At your setting you should have several bins for different types of waste:
General waste
This is anything that doesn’t go in the other bins. It costs more to have this bin collected, and if it is overweight you can be charged extra. So to reduce your costs too, consider how to reduce what goes in this bin and change collection to fortnightly. Food packaging is a huge source of waste.
Food waste
Reduce food waste with appropriate portion sizes and offer any leftovers for seconds to colleagues and even parents. Tweak the menu/recipes if items are unpopular. Any remaining food waste should go into composting (or wormeries!), or to a food waste bin for collection.
Reducing plastics
Clingfilm is not generally recyclable. Alternatives such as washable lids can be used for food, and something washable for craft such as washable plastic sheets. Laminating notices is another source of unrecyclable waste. Try printing or drawing/writing onto waterproof paper. Have milk delivered in returnable glass bottles.
Replace one-use plastic aprons with (washable) fabric or wipe-down aprons. One-use gloves are not needed for nappy changing unless the member of staff has an open wound on their hand.
Nappies
Disposable nappies are very polluting. Put such waste into the yellow bins that are incinerated, ideally producing energy. Even better, reduce waste by using reusable cloth nappies and flannels. Bear in mind that ‘biodegradable’ can be a green-wash marketing word. Even ‘compostable’ requires commercial composting facilities – which are not generally available in the UK.
The seven Rs
Use the seven Rs: Rethink, refuse, reduce, repair, reuse, regift, recycle. Look at what is in your bins and consider refusing to purchase items in excessive packaging, one-use items, items that will not last, and items you cannot return at the end of their life. Raise any issues with the suppliers.
Try to repair items, and collect reusable donations from parents and the local community. Try to give away items that you no longer need to charity shops and parents.
- We have a reduce waste check list at: https://gecco.org.uk
