Waste reduction and composting

This page provides information on how you can contribute to Kingston's climate targets by reducing waste, as well as reusing and recycling household items. For information on local businesses in Kingston, Merton, Richmond, Croydon and Sutton you can visit to help you reduce, reuse or recycle your waste, please check out the South London Partnership's Zero Waste Map. 

Reducing waste

The perfect solution to meet our climate goals, is simply to reduce the amount of waste we produce in the first place. Reducing waste both lowers the demand for new goods to be made, as well as lowers the amount of items going through the waste process. Both of these helps to conserve natural resources; avoids emissions providing cleaner air and natural environments for us to enjoy; and reduces the financial cost to you and your local community. 

Hints:

• Buy less by buying goods that last longer or repairing old items. If you need to buy something, try buying something second-hand.
• Cut down on packaging waste by choosing products that have less packaging when shopping, such as loose fruits and vegetables, or buy a veg box. 
• Buy less online to reduce the amount of packaging you end up with.
• Bring lunches from home in reusable containers to reduce single-use packaging.
• Buy reusable goods to cut down on single-use items like nappies, carrier bags, coffee cups or plastic bottles.
• Reduce unwanted junk mail by registering with the Mailing Preference Service to have your name removed from direct mailing lists.
• Plan your meals in advance to prevent any food going to waste

Eat Like a Londoner

We’re proud to be part of the Eat Like a Londoner campaign. It’s a first-of-its-kind food platform for Londoners, designed to help you shop, cook, and eat better, as well as reduce food waste. With recipes, hacks, tips, and tricks – from experts and locals alike – this is the ultimate destination for anyone looking for new ways to plan healthy meals, eat more sustainably and save you money.

Reusing waste

Often the items we throw away, can be utilised for other purposes or by other people. Reusing more contributes to the overall reduction of waste, as the demand for new products reduces and less ends up being processed through the waste streams. This not only helps to protect our environment, but reduces the overall cost to you as consumers and residents. Donating unwanted items to local charities and second-hand stores also supports local jobs and your local economy. 

Hints:

• Reuse plastic takeaway containers to store food, or plastic bottles to carry a drink, or glass jars for storing household items, to reduce the amount of single-use packaging going to waste.
• Search online for different ways you can reuse packaging items.
• Search the local charities database from the charity retail group to find local charities for donating your unwanted items for reuse.
• Use online platforms such as the Kingston Freegle or Freecycle groups and the Reuse network.

Recycling waste

If you cannot reuse the item you are looking to dispose of, then you should look to recycle it. Utilise the recycling service you have at home, or bring the item to local recycling points. Recycling waste reduces the amount of resources required to produce new products, saving emissions, the need for landfill and reduces any potential pollution to your local environment. 

Hints:

• The recycle now website has extra information on where you can recycle particular items in your local area. 
• As well as recycling waste, consider buying goods which are made with recycled materials to minimise the environmental cost of the goods you are buying.

Composting

Composting is an environmentally friendly way of recycling your kitchen scraps and garden waste and is an inexpensive way to provide nutrient rich compost for your garden. The majority of your kitchen scraps can be composted and the rest can go into your food waste bin for collection. For information on what can and cannot be composted and how to get started, see the how-to guide provided by our partners at GetComposting.com. We have teamed up with GetComposting.com to provide residents with reduced rate compost bins, accessories and water butts that can be delivered to your door. Compost bins are priced at £22.50 and you can buy one and get another for half price.