It’s very easy to reduce your household waste by sorting your waste as you and when you dispose of it. A colour coded waste system does the trick by offering a bin for a specific waste category. Paper, cardboard, cans, scrap metal, plastic, glass, lubricating oils, as well as unusual items such as cards and appliances can usually all be recycled. The key is to change waste disposal habits by taking the time to place waste material into the correct bin.
Waste collection services operate in most major cities around the country. They may charge for the collection service but these ‘charges’ are set to reduce or disappear as local government and councils subsidise recycling initiatives. Start small by introducing 3 three bins to your kitchen. Dustbin one for plastics and paper, dustbin two for glass and dustbin three for organic waste (food waste).
What you need to know:
- Dirty recyclable materials, laminates made of mixed material e.g. plastic-paper, paper-metal foil laminates and some already recycled packaging
- Dispose of all your organic waste by starting a compost heap or your own earthworm farm
- Educated all your household members including domestic workers
- Take it one step further and colour code your external wheelie bins if you live in a house or if you live in an apartment block, make sure to place your waste correctly in the colour coded bins provided
- Where possible, try to source bins made from recycled plastic