Waste Minimisation
When deciding the best way to deal with waste, we refer something called the waste hierarchy. The waste hierarchy is the nationally recognised approach to waste management, and forms the basis of the Government's Waste Strategy. It sets out the best practical environmental options for dealing with waste. As you go down the list the environmental impact increases.
Put simply, the waste hierarchy is:
1. Reduce (most favoured option)
2. Re-use
3. Recycle
4. Recover energy through incineration or from landfills
5. Landfill without energy recovery (least favoured option)
The 3 R's represent the three most important waste management options in the waste hierarchy:
Reduce (Waste Minimisation) – minimising the waste we produce in the first place saves resources, energy, and money. For example research conducted by the Waste Resource Action Programme has found that up to a third of the food we buy in the UK is thrown away. This has been calculated as the equivalent of £610 a year for a family with children.
Re-use – Lots of waste can be re-used, from jam jars and bottles, to pieces of furniture around the house. One person’s rubbish might be just what another person needs! There are many different schemes which enable people to offer items for re-use, from internet groups such as www.freecycle.org, eco-marts, or furniture re-use groups. As well as cutting down on the use of landfill and potential pollution, this could also save you a lot of money.
Recycle – this saves valuable raw materials, and cuts down waste collection and disposal costs.
We have achieved a recycling rate of 35.8% here in Craven. This section of the website gives details of the different materials we collect, and the location of all the bring sites across the District - this saves valuable raw materials, and cuts down waste collection and disposal costs.
Most properties in Craven are now provided with at least one kerbside recycling collection scheme.
These are:-
- NEW Paper and Cardboard Recycling Collection Scheme
- Garden Waste Collection Scheme
- 'Triple Bin' Recycling Scheme
In addition, residents may use the local recycling centres to bring their recyclable materials for recycling.
'NEW' Paper and Cardboard Collection Scheme
We are operating a four weekly collection service of newspapers, cardboard, magazines, directories, catologues and junk mail to properties not covered by our Triple Bin Recycling Scheme. For more information on this service, please visit Paper and Cardboard Collection Scheme.
Garden Waste Collection Scheme
We provide a garden waste collection service to over 10,900 domestic properties. For more information on this scheme please visit Garden Waste Collection Scheme.
Recycling Bring Sites
We provide over 60 mini recycling sites around the District where you can recycle glass, paper, tins/cans, plastics, cartons, textiles, shoes, car oil and books. Please refer to our list of Recycling Sites to find your nearest recycling point or you can search by postcode. For more information, please visit Recycling Bring Sites.
Home Composting
As part of the Rethink Rubbish campaign in York & North Yorkshire the council are promoting home composting to encourage you to reduce the amount of rubbish going to landfill. Home Composting is easy and not expensive to do. For more information and for the latest Compost Bin offer please see Home Composting.