Reduce your waste

Swap to a reusable bottle or coffee cup - According to our 2024 recycling survey, 67% of residents didn’t know that coffee cups could be recycled at home in West Sussex! That is a lot of recyclable material ending up in the general waste bin.

Recycling coffee cups and plastic bottles is great but why not take it one step further and invest in reusables? By making easy switches such as using a reusable water bottle or reusable coffee cup, you can make a huge difference to reducing your waste.

You might just save some money too as lots of coffee shops will offer discounts for bringing your reusable! If you do use a single use coffee cup, remember to take it home to be recycled, just make sure they are clean, dry and loose.

Use reusable containers instead of clingfilm - If you have leftovers, instead of wrapping them in cling film or foil, pop them in a reusable Tupperware instead. You can even use Tupperware to store sandwiches. These can be washed and reused loads of times and means you’re not constantly throwing away plastic film.

If you enjoy take away meals, why not keep the containers they come in and reuse for your leftovers. You could also use reusable pot covers or beeswax wraps to keep your food fresh.

Don’t forget your reusable shopping bags - Invest in some reusable shopping bags to take with you when picking up groceries or other household items.

All shops now charge for plastic carrier bags, so you can save some money and keep waste low by building up a stash of reusable bags and keeping them somewhere you won’t forget them, for example, on a coat hook by the front door or in the boot of a car.

Buy products with less packaging - Opt for items that have less packaging to cut down on your waste. Buy food items loose or take your own container and give a refill shop a go.

Give reusable period products a go - Switching to reusable period products can significantly reduce waste, as on average 22 sanitary products are used per cycle!

Reusable options like menstrual cups, pads and period pants offer low waste, cost-effective alternatives suitable for various needs.

For more information on different types of reusable alternatives, including frequently asked questions, visit the Zero Waste Scotland website.

Try reusable nappies - Disposable nappies produce a lot of waste, they can’t be recycled and are expensive. Modern reusable nappies are easier to clean than they used to be and could save nearly £1,000 across a baby’s first two years!

Why not give them a go when at home or when it’s easy, and perhaps use disposable whenever you really need to! More information on reusable nappies can be found on the Reusable Nappy Week website.

Fight food waste - 40% of an average rubbish bin in West Sussex is food waste and 27.7% is edible food which includes food still in the packaging, leftovers and cooked food that didn't get eaten.

When food is thrown away it is not just the food that is wasted, it is also the resources that go into producing it. We have loads of tips on how to reduce your food waste on our Fight Against Food Waste web page.

Repair when you can - When an item breaks, it can be tempting to throw it away and buy a new one as opposed to taking it to get fixed. Fixing broken items can save you money and reduce your waste, helping to counteract a throwaway culture.

West Sussex has various free Repair cafés open to everyone and all run by volunteers. Find more information on repair in West Sussex.

Donate and buy second hand - Donating your pre-loved items is a great way to reduce your waste and allows someone else the opportunity to make use of these items. In West Sussex, we have lots of great charity shops willing to take unwanted good quality clothes, furniture and bric-a-brac off your hands.

Buying second hand is another great way to save good quality items from going to waste. Make use of resources such as your local charity shop, Vinted, eBay and Facebook Marketplace. Buying second hand is often cheaper too!

Hire items - Did you know you can hire furniture, clothes and toys online? Alongside freeing up space in your house, hiring lets you be adventurous and try new styles, all for a fraction of the cost.

Give it a go and get good quality pieces flexibly through online services such as Fat Llama and Whirli.