The waste hierarchy prioritises waste reduction activities according to their ‘desirability'. By following the 3 R's; Reduce, Reuse and Recycle we can actively reduce the waste we produce.
Waste Avoidance / Reduce
At the top and the most preferred is waste avoidance / reduction: This refers to the preference for waste to be avoided in the first place.
You can avoid waste by consuming less products, and becoming more aware of what materials are used in packaging. By doing this you will be able to choose products that have minimal packaging. Buying in bulk often reduces packaging and therefore waste.
Reuse & Recycling
If the generation of waste cannot be avoided, then resource recovery is the next preferred option. This refers to the reuse of resources; recycling; or reprocessing of resources. It may use energy to recover the resources, however, avoids these valuable resources being lost in landfills.
You can help recover resources by offering unwanted items to community charities and reuse centres, and by making sure you recycle your household waste.
Resource Disposal
The least preferred option is resource disposal. Disposal commonly means the landfilling of materials that cannot be reused or reprocessed for alternative uses. Disposal is the least preferred because products and materials (ie resources) are lost forever.
Each day you can contribute to a reduction in the amount of waste that you produce.
Using the waste hierarchy in your daily life...let's look at an example
You are looking for something to buy to eat from a supermarket...
If you wanted to avoid waste you might choose an apple because it has no packaging and its waste is biodegradable (in your home worm farm or compost bin, or at the Bedminster Composting plant). You have successfully avoided waste!
If you didn't feel like an apple, perhaps you might choose a can of baked beans as you know that once you have finished, the steel can may be recycled in your household recycling bin. Even though the can needs to be reprocessed, you have still avoided waste going to landfill!
Now of course you feel like chocolate, but by having a chocolate bar you have generated waste because the plastic packet it comes in is unfortunately NOT recyclable... it's not fair is it!!!
You can put the 3 R's into action in all aspects of your life, but here are a few hints for reducing waste at home, at the shops and in the garden:
At Home
A lot of things that we throw away may actually be able to be reused. These include clothing, and unbroken household items.
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Use reusable items instead of disposables for example plates and cutlery for BBQ's
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Reduce the need for chemicals cleaners by using microfiber cleaning cloths
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Recycle items accepted in your household recycling bin such as aluminium and steel cans, paper or cardboard, glass jars and bottles and plastic containers from the kitchen, bathroom and laundry that had a lid
At the Shops
In the Garden
Reduce water use by planting native species
- Reduce the need for chemicals by making your own natural pesticides and make sure you ‘companion plant'
- Add nutrients to your garden by recycling your food scraps and garden clippings into compost using a compost heap or worm farm
- Mulch your garden to reduce weed growth
Worm Farming and Composting at Home
Do you know that about half of what we throw out into the garbage bin is food and garden waste! Composting and worm farming are both great ways to reduce household waste. Compost bins are best suited for green waste such as grass clippings and plant pruning's, whereas, worm farms are best suited for people living in units as they prefer food scraps.
You can purchase a compost bin from Council for $40.00. The compost tool is an additional $20.00.
The bins can be purchased from:
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Port Stephens Council Administration building, 116 Adelaide St, Raymond Terrace. Business hours 8.30 - 5.00pm, ph - 4980 0255.
- Salamander Bay Waste Transfer Station, Soldiers Point Rd, Salamander Bay. Business hours 7.00-3.30pm Mon-Fri, and 8.00-2.00pm, Sundays. Ph - 4982 7514.
The ‘Easy Composting Guide' and ‘Easy Worm Farming Guide' details how to set up and maintain your compost and worm farms. See below for these documents.
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