Responsible Resource Use
Reducing, Repurposing and Repairing
Last year, Watford residents threw away over 30,000 tonnes of waste. In 2022, waste management made up 16% of Watford's total greenhouse gas emissions as a borough.
A key part of our environmental impact comes from the things we consume, whether that is fast fashion, technology, food or our leisure activities. As a society, we need to be making better use of resources, consuming and buying only what we need. The things we produce and buy should be reusable, repairable and recyclable. We need to consider responsible resource using the waste hierarchy: reduce, reuse, repair, repurpose, recycle, recover, dispose.
- Reduce: As a consumer, you have the power to reduce the amount of waste you generate by buying products that contain less packaging, and which can be easily recycled. For example, buying loose fruit as opposed to a pre-packaged fruit bag, or buying refill items, such as fabric softener. Try visiting local stores such as RefillAbell, Watford's first zero waste refill store.
- Reuse: There are plenty of reusable alternatives to single-use - find recycling centres, zero waste shops, second-hand shops, community fridges, repair cafes, reusable nappy libraries, online market places and many more places to help you reduce waste.
- Repair: Seek to repair an item rather than buying new. This will save you money and avoid wasting resources. There are lots of online tutorials available on websites such as YouTube or WikiHow that can help you to fix things. You also visit repair cafes around Hertfordshire, to take items that need repairing.
- Repurpose: Whenever you are having a clear-out, make sure you give items a new life where possible by selling or donating them instead of throwing them away. Either take them to charity shops or try websites such as eBay, Gumtree and Freecycle. Look our for Facebook community groups, too.
- Recycle right: Familiarise yourself with our different bins so that you know exactly what can go in each container to ensure that you are recycling all that you can, and not contaminating a bin with the wrong material.
- Multiple recycling bins: Around 50 per cent of recyclable bathroom items are sent to landfill because they're put in the normal bin. Putting extra recycling bins around your home, such as in bathrooms, bedrooms and living rooms makes recycling easier and helps make sure these items can always be recycled. You can also try refillable shampoo, conditioner, soap and other bathroom products.
- Buy recycled: If you buy a product made from recycled materials you are building on the number of consumers that are choosing recycled products over 'virgin material' products. The more people that do this, the more companies will invest in buying recycled materials.