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Article:

Recycling

Shop smarter – think before you buy

The best way reduce waste is to reduce consumption. Buy only what you need and look at reusing or extending the life of items you already have.

Think about buying second-hand 'vintage' items such as clothing, furniture and children's toys. If you're building or renovating, consider using second-hand or recycled building materials.

Look for and support products that use recycled-content for packaging or as a part of their design and manufacture.  Food cans, glass bottles, some soft drink bottles, SAFE toilet tissue, aluminium cans and some cardboard boxes may use recycled-content – have a look at the packaging to confirm or contact the product manufacturer.

Buying recycled products reduces waste and supports the development of the recycling industry and new recycling initiatives.

Buy groceries and products with little or no packaging and choose products that come in refillable packs – you'll often save money in the process. Look into unpackaged, home-made and home-grown alternatives.

When purchasing, add environmental considerations to your list of requirements and decision-making process. Many manufacturers from various industries, including food, electronics and vehicle production are reviewing and reducing their environmental impact. Some products are being re-designed to minimise environmental impact. This includes strategies to maximise use, reuse and recycling potential at end-of-life. Australian Eco-labelling standards may soon become the norm – assisting eco-friendly product selection, reuse and disposal.