Tips for proper waste management

The foundation for any waste management program is the three R’s - Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. Typically the first step to manage your waste is by never generating them in the first place. If you are able to reduce all feasible waste, the next step then focuses on ways to reuse materials in an effort to extend the life of the item. Finally, recycle all the remaining materials that are accepted locally. 

A fourth, in some circles, R – re-buy - encourages the use of products that contained recycled material. This assists in providing an incentive to recyclers. 

Proper waste management allows organisations to reduce costs and liabilities. It also allows householders to take control of the waste generated, especially as the collection of waste has become sporadic in recent times. In addition to protecting the environment, proper waste management benefits the country through reducing waste accumulation at our disposal sites or landfills. 

Let’s take a look at each of these elements and how they contribute to better management of our waste. 

1. REDUCE
The best way to stick to your plan of proper waste management is to not generate the waste in the first place. Consider the following list to help you on your way: 

• Buy goods with little or no packaging 
• Repair an item, if feasible, before replacing the item. 
• Consider the toxicity of the item prior to purchase, that way you can reduce the toxicity of the waste you generate. 
• Buy only what you need as disposing of any excess can be costly (especially for hazardous material - such as pesticides, some paints and stains, etc.). 

See below a few ​options on ways to reduce your use of disposables.

2. REUSE 
We all generate waste every day in some form. To help reduce the amount of waste you generate, look for ways to reuse the items by finding a new purpose or use for it. Some simple ideas include reusing old tablecloths or sheets for cleaning rags, reusing containers for storage for example. And for all those people who still print on single-sided office paper turn the unused paper into scratch work. 

Most things are like cats - they have multiple lives. It's simply up to us to let them live out their lives! 

• Empty tissue boxes can hold pens, pencils, etc. 
• Donate older electronic equipment, if still usable, to a nearby school or charitable organisation. 
• Empty water bottles can be used as planters

3. RECYCLE 
Once a product has exhausted its lives, make it part of the great cycle - send it back to start over again as something new! 

• Participate in a recycling programme.
• Drop off your plastics to a school near you. 
• Investigate what can be recycled in your community/area and separate your recyclables from the general waste 
• Consider composting your organic waste and/or donating un-served food to a shelter or food bank. 

RESOURCE:

• Contact Recycling Partners of Jamaica (876) 948-7381
• Click here for a listing of locations island wide where you can drop off your plastics - Depot Listing

DID YOU KNOW?

• Recycling one glass bottle saves enough energy to light a 100 watt bulb for four hours 
• Making aluminium cans out of raw materials takes 19 times the amount of energy than it takes to recycle a can 
• Every 1,050 recycled milk jugs can make one six foot plastic park bench 
• Glass never wears out. It can be recycled forever. 
• Recycling one ton of paper saves 7,000 gallons of water, 380 gallons of oil and 3 cubic yards of landfill space 
• Recycling one ton on newspapers saves 15 trees 

4. REBUY 
Finally, if we need to "close the loop" of the waste management cycle and encourage recycling Consumers should purchase products that contain post-consumer recyclable material as this will encourage manufacturers to use more recycled material in their products than natural/virgin resources. 
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We, as consumers, are able to drive the demand for recycled products and contribute to the sustainability of the industry.

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