Waste and recycling
Top tip: To save paper and energy, please don't just automatically print out this page!
Even though the recycling in England and Wales is up to 12%, we are still producing 3% more waste each year from our homes. Yet 80% of the contents in our bins can be recycled!
Cutting back on waste
Reducing
- Think about what you are buying before you go shopping – do you really need it? Writing a shopping list and sticking to it can help.
- Buy recycled products wherever possible
- Take a ‘Bag for Life’ with you when you go shopping to reduce the need for wasting more plastic bags.
- Choose products with the least packaging, like loose fruit and vegetables rather than those wrapped in lots of plastic on polystyrene trays.
- Avoid disposable products in the first place, like disposable cameras, BBQs, plastic cups, paper plates, water bottles, nappies
- Use rechargeable batteries and refillable pens
- Stop printing out lots of copies of emails, meeting minutes and documents – could one copy be circulated, and could it be printed back to back?
- Register with the Mail Preference Service www.mpsonline.org.uk (opens in new window) to stop 95% of junk mail through your letterbox.
Reusing
Give old clothes to a charity shop, or clothes banks at any recycling centre
Invest in ‘Real Nappies’ instead of disposables. We throw away over 9 million everyday in the UK, causing huge problems in landfill as they are hazardous and not biodegradeable. Find out details of any local schemes in your area www.realnappycampaign.com. Also try local nappy laundry service www.cottonbaby.co.uk (all links open in new window).
Donate unwanted furniture in reasonable condition through the Furniture Recycling Network (opens in new window). In Eden Cumbria Furniture Services Penrith can pick it up free of charge - check out www.impacthousing.org.uk/pgran.htm (opens in new window).
In the South Lakes the Social Services Department of South Lakeland District Council can arrange for a company in Ulverston to pick up old furniture or electrical goods free of charge. You can also take these items to the Age Concern warehouse in Kendal between the Bus Depot and the train station.
Swap old junk, ideas and information in your community through an innovative idea encouraging reuse and the exchange of goods www.swapxchange.org (opens in new window).
Buy milk from a local delivery service in glass bottles.
Send your old computers to be refurbished or resold for the benefit charities and schools www.donateapc.org.uk or www.computersforcharities.co.uk (open in new window).
Use both sides of paper where possible. Make a notebook out of scrap paper for taking telephone messages or meeting minutes.
Reuse greeting cards (as gift tags), wrapping paper and envelopes, which are difficult to recycle.
Save unused paint and contact www.communityrepaint.org.uk.(opens in new window). Community Re>Paint is a network of paint reuse schemes collecting leftover reusable paint from householders, and redistributing it.
Recycling
Recycle as much of your remaining rubbish as possible. When compared to making a product from scratch, recycling uses up far less energy and water resources. It also cuts down on raw materials having to be extracting from the earth.
Paper and cardboard: recycling paper uses 30-70% less energy than producing paper from virgin material. You can find paper banks throughout Cumbria. In Kendal, Morrisons have banks for household cardboard. The general household waste disposal sites in Ambleside and Kendal will take larger cardboard pieces.
Tins and cans: this includes steel and aluminium food and drink tins or cans. Can banks are located throughout Cumbria.
Glass: this is one of the best materials for recycling as it can be recycled again and again, saving energy and raw materials. Glass banks are located throughout Cumbria.
Garden and kitchen waste: organic waste is the main cause of methane emissions from landfill sites. It’s far better for the environment to compost it. Try www.compost-it.org.uk (opens in new window) for your one-stop shop for home composting.
Printer cartridges and mobile phones: Action Aid run a National Recycling Scheme where profits go towards their work with some of the world’s poorest communities www.nru.org.uk . Or try www.recyclingappeal.com to raise money for your own choice of charity. Most charity shops will take mobile phones for recycling www.oxfam.org.uk/what_you_can_do/recycle/phones.htm (opens in new window).
Plastic: recycling centres are available across Eden and Lancashire. There is a trial scheme in Barrow and Ulverston and a new collection bank at the general household waste disposal sites in Kendal and Ambleside. Morrisons and ASDA in Kendal have banks for plastic bags and household plastics. Booths also recycle plastic bags, but why not use a ‘Bag for Life’? Try www.recoup.org (opens in new window) for more information on plastic recycling.
Drinks Cartons: Wash them out, remove plastic lids, flatten and recycle them by sending them off in the post. Print off address labels from www.tetrapakrecycling.co.uk (opens in new window).
The Full Monty
This web page is just a taste of what's on offer!
For more advice, information, links to fantastic websites and background on how you can save pounds whilst saving the planet, download the Toolkit for Sustainable Living in South Lakeland (opens Document Library)
