In the consumer society in which we live the rule of the three Rs: reduce, recycle and reuse is essential. We must be aware that the resources we have are scarce, so it is the job of the whole society to have responsible general habits and responsible consumption.

The rule of the three Rs emerged as a proposal of consumption habits. It was popularised by Greenpeace, and it is nothing more than a simple rule for the care of the environment, since it is aimed at developing responsible general habits, such as responsible consumption.

It aims to be a strategy that allows the reduction of the volume of waste or garbage that we generate and that the management of these can be more sustainable with the environment, resulting in a saving of money and in the reduction of our carbon footprint. In this article we tell you how pollution from solid waste affects the environment.

Keep in mind that with Recyclit you can dispose inorganic waste, organic waste and recyclables knowing that you are using an innovative solution made with the most reliable and durable items in the market.

Reduce, reuse and recycle

Each of these three words has a specific meaning and the order or hierarchy in which they are mentioned is of utmost importance, since it must be initiated by reducing or minimising waste. The first R corresponds to the word REDUCE. We must avoid producing so much waste. If we reduce, we reduce the impact on the environment.

Reduce

Some of the general recommendations that are given in order to REDUCE the generation of waste are the following:

1) To the extent possible, buy items wholesale or in presentations or large quantities in order to avoid an excessive number of containers, bags and packaging.

2) Try to buy the items that have less packaging. Avoid the consumption of products in disposable containers. Seek the consumption of products in returnable containers.

3) Avoid individual products and run away from disposable items (plates, cutlery, napkins …).

4) Avoid the use of dangerous products or replace them with less harmful ones (rechargeable batteries, vegetable or water based inks, ecological cleaners, etc). If necessary, be sure to use only what is necessary.

Re-use

The second “R” is for REUSE. This means that we must reuse some things that we consider useless or useless.

Everything that we cannot avoid using should be used as many times as possible, thus extending its useful life and avoiding at the same time generating new waste.

Again, the possibilities are endless. All materials or goods can have more than one useful life, either by repairing them for the same use or with imagination for a different use. Here we describe an example of a computer donation program for NGOs.

Some tips that you can take into account are the following:

1) Use returnable glass containers. These containers are reusable many times when washed and disinfected in perfect condition. In reality, the reuse is to “lengthen”, so to speak, the life of many products that generate waste.

2) Think twice before throwing away any object or waste that no longer serves us. Disposable bottles can be turned into ecological bricks, if inside they are put all the plastic bags that are no longer used. The boxes or bottles of PVC, metal or plastic can be painted or decorated with decoupage techniques and used again now to store different elements. The used paper can be transformed into pulp and create new sheets to write. Use clothes that cannot be donated as rags.

3) Make a list of all the products we consume in the home or office and their respective packaging is: analyse the possibilities of giving or selling after being used.

4) Make an assessment and inventory of what is consumed monthly in our company in order to evaluate the possibilities of reuse. Example: Use the other side of the printed sheets.

5) Reuse also includes the purchase of second-hand products, since this extends the useful life of the product and at the same time implies a reduction in the consumption of new products, because instead of buying something new, it buys second hand.

Recycle

The third “R” is RECYCLE and is possibly the best known of all, that is known internationally as the symbol of the arrows in many packages, products and educational programs.

This is one of the most popular R’s because the current consumer system has preferred to use containers made of recyclable materials (plastics and bricks, above all), but not biodegradable.

However, there is still a general lack of knowledge since it is confused with the industrial process of the materials and is used interchangeably with the meaning of reusing.

Although it is the most common mistake, it is the least effective. It is about rescuing the possible from a material that is no longer useful (commonly called garbage) and turning it into a new product.

For example, an old cardboard box can be shredded and through an industrial or home process converted to new paper. The good thing about recycling is that currently almost all types of garbage can be recycled and many municipalities already have it integrated into their garbage collection system.

This word is also used to indicate the action of separating the materials according to their physical characteristics.

This is how recycling programs are made, which means that the person is going to “separate” in some way their “recyclable” waste from the waste that does not work. It is estimated that this action reduces the volume of garbage of the population by approximately 40% (this percentage refers to the four most common materials that can be recycled or reused: paper, glass, plastics and aluminium).

Recycling means reusing some of the waste generated as raw materials in industrial processes in order to convert them again into new quality products for the consumer.

It is important to know that many wastes considered as “garbage” can be important raw materials for many industries.

Summary of the three R’s

1. REDUCE: We should not produce so much waste. The most advisable thing is to try to REDUCE or MINIMISE the generation of waste either at home, at work or at the place of study.
2. REUSE some things that we consider useless or useless. The objective is to “extend the life cycle” of many products that generate waste.
3. RECYCLE means to reuse some of the waste generated as raw materials in industrial processes in order to convert them again into new quality products for the consumer.

With Recyclit, we simplify the entire recycle procedure and save you a lot of time and effort from collecting all organic and inorganic wastes by having you posting them and letting the self-closing stainless-steel doors prevent any smells from spreading outside the recycling bin.