Reuse before Recycle – New Report claims “Huge Reuse Potential” in Bulky Waste

A report published in the middle of August by the Waste Resource Action Programme (WRAP) claims that more than half of all bulky waste items taken to household waste and recycling centres (HWRCs) could be re-used.

According to the consultancy Resource Futures, who wrote the report, 40% of bulky items collected at the kerbside, such as sofas and televisions, could be re-used. 24% were estimated to be re-usable straight away, rising to 40% if items requiring slight repair were taken into account.

Of bulky items taken to an HWRC, 32% were estimated to be re-usable in their current condition, increasing to 51% if items requiring slight repair (but in otherwise good condition) were taken into account.

'Composition and re-usability of bulky waste in the UK' is the first UK-wide piece of research to look at the composition of bulky waste in the UK and assess the potential for re-use .

Over in Buckinghamshire - but local to Tring in Aston Clinton - a hospice charity has been given a concession to operate on the HWRC and repair and recover discarded items for resale in their and in other charity shops.

Re-use is the first thing we should think of when it comes to so-called waste. I will be asking Herts County Council if they can follow Buckinghamshire's example on this.
Based on an article in Let's Recycle by Caecilia Quinault.