Please explain 5 R's refuse reduce reuse recycle and repurpose? (2024)

Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Repurpose, Recycle – that offers improvement to the environment.

Refuse:

1. Refuse to buy or accept products that can harm you, your company and the environment.
2. Refuse chemical solvents and use alternatives that are water based.
3. Refuse to receive materials from your supplies with unnecessary packaging that you will later have to pay for to dispose.

Reduce:

1. Reduce the energy use and stick to the basic requirements.
   
2. Limit the requirements to minimum to reduce the use of resources.
   
3. Control the use of non-renewable natural resources.
   

Reuse:

1. Slowly replace any single use items with reusable ones – like reusable water bottles and mugs.
2. Reuse packaging material (pallets, drums, bubble wrap or packaging peanuts).
3. Reuse shipping containers (boxes, inserts, cartons).
4. Reuse printer cartridges and have them refilled.

Repurpose:

1. Repurpose is the process of taking something and using it for a separate purpose.
   
2. Repurpose metal cans, buckets for creative plant containers.
3. Repurpose wood crates into benches or shelves.
4. Repurpose material shavings to help clean up spills.
5. Repurpose HVAC condensate as a source for distilled water.

Recycle:

1. All the materials that can be subjected to a chemical process to recycle them should be used as they can be recycled back to the new form again.
   
2. Recycle all the basics you can – paper, plastic, metal and glass.
3. Recycle food wastes into compost or as a food for a local farm.
4. Recycle all fabrics including ripped clothes.
   
5. Recycle all electronics if possible.