Reduce

What's in your bin?

Every house produces large amounts of waste every week, but have you ever wondered what makes up the rubbish you throw away? On average about 2/3 of the average household bin is recyclable.

Copyright Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government

What's in your bin?
Copyright Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government

What's in your bin?

Every house produces large amounts of waste every week, but have you ever wondered what makes up the rubbish you throw away? On average about 2/3 of the average household bin is recyclable.

Copyright Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government

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Reducing the amount of resources we use and in turn reducing the waste we produce is the main aim. Our challenge is to minimise refuse everywhere we find it. However that won’t be easy because of the amount of waste being discarded. There is:

• Waste we can see – discarded litter, landfills and illegal burning.
• Waste we can’t see – greenhouse gases, radioactive waste and chemicals.

Using less materials and reducing the amount of waste produced also adds to the protection of our resources.

It is up to all of us to cut back on our waste. Just think about your consumption pattern to see if you can live more sustainably by using less and less of the Earth's resources in your everyday life. Other ways to reduce your waste profile are:

• Bring your own shopping bag to the shops
• Use washable nappies and handkerchiefs
• Take action to reduce the amount of unwanted mail you receive
• Buy products that have less packaging
• Make a non-toxic cleaning kit with baking soda and vinegar

Tonnage of MSW and BMW landfilled per quarter in 2011 versus Landfill Directive Targets

Tonnage of MSW and BMW landfilled per quarter in 2011 versus Landfill Directive Targets.
National Waste Report for 2011 (EPA, 2013).

The overall amount of BMW (Biodegradable Municipal Waste) in MSW (Municipal Solid Waste) landfilled nationally in 2011 as reported by landfill operators to the EPA was 771,551 t (which equates to 57% BMW in MSW) (EPA, 2013). This is less than the Landfill Directive target of 916,000 t. However, we must remain vigilant and committed to reducing waste overall to maintain such good progress in this and other areas.