Consider these tips to reduce your waste:

Rent items you use infrequently.
Educate others about the 3R's.
Donate your old clothes to charity.
Use cloth or paper bags.
Compost!
Escape waste by purchasing in bulk.

Refuse to purchase over packaged products.
Earn extra cash by having a yard sale
Use a refillable mug or glass
Share your newspapers, magazines and books.
Establish a recycling program in your office.

Rechargeable instead of disposable batteries.
Eliminate the purchase of disposable products
Consider packing lunches in reusable containers.
You can make a difference.
Choose products containing recycled materials.
Lend support to local recycling programs.
Encourage your friends and family to follow your good example.

Lawn and Garden

• Compost and Wood Mulch is available at selected time periods in the Spring and Autumn for a reasonable cost (fees cover the cost of processing the material by screening and/or bagging). Check our Compost page for details.

Paints and Solvents

• Check our Reuse Centre for FREE products that have been used but are not used up. The Reuse Centre is open from April through November each year on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays only.

Miscellaneous

• Motor Oil: Purchase recycled (re-refined) oil instead of refined oil. Used Motor Oil can be placed out with your recyclables on your Blue Box Collection day. Place the used motor oil in a sealed 4L container and mark it "USED OIL". Limit 2 per household please.
• Batteries: Use solar-powered or rechargeable batteries. Use our Rechargeable Battery Recycling Station to dispose of your old rechargeable batteries. DO NOT place rechargeable batteries in the garbage.

Why Throw Your Money Away?
In most cases, when you buy products with less packaging, you save money. If user-pay garbage systems come to your community, reducing your waste will save you money there, too.

Recycle
Whether you have a blue box in your home, or access to a depot, by recycling your newspapers, bottles, cans and jars (and a lot more in some areas!), you have the power to reduce your garbage by as much as 25 percent.

Compost
By composting your kitchen scraps you could cut your waste by 10-20 percent. Add yard waste and leaves to your composter and you've cut back another 10-20 percent. Composting is not expensive, it's easy and saves you money in fertilizer. Backyard composters are available in most communities, (EWSWA supplies local Home Hardware stores with composters which you may purchase directly for a nominal charge) or you can make your own.

Grasscycle
When you've finished mowing the lawn, relax! By mowing regularly at the proper blade height you can leave the clippings on the lawn. They will disappear and enrich the soil. No more bagging and dragging!
For more information check our Grasscycling page.

Buy in Bulk
Buying in bulk doesn't necessarily mean buying more, but it does mean buying for less. By checking out the bulk section of your supermarket, or specialized bulk stores, you'll reduce your garbage and save money, too! And you'll have less packaging to carry.

Avoid Disposables
We all pay a price for convenience: Use the real thing--cloth diapers, napkins, towels and handkerchiefs; rechargeable batteries, reusable plates, glasses and cutlery and other durable goods.

Avoid Single Servings
This is about as wasteful and expensive as it gets. More cost, more packaging, more waste. Please think hard before putting single-serving products in your shopping cart.

Buy Your Produce Naked
Fruits and vegetables come in their own packaging. They don't usually need any more.

Consider the Rental Option
Check your "rent-all" store for seasonal lawn and home maintenance jobs and for party supplies.

Reduce Waste At Work
Treat your work place like your home--reuse, recycle, compost and make thoughtful purchases.