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Reusing Waste

Reusing items before putting them in the recycling bin or waste bin extends their useful life and often saves the need to buy something new for a particular purpose.

Swap Shops

Swaps Shops are held regularly in the district by Community Action Groups. To find out where your nearest one will be visit the Community Action Groups website. Swap shops highlight the effectiveness of re-using unwanted items.

Here are some of our reuse ideas:

Donate...

unwanted clothes, CDs, Videos, DVDs and toys to charity shops.
books you have read to charity shops. Alternatively, place them in designated book banks across the district.
old clothes can also be taken to local recycling banks.
your good, unwanted furniture to those who need it.
unwanted furniture to a local charity for redistribution to those who need it.
old computer equipment to community groups or schools.
old mobile phones and printer cartridges to charities that can re-use them.
unwanted bicycles to Oxford Cycle Workshop for refurbishment or recycling.

Reuse...

carrier bags for shopping or as bin-liners.
packaging for other purposes, e.g. jars for storage, plastic bottles as cloches to protect young plants.
worn out or badly damaged clothes as rags for cleaning.
envelopes by sticking labels over the address.
scrap paper for making notes, shopping lists or children's drawings.
plastic containers for keeping food fresh, rather than cling film or foil.
offer unwanted items for free. Find out more at Freecycle, The Oxfordshire Scrapestore Orinoco, or one of the Local 'freecycling' groups Witney Freecycle and Kidlington-Woodstock Freesharing. Or visit the Oxfordshire Freecycle Cafe - you may find items for free that you need too!