Increasing reuse in Leicestershire - why it matters and what we are doing

As waste volumes rise and disposal costs increase, the focus is shifting from recycling to reuse. Reuse is all about using something again, either for the same purpose or a new one and while recycling is important, it can be energy intensive. Reuse keeps items in their original form, preserving their value and avoiding processing and disposal costs.

Leicestershire County Council supports reuse in all its various forms as it keeps items in use for longer, prevents unnecessary waste, conserves our resources, and usually saves residents money. This article explains why reuse is important, how people can put it into practice and what the County Council is doing to promote reuse to residents.

The importance of reuse:

In the UK, councils are legally required to manage waste in accordance with the 'waste hierarchy' which governs the management of waste, prioritising reuse over disposal. Further guidance can be found at GOV.UK.

As we transition to a circular economy, we aim to reduce waste and keep resources in use for as long as possible, focusing on reuse, repair and remanufacturing, minimising the need to grow, harvest or extract new raw materials from the earth to make new products.

Waste in the UK is still increasing, especially waste electrical and electronic equipment and textiles. Where possible, items should be rehomed when in good condition and always recycled responsibly at end of life.

Making reuse easier:

Behaviours that support reuse include swapping, sharing, donating, renting/leasing, repairing/refurbishing, and buying/selling preloved or second-hand items. The County Council encourages these activities and provides support through information and education. This includes attendance at a range of community events, providing talks to organisations, publishing newsletter articles and maintaining a public facing website LessWaste.org.uk.

To help people find organisations that will help them reduce waste through reuse, refill and repair, we have recently introduced a waste prevention map|Lesswaste.org.uk.

Repair is an important part of reuse, and while residents don't always have the skills to mend things themselves, there are numerous repair cafés and fixer groups available in Leicestershire. These groups are made up of skilled and enthusiastic volunteers who give their time, tools and expertise to repair items to keep them in use and prevent them from being thrown out unnecessarily.

The Waste Initiatives team have also produced toolkits to guide communities through the process of organising their own swap events:

• Give or take event - Give or Take Toolkit | Lesswaste.org.uk
• Clothes swap event - Clothes Swap Toolkit | Lesswaste.org.uk
• School uniform swap - School Uniform Swap Toolkit | Lesswaste.org.uk

Our campaigns to support reuse

The team deliver the following campaigns that support reuse, please click on the headings for more information:

Furniture reuse – a reminder that it is often possible to donate furniture, white goods and large electricals to charity or a furniture reuse organisation. This reduces waste and can make items more affordable when buying new.

Wear, Care and Repair – giving guidance on our behaviours including smarter choices when buying and caring for our clothes, alterations and repairs and what to do with clothes that we no longer want.

Reusable nappies – guidance on real nappies, which can work out cheaper over the longer term and significantly reduce a family's volume of waste.

Reuseable hygiene products – reuseable products are now widely available and can reduce waste and save money.

Rehome Zones at recycling and household waste sites – Leicestershire residents can now take household items, such as bicycles, handheld or petrol DIY or garden tools, household and garden furniture, etc. to a designated area at the sites for reuse.

Reducing electrical waste – including repair and reuse of electricals.

For more information about waste prevention and recycling, visit the LessWaste website at: https://www.lesswaste.org.uk/. This has information on composting, recycling, reuse and much more.

If you have any queries, please contact wasteprevention@leics.gov.uk

We appreciate your support.