London Environment Strategy consultation
Closed
1217 Londoners have responded | 26/07/2017 - 17/11/2017
Repair & reuse
Reusing products is a way to reduce waste. We can repair things rather than replacing them when they break or wear out. We can design products like mobile phones where you get the insides upgraded rather than replacing the whole thing; and we can hire electrical products or white goods so that they can be used again when we’re finished with them.
Would you do these kinds of things, or do you already, and what might stop you?
The discussion ran from 10 August 2017 - 01 December 2017
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Official Representative 7 years agoIf you couldn't tell the difference between new and reused by looking at it, and repairs were guaranteed, would this encourage you to buy repaired goods instead of new ones?
Talk London
mariathena
Community Member 7 years agoSupermarkets like Tesco, Waitrose and other peddle far too may take away packaged lunch boxes and coffee cups, let alone the plastic bottled drinks . Far too many of those plastic items end up thrown on pavements , or in non recyclable bins...
Show full commentSupermarkets like Tesco, Waitrose and other peddle far too may take away packaged lunch boxes and coffee cups, let alone the plastic bottled drinks . Far too many of those plastic items end up thrown on pavements , or in non recyclable bins.
Show less of commentThey should be driven to change their packaging and have dedicated take away counters with less wrappings.
The take away chains like Prêt and Cafe Nero etc, have too much packaging too for even the smallest food items.
HilaryN
Community Member 7 years agoMy first smartphone has lasted 5 years. When the contract ran out after 2 years I switched to SIM only, which is cheaper. Now I need to replace the phone as it's running out of memory / apps can't be updated / aren't supported, so I've...
Show full commentMy first smartphone has lasted 5 years. When the contract ran out after 2 years I switched to SIM only, which is cheaper. Now I need to replace the phone as it's running out of memory / apps can't be updated / aren't supported, so I've bought a Fairphone which is modular, i.e. parts can be replaced if necessary.
Show less of commentAnonymous - account deleted
Community Member 7 years agoAll great comments - some of our favourite tool hire businesses have gone under in recent years. Some repair and rental businesses simply cannot afford to operate in London. I work for The Restart Project and we promote pop-up, volunteer...
Show full commentAll great comments - some of our favourite tool hire businesses have gone under in recent years. Some repair and rental businesses simply cannot afford to operate in London. I work for The Restart Project and we promote pop-up, volunteer-driven repair events, and we would like to be referring our participants to more businesses.
Solutions to design problems and barriers to repair will have to happen at a higher level. But the GLA can use its procurement power to promote repairable design, and work with local authorities to do the same.
As for reuse taking a priority over recycling, this is a very complex topic. But we would like to see more innovation in this area - more local authorities pushing their waste contractors to do better.
Show less of commentAnonymous - account deleted
Community Member 7 years agoIn case it's of interest, we are working on mapping quality electronics repair businesses, first with the support of the East London Waste Authority and now with North London Waste Authority - and we are building an app to help others do...
Show full commentIn case it's of interest, we are working on mapping quality electronics repair businesses, first with the support of the East London Waste Authority and now with North London Waste Authority - and we are building an app to help others do the same in future
Show less of commenthttps://therestartproject.org/repair-economy/commercial-repairers/
Anonymous - account deleted
Community Member 7 years agoWith regards to reuse, I would like to see a STANDARDISATION of bottles, jars and other food/drinks containers so they can be cleaned like milk bottles and returned to manufacturers (via supermarkets, perhaps) for sanitising before reuse...
Show full commentWith regards to reuse, I would like to see a STANDARDISATION of bottles, jars and other food/drinks containers so they can be cleaned like milk bottles and returned to manufacturers (via supermarkets, perhaps) for sanitising before reuse. Instead of companies having individualised bottles, they should attach their own distinct and removable labels to these standardised bottles, etc. This method would save energy being wasted (and also unnecessary carbon emissions) in melting the bottles down each time for recycling then re-creation into new bottles.
In a similar way, I would like to see standardised food containers that people can use at supermarkets/ delicatessens /take-aways/ food markets /fresh food counters etc. for filling with pre-prepared foods such as fresh salads, fruit cocktail, curries, desserts etc. The customer can wash the containers at home and use them again and again for re-fills whenever they wish. Let's get some common sense going and make the wealthy plastics manufacturers (oil industries?) and food wrapping corporations change their wasteful, destructive and toxic habits. They should be charged for the clean up costs of land and oceans.
Show less of commentTalk London
Official Representative 7 years agoThanks for all your comments and suggestions so far.
Some of you have mentioned the cost of repairing. What sort of proportion of the cost of replacing the product with a new one would you expect to save in order to make buying second hand or repairing your product seem like a viable option to you?
Talk London
Glenys Law
Community Member 7 years agoBuilt-in obsolescence is outrageous. Firms should be fined for not offering repair facilities.
The mayor could help by instructing local councils to have a recycling shop at each recycling centre, as they have in France and in some parts...
Show full commentBuilt-in obsolescence is outrageous. Firms should be fined for not offering repair facilities.
The mayor could help by instructing local councils to have a recycling shop at each recycling centre, as they have in France and in some parts of the Uk. At the moment we are not even allowed to help ourselves to the things others have thrown out!
Couldn't grants be given, or tax-free premises, to people who will set up repair shops? This would create jobs as well as encourage people to avoid waste. Publicity should be given to such initiatives, there should be one funded in every borough.
Show less of commentAnonymous - account deleted
Community Member 7 years agoI agree with "Pukpuk"
In London, it costs an extortionate amount to repair anything so if it is going to be 30-50% of the price of a new item, it's not worth it.
Not sure what the solution to that is...
pukpuk
Community Member 7 years agoRepairs costs more than buying new thing and technology moves so fast that you want to have newer model. Also in this climate everything is rusting.
Glenys Law
Community Member 7 years agoPeople want the newer model because they are victims of advertising.
Anonymous - account deleted
Community Member 7 years agoI already do and would love to do more!
Show full commentWhat stops me from doing more is that it is quite difficult to do, there are not enough places where they accept repairs and it's very hard to find the right one. The GLA and the Boroughs should...
I already do and would love to do more!
Show less of commentWhat stops me from doing more is that it is quite difficult to do, there are not enough places where they accept repairs and it's very hard to find the right one. The GLA and the Boroughs should provide information about this and promote these types of centres.
HeidiR17
Community Member 7 years agoWhere possible, I repair, reuse, up-cycle, and pass on goods which are in good working order but which I no longer need, and try to borrow goods rather than buy them if I'm only going to use them once or twice. More repair/tool lending hubs...
Show full commentWhere possible, I repair, reuse, up-cycle, and pass on goods which are in good working order but which I no longer need, and try to borrow goods rather than buy them if I'm only going to use them once or twice. More repair/tool lending hubs would be useful, as well as information on where to get spare parts/how to repair items.
It does seem that things are increasingly made with inbuilt obsoletism - items don't last as long as they used to or need to be upgraded due to changing technology. Manufacturers should make things which last longer, and can be repaired or upgraded rather than just replaced.
Show less of commentLucix
Community Member 7 years agoI agree - things are not built to last any more, which is a shame
Willinthehill
Community Member 7 years agoI often use freecycle to get rid of unwanted items that are in good working order which works well in a large city like London. Local websites like 'next door' are great for things like 'I need to borrow a sander'
It would be great to...
Show full commentI often use freecycle to get rid of unwanted items that are in good working order which works well in a large city like London. Local websites like 'next door' are great for things like 'I need to borrow a sander'
It would be great to have some kind of 'salvage yard' where a stock of re-usable items could be held, especially things like timber or bricks as I often need an odd piece of wood to finish a simple project. I think local councils are reasonably good at collecting materials as everything is sorted at the local tip but would be great to be able to access some of the re-usable items more easily.
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