Waste minimisation
The facts about waste reduction
Even though we recycled more than ever last year, over 31%, the reality is that we are producing more rubbish than ever. Although recycling reduces the amount of waste being landfilled it does not reduce the amount of waste we all produce.
Projections show a worrying trend – nationally the amount of waste produced per household could rise by 3% per year, which means that in ten years time we could be producing 50,000 tonnes more waste than we are now!
We all need to take a look at the waste we produce and try to reduce it – or we could be facing a losing battle against ever increasing waste mountains.
Waste prevention not only reduces the amount of waste produced but saves:
- raw materials used to make it in the first place;
- transport of materials;
- energy.
What can you do to reduce your waste?
- Compost at Home - This enables you to divert some of your food waste from landfill, whilst making valuable compost for your garden and plants.
- Reduce your food waste - 30% of the average bin in Barnet is made up of food.
- Join The Barnet Freecycle® group - This is a non profit online group through which people in Barnet can give away items they no longer need, preventing them from going to landfill. All items posted are free. *Please note that The Barnet Freecycle Group is not run by Barnet Council.
- Donate old furniture to one of the existing furniture reuse schemes
- Adopt smart shopping techniques.
- Reduce your junk mail by taking some quick and simple steps.
- Use real nappies as an alternative to disposable nappies. You can even trial them for free by applying for Barnet's real nappy subsidy scheme where you can claim back up to £54.15 from your real nappy purchases.
We have produced a Waste Prevention Strategy 2005-2020 
(PDF 401KB) which will tell you more about waste prevention in Barnet.
Let's share ideas!
Have you got a particularly innovative way to reuse margarine tubs? Are you ahead of the game with making the most of your food leftovers? We would like to hear your waste prevention tips so that we can share them with other residents, on a special page of this website. Please help us set up this community resource by emailing your tips to us at reducereuse@barnet.gov.uk
Email this pageLast modified by: Rachel Jones on 18/04/2011