includes ideas and campaigns for waste reduction.

About links to other websites.