Waste & Resources

Most household waste comes from a handful of repeat sources — packaging, food scraps and things bought and discarded too quickly. Target those, and the rest follows without much effort.

Buy less first — the most powerful R

The waste hierarchy puts "refuse" and "reduce" at the top for good reason: an item you never buy is waste that never needs sorting, recycling or composting. Buying less is also the most direct way to reduce the resources — water, energy, raw materials — used to make the things we consume.

• Pause before buying. A simple rule: wait 24–48 hours before non-essential purchases. Many impulse buys get forgotten, meaning nothing was wasted and money was saved.
• Refuse what you don't need. Decline freebies, excess packaging, single-use bags and unnecessary extras. Saying no is free and instant.
• Buy only what you'll use. This applies to food most urgently — a third of food produced globally is wasted — but also to household goods, tools and clothing. Owning less, used more, beats owning more, used rarely.
• Choose quality over quantity. A durable item bought once creates far less waste than three cheap versions that break and get binned. See the money-and-waste overlap on our Money & Economy page.

Reuse and repair

Keeping things in use longer — rather than replacing them — is the second most effective step. It extends the life of the materials already in circulation and keeps them out of landfill.

• Repair before you replace. Many broken items are simple to fix: a loose sole, a frayed cable, a wobbly chair leg. Repair cafés (community workshops with tools and volunteer expertise) exist in many towns and are free to use.
• Learn basic mending. Sewing a button, darning a sock or patching a seam takes minutes and extends clothing life by months or years. See our clothing care guide for step-by-step tips.
• Choose refillable options. Refillable containers for cleaning products, toiletries and pantry staples cut plastic use and often cost less per use than buying new each time.
• Repurpose and donate. Jam jars become storage containers; old towels become cleaning cloths. Items you no longer need are often useful to someone else — charity shops, community groups and online free-cycle networks are all good routes.

Recycle correctly

Recycling is valuable, but it only works when materials arrive at the plant clean, dry and sorted correctly. Contaminated loads often go straight to landfill, defeating the purpose.

• Rinse and dry containers. Food residue — especially grease — ruins paper and cardboard recycling and can contaminate glass and plastic too. A quick rinse is enough.
• Keep it dry. Wet cardboard is unrecyclable. Store recyclables away from damp until collection day.
• Don't wishcycle. Putting in doubtful items in the hope they'll be recycled is wishcycling. When uncertain, check your local rules rather than guessing — most councils publish clear lists online or on their bins.
• Know your local rules. Accepted materials vary significantly between areas. What's collected in one town may not be accepted in another. Your local authority's website is the definitive guide.
• Keep plastic bags and film out of kerbside bins. They jam sorting machinery. Many supermarkets and pharmacies have dedicated collection points for soft plastics.

Cut plastic and packaging

Plastic packaging is the most visible form of household waste, and it's worth targeting directly. You don't need to eliminate all plastic — just make consistent swaps in the places it accumulates most.

• Reusable bags. Keep a few in your bag and car so they're always to hand. One reusable bag used regularly replaces hundreds of single-use plastic bags a year.
• Refillable water bottle and coffee cup. Buying drinks in single-use cups and bottles adds up to hundreds of items a year per person. A good bottle or cup pays for itself quickly.
• Loose produce. Where available, choose loose fruit and vegetables over pre-packaged. You also buy exactly the quantity you need, reducing food waste.
• Solid bars. Shampoo bars, conditioner bars and soap bars last longer than their bottled equivalents and come in minimal or no packaging. Many work just as well as liquid versions.
• Concentrated refills. Concentrated cleaning products diluted at home use a fraction of the plastic of ready-mixed versions and are usually cheaper per wash.

Compost the rest

Food and garden waste that can't be eaten should be composted, not binned. When organic matter goes to landfill it breaks down without oxygen, producing methane — a potent greenhouse gas. Composting turns it into free, rich soil instead.

Whether you have a garden, a balcony or just a kitchen counter, there's a composting method that works for your situation. Our composting at home guide covers outdoor heaps, worm bins, bokashi systems and community drop-off points — step by step, space by space.

Dispose responsibly of tricky items

Some materials need special handling because of the hazardous or valuable materials inside them. Putting them in the general bin or recycling is harmful — but proper routes exist for all of them.

• Batteries. Single-use and rechargeable batteries contain metals that can leach into soil and water. Many supermarkets, DIY stores and council sites have free battery collection points.
• Electronics and electricals. Old phones, laptops, kettles and cables are "e-waste" — they contain valuable recoverable metals and hazardous materials. In many countries, retailers are required to take back electricals. Look for a local e-waste recycling point or takeback scheme.
• Textiles. Even damaged or worn-out clothing can be recycled into insulation or industrial rags. Charity shops take good-condition items; clothing banks and some retailer take-back programmes accept worn ones. Avoid bagging up textiles with general rubbish.
• Paint and household chemicals. Leftover paint, solvents and garden chemicals need a hazardous waste collection point — not the drain, and not the bin. Many councils run seasonal collections, or check for a local household hazardous waste facility.
• Medicines. Return unused medicines to a pharmacy; don't flush them or bin them, as pharmaceutical compounds can reach waterways.

Your easy wins checklist

• Before your next purchase, pause and ask: do I actually need this?
• Carry a reusable bag, bottle and coffee cup so you're never caught without one.
• Rinse containers before recycling and check your local list for what's accepted.
• Swap one bottled product (shampoo, washing up liquid) for a bar or concentrate.
• Set up a compost bin or find a local food-scrap drop-off point.
• Find your nearest battery and e-waste drop-off and start collecting items there.