Rubbish and recycling

Reduce, re-use, recycle

Tackling London’s waste problem means getting to grips with the three Rs: reduce, re-use and recycle. That means cutting down on what we buy, or buying products with less packaging, as well as finding ways to re-use things we would otherwise throw away. Where we can’t reduce or re-use our rubbish, we should recycle it whenever we can.

Re-use

There are a number of projects for finding other people to re-use the things you might throw away.

The Furniture Re-use Network promotes the re-use of unwanted furniture, and includes details of 14 organisations in London that can help find ways for your furniture to be re-used.

The London Furniture Re-use Network is also working to make it easier for Londoners to find a new home for old furniture.

Find out how you can donate your PC to a charity through IT for Charities.

Waste Online can help you locate a company in London that may be able to refurbish old computers.

Find out about programmes to recycle bicycles.

The Community Recycling and Economic Development programme also has details of re-use projects.

Recycling

The way we use resources and transport and manage waste has a fundamental impact on the production of greenhouse gases that cause climate change.

Recycling performance across London is improving, with some local authorities making significant progress in recent years. Twenty-seven councils now provide a recycling service of at least two materials to over 90 per cent of their households. However, just 14 of London's 33 councils met the 2005/06 recycling target of 25 per cent set by the government.

In 2006/07, London recycled just under 23 per cent of its household rubbish, the least of any English region. The government has set targets for at least 40 per cent of household waste to be recycled or composted by 2015, rising to 50 per cent by 2020.

But recycling rates will only improve if we all recycle more. Many people do not realise how much they can recycle, or they may not know where or how to recycle. To help overcome these problems, the Recycle for London campaign has a website and a helpline which provide information about recycling facilities, using your postcode to locate your local services and facilities.

It also helps if you buy recycled goods. If there is no market for recycled products, then it will be difficult to make use of all the glass, paper and tin that people put in their recycling collections. The Recycle Now website includes a collection of some of the more interesting things you can buy, with links on to sites where you can buy them.

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Issue zone Get streetwise Get healthy Get active Get creative Be green Climate change and pollution Helping the environment Rubbish and recycling Get on path to success		Rubbish and recycling Reduce, re-use, recycle Tackling London’s waste problem means getting to grips with the three Rs: reduce, re-use and recycle. That means cutting down on what we buy, or buying products with less packaging, as well as finding ways to re-use things we would otherwise throw away. Where we can’t reduce or re-use our rubbish, we should recycle it whenever we can. Re-use There are a number of projects for finding other people to re-use the things you might throw away. The Furniture Re-use Network promotes the re-use of unwanted furniture, and includes details of 14 organisations in London that can help find ways for your furniture to be re-used. The London Furniture Re-use Network is also working to make it easier for Londoners to find a new home for old furniture. Find out how you can donate your PC to a charity through IT for Charities. Waste Online can help you locate a company in London that may be able to refurbish old computers. Find out about programmes to recycle bicycles. The Community Recycling and Economic Development programme also has details of re-use projects. Recycling The way we use resources and transport and manage waste has a fundamental impact on the production of greenhouse gases that cause climate change. Recycling performance across London is improving, with some local authorities making significant progress in recent years. Twenty-seven councils now provide a recycling service of at least two materials to over 90 per cent of their households. However, just 14 of London's 33 councils met the 2005/06 recycling target of 25 per cent set by the government. In 2006/07, London recycled just under 23 per cent of its household rubbish, the least of any English region. The government has set targets for at least 40 per cent of household waste to be recycled or composted by 2015, rising to 50 per cent by 2020. But recycling rates will only improve if we all recycle more. Many people do not realise how much they can recycle, or they may not know where or how to recycle. To help overcome these problems, the Recycle for London campaign has a website and a helpline which provide information about recycling facilities, using your postcode to locate your local services and facilities. It also helps if you buy recycled goods. If there is no market for recycled products, then it will be difficult to make use of all the glass, paper and tin that people put in their recycling collections. The Recycle Now website includes a collection of some of the more interesting things you can buy, with links on to sites where you can buy them. Go to top of page		Get involved Have your say about London

Rubbish and recycling

Reduce, re-use, recycle

Re-use

Recycling

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