It is estimated that up to 15% of our waste are items that could potentially be reused for example carrier bags, books, CDs, bicycles and even a number of power tools.
How to give items a new lease of life instead of throwing them away
Plastics
- Use Bags for Life or your own strong bags for shopping and try to avoid using the free thin ones supermarkets supply. A great tip is to keep some spare bags in the car.
- Use plastic containers with lids to store leftovers in the fridge or for packed lunches.
- Refill your water drinks bottle for packed lunches and hot days.
- For the garden – yoghurt pots are perfect to grow seedlings in, clear fizzy drinks bottles with the tops cut off are great for placing over plants to protect them from pests and frost. White expanded polystyrene trays that contained bedding plants can be broken up and used as drainage in pots and hanging baskets.
Paper
- Keep unwanted scrap and paper from your home printer it’s great for notes, shopping lists and drawing on.
- Reuse envelopes by sticking labels over the old address.
- Home shredded paper is ideal for pet bedding and composting.
- Save gift and Christmas wrapping papers and bags.
- Toys and GamesPass unwanted toys and games to charity shops, jumble sales, or, your local doctors or dentists may like them for their waiting rooms.
Textiles
- Instead of buying new dusters and cloths – old sheets and cotton based textiles make great alternatives.
- Pass unwanted clothes, toys and household goods onto charity shops and jumble sales.
- Use washable nappies instead of disposable ones. Contact The Brighton & Hove and East Sussex Real Nappy network
- Tel 01273 482242 or look up the website at http://www.nappies.org/
Tins
- Biscuit or sweet tins make for useful storage for odds and ends.
Glass
- Jam jars and bottles are great for storing coffee, tea, sugar and spices and home made food.
- Jars make useful candle holders for both indoor and garden use. Decorate with glass paints which can be purchased quite easily.
- Large jars and bottles are useful for homemade wine and beer.
Garden, vegetable & kitchen waste
- Garden, vegetable and kitchen waste can be composted. Compost bins can be purchased from Lewes District Council - please contact the Recycling Team on 01273 486619.
- Use your new compost for growing your own vegetables. This will create less packaging, save money and be healthier! Even if you have a small or no garden, herbs and salads can be grown in pots.
- Good usable garden tools can be donated to the Sussex Wildlife Trust: Tel 01273 492630.
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
One person’s rubbish is another person’s gold. Many items we have finished with may be of use to someone else. It is very tempting to put things in the dustbin. However, it’s worth asking a few questions before you do:
- Could I sell it?
- Going to a boot sale is a great way of passing things on and making some extra money. Boot fairs are also great places for bargains too! Could it go in the small ads of the local papers and ebay?
- Do I know anyone who is looking for one of these?
- Check the internet for recycling and swap type websites for example http://www.rag-andbone.co.uk/ and freecycle.org.
The following list of local contacts are places where second hand products can be purchased, or items can be donated.
Second Hand Furniture, Boot Fairs, Clothing
Magpie Recycling - Saunders Park View, Lewes Road, Brighton: Tel 01273 677 577
The Boxroom - The Old Needlemakers, West Street, Lewes: Tel 01273 476001
Furniture Now! - Unit 1 Phoenix Works, North Street, Lewes: Tel 01273 487377
Furniture Now! - Unit 3a, Courtlands Road, Eastbourne: Tel 01323 638000
Hastings Furniture Service - 6-10 Dorset Place, Hastings: Tel 01424 441112
Stock Market - (nearly new designer clothes), Vipers Wharf, Railway Lane, Lewes: Tel 01273 477852
Mammouth Boot Fairs - Cophall Farm, Hailsham Road, Polegate: Tel 01323 485767
Repairing things
Clever marketing and sales promotions by retailers usually make the purchasing of an item easier and cheaper than repairing. Modern items and equipment are made in such a way that they can not be repaired.
It is very tempting to put items in the dustbin but it’s worth considering:
- Can it be mended?
- Will it be cost effective to have it repaired?
- Is there a repairer local to me?
The following list of local contacts are places where items can be repaired. For Antique Restorations, Furniture Repair, Restoration and Upholstery see listings in telephone directories and the internet.
Clocks Repair
W.F Bruce - 4-5 North St, Lewes: Tel 01273 473123
Clothes Repair
Sheila Marshal - 24 Station Street, Lewes: Tel 01273 475399
Cobblers - 73a North Street, Lewes: Tel 01273 472331
Sussex Locks & Shoe Repairs - 196a South Coast Road, Peacehaven: Tel 01273 588095
B.D Barnes F.B.H.I - 23 High Street, Lewes: Tel 01273 474400
Clever With Leather - 28-29 Tidy Street, Brighton: Tel 01273 462460
It is very tempting to put broken items in the dustbin but it’s worth considering:
- Can it be mended?
- Will it be cost effective to have it repaired?
- Is there a repairer local to me?
Computer Repair
County Computer Services - 40 Cliffe High Sreet, Lewes: Tel 01273 486944
Ash Towner Ltd - The Old Stable, Ham Lane, Ringmer, Lewes, BN8 5SE: Tel 01273 812813
Applezone Ltd - 24 Delves Way Ringmer, Lewes: Tel 01273 813868
Oscar Computers - 26-28 Sutton Road, Seaford: Tel 01323 897740
Maxtec - 15b Meeching Road, Newhaven: Tel 01273 513491
Cyberwave (Seaford) Ltd - 45 High Sreet, Seaford: Tel 01323 873806
Alex Computer Services - 31 Telescombe Cliffs, Peacehaven: 01273 582383
Aztech Systems Ltd - Shop 5, 140-144 South Coast Road, Peacehaven: Tel 01273 587878
Harddrive Technology Ltd - 23 Metcalfe Avenue, Newhaven: Tel 01273 510488
PCHelp - 192a South Coast Road, Peacehaven: Tel 01273 580022
Stay Sharp Computers - 48 Cavell Avenue, Peacehaven: Tel 01273 589488
Electrical Appliances & Vacuum Cleaner Repairs
A.J.P - 3 St. Peters Close, Seaford: Tel 01323 898482
Chris Baker - 1 Cottage Close, Newhaven: Tel 01273 513557
Vacuum Cleaner Repair
Dyson Recycling Centre - Unit 13 Cradle Hill Industrial. Estate, Seaford: Tel 07849 595 284 (reconditioned machines sold from £40).
For Antique Dealers, Flea, Markets and Charity Shops see listings in telephone directories and the internet.
Producing waste helps towards the creation of climate change. This is where carbon dioxide (CO2) and other greenhouse gases affect our weather patterns, for example flooding and rising temperatures.
We know that every year over 1000 tonnes of junk mail is delivered to residents of Lewes district. This equals 25 kgs per household. Much of this junk is recycled but lots still ends up in the landfill site.
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