Everyone produces waste. In fact, in the UK household waste alone amounts to about 30 million tonnes annually. Unfortunately this is growing. And while waste cannot be eliminated, we can reduce its environmental impact by preventing waste wherever possible by Recycling at Home, and making more sustainable use of the waste that is produced. The latest statistics suggest that we are recycling approximately 23% of our household waste on average although this differs greatly in different regions.
So how can you help by Recycling at Home ?
Mobile Phones - Mobile phones contain a number of toxic substances so sending them to landfill is not a safe option. It is estimated, however, that there are 90 million redundant mobile phones in the UK many of which could be successfully recycled. In fact you could make up to £180 from your old mobile - Click Here for more information.
Paper - Paper and packaging make up huge proportions of most municipal and commercial waste streams and is the second largest component of recycled household waste. Large amounts of this paper are still sent to landfill, however, using up this resource and meaning that recycling paper has to be imported or virgin product produced. Many councils now collect waste paper from homes but if you do not have this facility for Recycling at Home please take your paper to the nearest paper bank which you can find at the bank locator above.
Glass - Annually, total glass use in the UK is estimated at around 3.6 million tonnes. Using present technology the UK glass industry has the capacity to recycle over one million tonnes of glass each year and this, coupled with the materials unique ability to be infinitely recycled without compromising its quality, creates a compelling case for the recycling of glass. Despite this, glass makes up around 7% of the average household dustbin and in 2001 over 2.5 million tonnes of this material was landfilled. Find your nearest bottle bank using the link above.
Printer Cartridges - Inkjet cartridges are straightforward to recycle by simply refilling, whilst toner cartridges can often be remanufactured. In 2003 30-40% of ink and toner cartridges sold in the UK (40 million) were recycled or remanufactured, but thousands of tonnes still end up in landfill.
Plastic Bottles - Plastic is made from oil - a fossil fuel that will one day run out. It is important to make use of materials like plastics that can be recycled and re-used, rather than continually exploiting the fossil fuels used to make them in the first place. In Britain plastic makes up about 7% of our household rubbish most of which consists of packaging. Recycling facilities for plastics vary so check with your local authority to see what is collected in your area.
Composting - Home composting is at the top of the waste hierarchy for composting because it cuts down on transport costs and uses the waste where it is generated with very little environmental impact. Although many local authorities promote the sale of home composting bins, the accompanying instructions are often minimal, which leads to new composters having problems or unrealistic expectations and becoming disillusioned. An excellent website on home composting is Recyclenow
Batteries, Metals, Liquids & Chemicals and Electrical Goods - can all be recycled and you can find your nearest recycling centre by clicking on the bank locator.
Source: www.defra.gov.uk & www.wasteonline.org.uk 2009
For Recycling at Home use the Recycle Bank Locator to find your nearest recycling facilities at www.recycle-more.co.uk
For further information on Recycling click on the links below
