Ideas

Ideas, helpful hints and hacks to help reduce waste

inverted triangle of waste hierarchy.

The Waste Hierarchy

The Waste Hierarchy is a way to rate waste management options by what is best for the environment.

Find out about the Waste Hierarchy

Illustration of reusable cup, bag and soap dispenser.

Prevent

Firstly, consider waste prevention. This is the idea of not generating waste in the first place.

Find out how to prevent waste

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Reuse and repair

Secondly, think about reuse and repair - does it really need to be thrown in the bin?

Find out how to reuse or repair

Illustration of bottles in green recycling bin.

Recycle

Finally, if you do need to throw something away, make sure you dispose of it correctly!

Find out how and where you can recycle your items

Large green business waste bins.

Business waste

How to dispose of business, trade and commercial waste

Smiling baby crawling amongst colourful cloth nappies.

Cloth nappies

Save money with cloth nappies

Two women looking out from between clothes on a rail.

Clothing and textiles

Love your clothes

Hands holding compost in a heart shape.

Composting at home

Get started with home composting

Man repairing an electrical device with a screwdriver.

Electricals

How to dispose of old electricals

Black bin bags fly-tipped at the side of a road.

Fly tipping

How to prevent fly tipping and report it

Hand placing a banana skin in a food recycling caddy.

Food recycling

Food recycling in Essex

A variety of vegetables on a chopping board, in a kitchen.

Food waste

How to waste less and save more

Two people holding coffee machine and toaster.

Freegle

Find or rehome pre-loved items with Freegle

Icon of black exclamation mark in a black triangle on a yellow background.

Hazardous waste

How to dispose of household hazardous waste

Sofa being loaded into the back of a van.

Large item collection

How to arrange a special or bulky waste collection

Person litter picking beside a river.

Litter in Essex

How you can reduce litter and report it

Person surrounded by various period products.

Period products

Love your period

Hand placing a plastic bottle into a recycling bin.

Plastic recycling

How to recycle plastic

Hands filling a bag from refill shop dispensers.

Refill shops in Essex

Find a refill shop in Essex

Reusable water bottle on a tennis racket.

Single-use plastics

Help reduce use of plastics

Illustration of pound sign.

Did you know?

In February 2025, we awarded Love Essex Fund micro-grants to 41 local projects that support reuse and repair.

Find out more about the Love Essex Fund

Get FREE advice and the latest information on recycling and waste in Essex, every month.

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How to dispose of unwanted items

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