Waste hierarchy
The waste hierarchy shows how we should try to dispose of our waste.
Step 1 - Reduce We should aim to reduce the amount of waste we produce. For example, we could use a bag for life to pack our shopping in, rather than use supermarket bags.
Step 2 - Re-use We should try to re-use our waste for other purposes. For example, we could use plastic fruit and veg packaging to sow seeds in.
Step 3 - Recycle & Compost We should try to recycle and compost as much of the remaining waste. Compostable items can include shredded paper, egg shells, raw veg and salad and even tea bags! Recyclabe items can include newspapers, plastic bottles, drinks and food cans.
Doing these three steps for just one week can more than halve the amount of waste you put in your bin.
Step 4 - Create energy What we can't reduce, re-use or recycle, we create energy from through the controlled burning at high termperatures. The heat generated from the process is used to power water boilers, which in turn produce steam that drives generators which produce electricity.
Step 5 - Disposal What waste remains after steps one to four, we have to send to landfill. This is the LAST option.
