Reuse means using something again for the same or another purpose instead of throwing it away.

Many items that might be considered waste can be used again, either by you or by somebody else. Reuse is better than recycling as it saves energy and resources, which in turn helps create less pollution and therefore helps the environment.

What can you reuse?

A wide range of household items can be reused, including:

• Clothes, shoes and accessories
• Books, CDs and DVDs
• Furniture and electrical goods
• Toys and games
• Bikes
• Tools

How can you reuse?

You can reuse some items simply by passing them on to family and friends.  Your unwanted item might be just what someone else is looking for! 

Local charity shops and furniture reuse organisations are also great places to start for reusing items you no longer want or when you need something new. They sell high quality products at prices that are a lot less than buying new from the high street and offer people the chance to donate things that others can then use.

You can reuse items through web reuse schemes which either invite you to buy and sell or give and take second hand goods.

There are also community reuse organisations and charities on the household waste recycling centres and across the partnership area where you can take your unwanted items such as bikes, tools, books and music for reuse within the community or to benefit communities in other countries.

What do we do to encourage reuse?

The York and North Yorkshire Waste Partnership also work in partnership with charities, reuse organisations and many other organisations in a campaign called Choose2Reuse which encourages reuse as a way of saving money and the environment.

Charities and community groups in North Yorkshire can benefit further from your donations as they can claim third party reuse and recycling credits for the items they reuse or recycle and divert from landfill. The York and North Yorkshire Waste Partnership's community reuse fund is also available to community groups and charities across York and North Yorkshire to set up or improve reuse schemes.