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Research into reuse of household items through online portals

In 2011, Resource Futures carried out WRAP funded research into how household items are reused through online portals such as eBay, Freegle and Gumtree.  The research included a detailed survey on internet user habits regarding online exchange and sought to understand the reasons for not using such sites.  

This research aligns with WRAPs wider goals of improving waste reuse in the UK and was part of a suite of projects relating to reuse all aimed at estimating the environmental benefit of existing reuse and how the volume of reuse can be increased. 

Monitoring online exchange is notoriously difficult due to both the volume of offerings and the lack of information relating to exchanges and Resource Futures were responsible for developing a number of innovative techniques and processes as well as finding difficulties the application of the perceived definitions of reuse versus, for example, second hand. 

Under the revised waste framework directive, reuse is given much greater prominence and importance in the waste management hierarchy and given the accessibility of online exchange forums, reuse through web based mechanisms should be encouraged.  As highlighted through the survey however, offline alternatives include charitable donations, particularly for clothing and therefore any effort to increase online exchange should aim to not to impact on valuable offline processes.

As well as providing evidence for the volume of online exchange, the research concluded that unless there is some homogeneity applied to online exchange systems, the long term monitoring of exchanges will remain a grey area.  Not least since one site lists over 3 million items for reuse every year.  The research report formed part of WRAP’s annual review in December 2011 and is available for download from WRAP at http://www.wrap.org.uk/reuse/

 

Project Synopses

Resource Futures helps WRAP understand recent reductions in food waste

Resource Futures has recently helped WRAP to estimate how much household food waste has decreased nationally in recent years, with the recently published “Synthesis of Food Waste Compositional Data 2010” 

Best estimates ever of what’s in our rubbish

Defra has published a study carried out by Resource Futures which provides the best estimates to date of what’s in the ‘national rubbish bin’.

Research into reuse of household items through online portals

In 2011, Resource Futures carried out WRAP funded research into how household items are reused through online portals such as eBay, Freegle and Gumtree.  The research included a detailed survey on internet user habits regarding online exchange and sought to understand the reasons for not using such sites.  

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Resource Futures helps WRAP understand recent reductions in food waste

Resource Futures has recently helped WRAP to estimate how much household food waste has decreased nationally in recent years, with the recently published “Synthesis of Food Waste Compositional Data 2010” To see the report, click here.