Reuse

Encouraging users to become reusers

Far too many goods get thrown away just because people want to move on to the next thing. These perfectly serviceable items can be reused if only there was a process for them to be put back into circulation.

Resource Futures carries out a lot of work in this area, communicating the benefits to the environment of reusing rather than recycling or simply throwing away.

We also support others in this field, such as:

• Local Action Groups to increase awareness of waste issues and increase the amount of ‘waste’ that we reuse. For instance, in Oxfordshire we support the local communicty action groups to hold an annual county-wide swap-shop day.

• Community RePaint, managed by us, provides an innovative solution to the 56 million litres of paint left unused in the UK each year. Surplus paint from retailers, householders, and painting and decorating companies is passed on to charities, voluntary organisations and community groups, for decorating premises such as village halls or youth clubs.

Bulky waste? We can shoulder the load.

Another area where we have experience is in the reuse of bulky waste, such as furniture or white goods. In fact our expertise in this area has informed national good practice guidelines and helped local authorities to manage their bulky waste effectively. We have provided consultancy support to nearly twenty local authorities, covering many important aspects of bulky waste management, such as:

• Assessing the costs and benefits of operating different types of bulky waste services

• Ensuring your bulky waste collections are used effectively

• Increasing awareness of how bulky waste collections contribute to your recycling
targets

• Assessing the percentage of reusable and recyclable waste, and the numbers and
tonnage of different types of items in the bulky waste stream

• Complying with new legislation that affects bulky waste

Project Synopses

Engaging the Residents of North London with Love Food Hate Waste

Resource Futures recruited and managed two embedded Outreach Workers to support the North London Waste Authority’s, WRAP funded, Love Food Hate Waste campaign. During the seven month period, the Outreach Workers organised and delivered over sixty roadshows in supermarkets, businesses, libraries and at community groups, across NLWA’s seven constituent boroughs, to engage more than 3,500 people with the campaign.

Assessing Bulky Waste in Northern Ireland

Resource Futures carried out a comprehensive review of bulky wastes in Northern Ireland. The review considered quantities arising, types, sources and destinations of bulky waste materials; and importantly the capacity for reuse of such material.The report is intended to be a useful contribution to the waste prevention strand of the Northern Ireland Waste Management Strategy.

Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment, Good Practice Guidance

Whilst Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) recycling activity is firmly established in the UK, its collection and treatment is a rapidly growing and evolving sector. WRAP research reveals that the average household has 3 old or broken WEEE items stored in the home, therefore there are millions of items out there just waiting to be collected…