Reduce

What's in your bin?

Every house produces large amounts of waste every week, but have you ever wondered what makes up the rubbish you throw away? On average about 2/3 of the average household bin is recyclable.

Copyright Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government

What's in your bin?
Copyright Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government

What's in your bin?

Every house produces large amounts of waste every week, but have you ever wondered what makes up the rubbish you throw away? On average about 2/3 of the average household bin is recyclable.

Copyright Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government

Enlarge image

Reducing the amount of resources we use and in turn reducing the waste we produce is the main aim. Our challenge is to minimise refuse everywhere we find it. However that won’t be easy because of the amount of waste being discarded. There is:

• Waste we can see – discarded litter, landfills and illegal burning.
• Waste we can’t see – greenhouse gases, radioactive waste and chemicals.

Using less materials and reducing the amount of waste produced also adds to the protection of our resources.

It is up to all of us to cut back on our waste. Just think about your consumption pattern to see if you can live more sustainably by using less and less of the Earth's resources in your everyday life. Other ways to reduce your waste profile are:

• Avoid purchasing unnecessary items with excessive packaging
• Bring your own shopping bag to the shops
• Use washable nappies and cloths
• Take action to reduce the amount of unwanted mail you receive
• Buy products that have less packaging
• Make a non-toxic cleaning kit with baking soda and vinegar