| Topic |
Applying the Waste Hierarchy |
| Food Waste |
- Refuse: Avoid impulse purchases. Don't buy more than you need.
- Rethink: Meal plan. Check the pantry before shopping. Embrace leftovers.
- Reduce: Store food properly to make it last longer.
- Reuse: Turn surplus fruit into preserves. Freeze excess food. Use leftovers in new meals.
- Recycle: Compost unavoidable food scraps. Feed suitable scraps to animals.
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| Clothing and Textiles |
- Refuse: Avoid fast fashion. Avoid impulse purchases.
- Rethink: Borrow, hire or swap clothing for special occasions.
- Reduce: Buy fewer, better quality garments that last longer.
- Reuse: Buy and sell second-hand. Donate wearable clothing.
- Repair: Mend holes, replace buttons and remove pilling to extend their life.
- Repurpose: Turn worn clothing into cleaning cloths, craft projects or useful household items.
- Recycle: Use textile recycling where available.
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| Disposable Nappies and Hygiene Products |
- Rethink: Could reusable nappies, cloth wipes or menstrual products work some or all of the time?
- Reduce: Use reusable options where practical.
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| Single Use Packaging |
- Refuse: Say 'no' to single use disposable items by choosing reusable lunchboxes, drink bottles, coffee cups, cloth napkins, beeswax wraps or reusable food covers.
- Rethink: Shop at bulk food stores. Take reusable produce bags and containers. Choose loose fruit and vegetables.
- Reduce: Buy concentrates, refill products or larger pack sizes where appropriate.
- Recycle: Only what can't be avoided or reused. If packaging can't be recycled via Council's services, you may be able to access specialty programs nearby.
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| Household Goods and Furniture |
- Refuse: Delay purchases until you're sure they're needed.
- Rethink: Borrow or hire infrequently used items such as tools.
- Reduce: Choose versatile, durable products that serve multiple purposes.
- Reuse: Buy second-hand or pass unwanted items on to others (online buy/swap/sell groups, schools and kindergartens, community groups or charities as examples).
- Repair: Fix goods and furniture before replacing them. Check-out local repair cafes or online instruction manuals and videos.
- Repurpose: Give items or their parts a new use around the home.
- Recycle: Use recycling programs available through Council or specialty programs.
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| Disposable Cleaning Products |
- Refuse: Avoid single-use cleaning products where reusable alternatives will do the job.
- Rethink: Do you need different products for every task? Hot soapy water cleans most surfaces effectively and can be package free. Borrow or hire equipment you rarely use.
- Reduce: Choose concentrated cleaners, refill packs and use only the amount you need. Durable cleaning tools will last longer.
- Reuse: Wash and reuse cloths, mop pads, scourers and dusters. Refill spray bottles instead of replacing them.
- Repair: Replace worn mop and broom heads rather than replacing the whole product.
- Repurpose: Use old toothbrushes for detail cleaning and worn towels or clothing as cleaning cloths. Use old sponges for dirty jobs before disposal.
- Recycle: Recycle carboard and plastic packaging where possible.
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| Electronic Waste (eWaste - anything with a cord, plug or battery) |
- Refuse: Avoid fast tech and any unnecessary electronic gadgets and appliances. Choose durable, repairable and built to last.
- Rethink: Could you borrow, hire or share tools and equipment you'll only use occasionally? Consider buying refurbished or second-hand electronics.
- Reduce: Buy quality products that meet your needs and avoid replacing devices before necessary. Use rechargable batteries instead of single-use batteries.
- Reuse: Sell, donate or pass on working electronics, chargers and accessories so they can continue to be used (check ahead to ensure donations can be accepted).
- Repair: Fix devices where possible such as replacing a battery or screen instead of buying a new product (look for local repair cafes).
- Repurpose: Give older devices a new role, such as using an old smartphone as a music player, security camera or alarm clock.
- Recycle: Take eWaste and batteries to a Transfer Station or other approved recycling collection point. Never place in your kerbside bins or mix with your other waste at the Transfer Station.
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| Garden Tools and Materials |
- Refuse: Consider whether you need to buy new materials.
- Rethink: Look locally before purchasing - friends, neighbours, online groups or community networks may have what you need.
- Reuse: Salvage timber, bricks, fencing, windows or containers for new projects.
- Repair: Maintain existing garden tools (replace broken shovel handles, sharpen secateurs) and structures instead of replacing them.
- Repurpose: Convert old baths into worm farms, pallets into garden beds or reclaimed windows into a glasshouse. Bamboo toothbrush handles can become garden labels.
- Recycle: Metal tools, furniture, watering cans and buckets can go to scrap metal at the Transfer Station. Plastic plant pots can go into kerbside recycling. Natural fibre items such as coir hanging baskets, jute twine, untreated timber or bamboo stakes and cardboard seedling trays can be composted at home.
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