Reduce, reuse and Recycle – the 3R’s of sustainable waste management – should have already become an international common sense amongst you and I. More than 2 billion tonnes of global waste is generated yearly. By 2050, it is expected to increase to 3.4 billion tonnes, but the world is already running out of space to maintain the current production of global waste. The global waste problem and its ripple effects such as environmental (land, air and water) pollution, public health deprivation, ecosystem destruction and various socioeconomic distress is not a secret nor a news extra any longer. The ultimate purpose of the 3R’s is to prolong the lifecycle of products and keep things from being thrown away into landfills, which is a process that does not start with recycling. 

 

Before carefully separating our wastes into specific recycling bins (I hope you have access to them at home, in your workplace and/or your nearby community facilities) it is important that we think about how to reduce our future consumption of virgin materials and reuse our existing belongings. For instance:

Reduce

We can reduce our environmental impact and the waste we create by:

• Minimising unnecessary purchases;
• Choosing pre-owned products;
• Choosing durable products and items made from recycled materials;
• Choosing products with minimal packaging;
• Choosing products and services that embed lower carbon footprints;
• Choosing products that can be repaired or recycled at the end of its lifetime;
• If you are disposing hazardous materials, be sure to do so properly;
• Borrowing, lending and sharing, etc…

Reuse

We can reuse the items that we already own to avoid consuming new materials and generating extra waste by:

• Reusing and repurposing bags, containers and others;
• Bringing reusable shopping bag to stores or use any ‘single-use’ bags as long as they are still functional;
• Bringing a reusable mug to the coffee shop;
• Bringing reusable take-out containers with you to restaurants, etc…

Recycling is the process of converting waste materials into new materials and objects. Recyclable materials include various kinds of glass, paper, cardboard, metal, plastic, tire, textiles, batteries, electronics and biodegradable wastes (composts). We can take responsibility in recycling by separating different recyclable materials into their designated recycling bins so that they can be collected to specific facilities to be further treated and processed.

 

*It is important to note that different countries, municipalities, regions and communities practice waste recycling according  according to varied rules and regulations. This is because that recycling often involves a large-scale system of collection, transportation and treatment. Therefore, it is important that you refer to your local rules and regulations to make sure that your recycling efforts are efficient! You may look for the website or contact of your local municipality or waste management authority to find the information you need. A good example of what to look for is the Recycle BC website, where the locals may find all the useful information and contacts for their recycling needs and inquiries.

 

Do you or your community practice the 3R’s? Do you agree or disagree with the 3R’s? What have I missed in regards to the ways of reducing and reusing our products and materials? Share your ideals with me and the readers of this post in the comment section below!