There are 3Rs in Surrey

New guides available to help you cut waste

Time to act now on the 3Rs: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

There are 3Rs in Surrey: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. This is the message that all Surrey residents and businesses should hear. We all need to do our bit to reduce the amount of waste we produce, reuse whatever we can and recycle as much as possible of what's left.

Many of us want to do more to help the environment. In the largest independent survey into Surrey residents' attitudes towards reducing and reusing waste, we found that Surrey residents know a lot about recycling, but need more advice and support to reduce and reuse. For the full report, see Waste not, want not: attitudes to waste in Surrey.

What´s happening?

The new year brings new resolutions. This year, make a resolution to reduce your waste by making small changes.

We throw away about a third of the food we buy - find out about using up leftovers, how to store your food to make it last longer and more about cutting the amount of food that ends up in the bin. Click here for details.

We´ve all received some fantastic new items over the holiday period and in the sales that followed. Don´t just throw out the items you´ve replaced though - they could easily find a loving home with someone else. Give your unwanted goods to family and friends who might want them, donate clothes, toys, even furniture that is in good condition to charity shops. You can even sell your unwanted goods to turn a profit. Reusing items means less of it ends up in landfill.

Keep an eye out for roadshows that will be happening in your area. Stop to chat and ask any questions you may have. You will also be given the opportunity to swap your plastic carrier bag for an environmentally friendly, trendy, reusable cotton bag that you can reuse time and time again. Watch this space for dates and locations.

Free SMS alerts

Do you want to do more to cut your waste, but keep forgetting or run out of ideas? If so, sign up to get free fortnightly reminders and tips direct to your mobile phone.

To sign up, text REDUCE to 83010. This text will be charged at your normal rate. Any text you receive is free and you can stop this service at any time by texting STOP to the same number.

Are you a business in Surrey? Download the resource pack to help you reduce, reuse and recycle waste at work.

Also sign up for regular email updates - simply email wasteaway@surreycc.gov.uk

Coming soon

Keep checking this site for updates and hints and tips on the little things you can do to reduce, reuse and recycle, and do your bit to help keep Surrey beautiful.

The 3Rs campaign is a partnership being run by Surrey County Council and the 11 district and borough councils in Surrey.