Learn about the 4 R's of recycling:

Reduce

Think Twice Before You Buy

Do I really need this? Does it come wrapped in a silly amount of plastic? Is there an option that’s better for the earth, and therefore better for me?

If You Can’t Refuse, You Can Reduce

As you learn more about how waste negatively impacts our environment, reducing becomes a choice of consciousness. Reducing allows you to participate on many levels as you notice all the waste being generated around you.

Society makes us feel like we always need to buy something new, but we can reduce that pressure by making smart choices in and out of the shops.

Choose products designed to last or that can be made into something new after use. When you opt for items made from recycled materials, you’re sending a message to the industry that you approve of recycling.

Reduce rubbish

What Can I Reduce?

1

Packaging

Does a cucumber really need to come wrapped in a plastic tube? When you’re at the shops and not sure which item to buy, go for the one in the least amount of packaging.

2

Single-Use Plastics

Look at what you do every day and see if you can replace throwaway items with reusable ones, such as washable food and drink containers for your lunch. Eat inside the restaurant instead of using a takeaway container, and bring along a refillable water bottle when you play sports.

3

Cheap Goods That Don’t Last

It’s important to get the most out of your stuff. Buy things that are easy to repair and made to last. A lot of resources are involved in making the latest and greatest trainers, the newest iPhone or that flash surfboard, and when we use these things for just a season and then toss them aside, we are wasting valuable resources.

It’s cool to be old school! Repairing clothes is a way to Reduce… and stuff that lasts a long time is full of stories.

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Did you know…

  • We’re using the Earth’s resources 1.7 times faster than they are replenished.
  • In 2016, Kiwis generated more e-waste per capita than Americans.
  • Every year, Kiwis toss out over 122,000 tonnes of food.

World Recycling - Reduce View archive

Innovators develop seaweed-based alternatives to plastic food wrappers

Seaweed, a common name for thousands of marine plants and algae found in different water bodies, not only provides food and shelter for marine animals, but it can also help solve the plastic pollution problem. Materials researchers from Flinders University

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These AI-enabled recycling robots are helping businesses be more sustainable

Despite good intentions to make changes that support the environment, companies are still sending items to the landfill that could otherwise be recycled. While the world is producing nearly twice as much plastic waste as it did two decades ago,

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Scientists develop ‘environmentally friendly’ plastic that dissolves in sea water

Each year millions of tonnes of plastic ends up in the sea, most of which isn’t biodegradable. That means it doesn’t break down over time, like paper or food, so instead it can hang around in the environment for hundreds

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Kathmandu unveils new jacket made with end-of-life car tyres

New Zealand-based outdoor brand Kathmandu has unveiled a new puffer jacket crafted from recycled plastic waste, including end-of-life car tyres, as the B-Corp-certified company continues to offer sustainable options for consumers. The Epiq SE jacket is a special edition of

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Kiwi Recycling News

Auckland Council confiscating recycling bins in bid to stop people putting rubbish in wrong place

Kiwi Recycling News Recycle Reduce Refuse Reuse

Auckland Council has been confiscating recycling bins in an effort to stop people throwing rubbish in the wrong bin. Some 104 bins were seized from households from Manurewa, Papakura and Wiri in the first phase of a trial to combat growing contamination of

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Turning Paper Towel Waste into Valuable Resources

Kiwi Recycling News Recycle Reduce Refuse Reuse

What happens to used paper towels after wiping our hands just once? Is there a better solution than sending them to the landfill? For many, these questions are often overlooked. However, the fact is that these everyday disposables generate surprisingly

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Christchurch glass recycler turns waste into huge growth opportunity

Kiwi Recycling News Recycle Reduce Refuse Reuse

Over the past 15 years, a Christchurch-based recycling company has saved more than 450,000 tonnes of glass from going to landfill. Founded in 2009 during the global financial crisis, 5R Solutions specialises in flat glass recovery, predominantly windows and windscreens. The company

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Turning tyres into treasure

Kiwi Recycling News Recycle Reduce Refuse Reuse

Have you got any unwanted tyres taking up space in your garage or garden?  Mark your calendar for Saturday, 7 December, and head into Te Kauwhata for a tyre recycling event.  This initiative, organised by Waikato District Council in partnership

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Rotorua’s ZealaFoam wins Breakthrough Project at KiwiNet Awards 2024

Kiwi Recycling News Recycle Reduce Refuse Reuse

A small eco-packaging company from Rotorua has developed a plant-based polystyrene alternative it says will be ready for the world market next month. ZealaFoam chief executive Sarah Heine and a team of three have been working out production kinks for

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The sisters recycling sheets into garments for all body types

Kiwi Recycling News Recycle Reduce Refuse Reuse

“The thought of fabric going into landfills literally makes me want to cry,” Kelly Blomfield says. That’s not just because she loves fashion. It’s also because of how much room fabric waste takes up in a landfills and how long

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RecycleKiwi helps Gore’s recycling heroes combat contamination

Kiwi Recycling News Recycle Reduce Refuse Reuse

In the heart of Gore, the Pakeke Lions Club have taken on the role of managing the town’s recycling. Driven by their love for keeping Gore beautiful, up to 20 Pakeke Lions members arrive every morning to prepare recyclables for

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New recycling programme will divert caps and lids destined for landfill to circular economy

Kiwi Recycling News Recycle Reduce Refuse Reuse

Plastic and metal caps and lids can now be collected and recycled instead of ending up in landfill with the rollout of a new recycling programme. Collections boxes for a variety of caps and lids are now available in selected

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NZ’s first national tyre recycling scheme now operational

Kiwi Recycling News Recycle Reduce Reuse

New Zealand’s first national tyre recycling scheme is now fully operational. Under the scheme, named Tyrewise, tyre shops and other tyre generators can have their end-of-life tyres collected for free. Members of the public can also dispose of up to five worn-out

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Students’ surfboard product minding its own beeswax

Kiwi Recycling News Recycle Reduce Refuse Reuse

Three schoolgirls are making waves with their ocean friendly surf product, made with wax from the school beehive. Spotswood College students Ava Brown, 16, Sylvia Larkin, 15, and Dylan Mumby, 15, are hoping Wave Wax will take Taranaki surfers by

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How to dispose of expired batteries – Kate Hall explains

Kiwi Recycling News Recycle Reuse

Old batteries are a ticking time bomb in recycling and general waste bins, but some simple changes in how you get rid of your batteries can prevent costly truck fires. Ethically Kate explains what to do with them instead (and

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Beyond bottle tops: the New Zealand metal recyclers diverting scrap from landfills

Kiwi Recycling News Recycle Reduce Refuse Reuse

New Zealand’s nationwide recycling rules are great, but they can leave us wondering what to do with specific items like household metal waste. From batteries to appliances, New Zealand metal recyclers accept a wide variety of metals. Not only will

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