How can you contribute to improving urban waste management?

The environmental strategy known as “three R’s” (Reduce, Reuse and Recycle) establishes an order of preference for better management of urban waste. The objective is to reduce the consumption of natural resources and to improve the global environment.

Reduce

We must reduce our daily consumption of resources (energy, water), of unnecessary articles and potentially pollutant substances.

How:

• Unplug your television and monitor from the manual switch: do not leave your equipment in sleep mode, the use power strips is recommended to reduce electrical consumption.
• Use your own bags to do your shopping.
• When cooking, cover pots and pans. Preferably use a pressure cooker. Centre it well over the flame and ensure that the flame does not exceed the base of the pot.
• When using the washing machine or dishwasher, use the maximum capacity and low temperature programmes.

Reuse

To reuse is to employ a used product for the same purpose for it was originally designed. We should reuse as much as possible.

How:

• Print on both sides.
• Use reusable shopping bags
• Preferably buy products in returnable bottles.
• Use envelopes for various applications
• Avoid breaking glass, plastic or tins, since this prevents their reuse.

Recycle

Recycling is using waste as raw material, in a new production process. All objects must be recycled when their life span has finished and their components can be used for manufacturing similar or different appliances.

How:

For recycling urban waste, public collaboration is necessary to separate the waste and correctly deposit it in the selective collection containers: light packaging (yellow) paper cardboard (blue) and glass (green)

WEEE recycling: it is essential to make use of authorized channels such as; clean points, shops, Council household collection services, for removing these appliances, thus allowing hazardous components to be eliminated and material to be recycled.

European project for recycling electrical and electronic waste

Tips

• How can you contribute to improving urban waste management?
• What is a clean point/Ecopark?
• Environmental benefits of municipality collection point.
• What to do with a monitor or television in disuse?