Georges River Council - Refuse, Reduce, Repair, Reuse, Resell, Recycle

Refuse, Reduce, Repair, Reuse, Resell, Recycle

Whilst recycling is important, refusing and reducing what we consume is the first step we should take to sustainably manage waste. This reduces the consumption of water, energy, fuel and natural resources needed to make new materials and eventually recycle.

Infographic of Waste Hierarchy and words Refuse, Reduce, Repair, Reuse, Resell and Recycle with icons

Here are some more examples of how to use the Waste Hierarchy.

Refuse
Refusing packaging at the source puts pressure on manufactures to produce more sustainable alternatives.
- Refuse packaging where possible choosing loose items.
- Refuse single use produce bags and shopping bags.
- Refuse over packaged items with multiple layers of packaging.
- Refuse fast fashion and move towards sustainable fashion.
Reduce
Reducing the amount of soft plastics and packaged products is more cost effective and reduces the amount of waste going to landfill.
- Use reusable shopping bags.
- Use reusable produce bags.
- Choose packaging that is compostable.
- Use a shopping list and menu planner to avoid food waste.
- Compost food scraps, reducing the amount of food waste going to landfill.
Repair
Many items we place out for Kerbside Clean Up collections can be repaired.

The Bower is an environmental charity offering programs and services to create a circular economy.
- Repair Cafes for furniture and electronics.
- Bike repairs.
- Sewing and mending basics.
Reuse
Many items we place out for Kerbside Clean Up or dispose of can be reused. Here are some examples of how to reuse items.
- Reverse Garbage is a creative reuse centre offering Workshops and DIY projects and a Reuse shop selling products that can be reused.
- Eco Styles an online platform for clothing swaps.
- The Bower Reuse Data Base tool helping to locate other organisations that can reuse household items.
Resell
Many items we place out for Kerbside Clean Up or dispose of can be resold.
- Gumtree.
- Facebook market place.
- Charities and Op Shops.
Recycle
If you have exhausted all the above options and have materials to recycle, the following options are available:
- E-Waste including televisions, set top boxes, computers and more.
- Household Chemical CleanOut including paints, chemicals, gas bottles and more.
- Batteries, CDS, DVDS and mobile phones - can be recycled for free at:
  - Georges River Council Civic Centre – Corner of Dora and Macmahon Streets, Hurstville.
  - Clive James Library – Kogarah Town Square, Belgrave Street, Kogarah.
  - Hurstville Library - Corner of Queen and Dora Streets, Hurstville.
- Return and Earn container deposit scheme.
- Recycle Mate app.
- A-Z Recycling.

Did you find this content useful?

Your feedback allows us to measure our customers' satisfaction with our website content.

If you wish to raise a particular issue with us, we recommend you raise a Customer Service Request. This will ensure your matter is scheduled with the appropriate teams and will allow you to track the progress of the issue.

Yes

Thank you for your feedback.