The importance of waste minimisation and recycling at a national and local level has increased markedly over recent years. In Essex we also have the added concern that space in our landfill sites is rapidly running out. In response to this Essex County Council and Essex District and Borough Councils have signed up to an agreement to reach a county-wide recycling rate of 40% by 2004 and 60% by 2007. However, this can only be achieved if each one of us plays our part.

A "Throwaway Society" is used to describe our current lifestyle because we create so much unnecessary waste and ignore the potential of those items we no longer need.

Essex County Council is committed to reducing the amount of rubbish produced by encouraging Essex residents to reduce, reuse and recycle their waste. The A-Z guide on waste is just one of the waste management initiatives set up for this purpose.

If we reduce, reuse and recycle more of our waste we will all:

• save energy
• save scarce resources
• save money
• create less pollution
• conserve precious landfill space
• prevent valuable material from being landfilled

Reduce

The easiest way to minimise your waste is to avoid creating it in the first place.

Reuse

If you cannot avoid waste then why not reuse it? For specific items, search the A-Z guide on waste.

Recycle

Many items such as paper, drinks & food cans, glass bottles & jars, plastic bottles, cardboard, textiles and garden waste can be recycled. To find out how to recycle a specific item, search the A-Z guide on waste.

Recycled Products

Buy recycled products wherever possible to close the recycling loop. Many different products are now made from recycled products. For instance:- notepads, toilet tissue, greetings cards from paper; fleeces from plastic bottles; refuse sacks, picnic tables, rulers from plastic; doormats from rubber tyres; key fobs, CD holders, clocks from computer parts. There are many suggestions throughout the guide and you can go to www.recycledproducts.org.uk for other ideas.

The A-Z Guide on Waste

The A-Z guide on waste will provide you with the information you need to help preserve the environment and to reduce, reuse and recycle items which would otherwise go to waste.

Accuracy of the A-Z Guide on Waste

The information contained in the A-Z guide on waste is believed to be correct. Where private companies have been listed this does not act as an endorsement by Essex County Council, nor criticism of those excluded. The A-Z guide on waste will be updated regularly.

We would like this A-Z guide on waste to be a comprehensive source of information for Essex residents.

If you cannot find the item in which you are interested or if you know of a scheme, organisation, etc. which should be included in the guide then please send in your feedback.

Remember, before you throw anything away, ask yourself if you could
REDUCE, REUSE OR RECYCLE IT.