"The experiment demonstrated that for a short time it is possible to achieve zero waste or at least dramatically reduce the amount of waste you throw away"
Cllr Gerry Curran
An innovative experiment to see whether it is possible to go for a week without throwing anything away has been declared a success by Bath & North East Somerset Council.
The Council announced October 23 – 29 as Zero Waste Week and challenged residents to see if it was possible to live without producing any black bag rubbish for seven days.
In 2001, Bath & North East Somerset Council became the first local authority in the UK to adopt a Zero Waste pledge. Its long-term vision is to eliminate waste altogether, rather than simply manage it. Pioneered in New Zealand, Zero Waste is a radical but simple approach to waste. It means that nothing gets thrown away in the dustbin - so we only use things we can reuse, recycle or compost. As well as reducing the damage that we do to our environment, we could also help save ourselves money.
Seventy-five people took part. One family even managed to reduce their waste to just one yoghurt pot and some plastic wrappers. Most of the participants managed to reduce their black bin waste to around 25% of their normal quantities.
One householder used the term 'Precycle,' as a pointer that it's easier to reduce waste if you plan ahead, such as remembering to take a bag out with you when you go shopping. 'Precycling' rolls off the tongue easily and is simpler than 'waste minimisation' or 'waste prevention'. It may well catch on!
Council comments
Sarah Raban, Waste Campaigns Officer for Bath & North East Somerset Council, said:
“People tended to make more use of local shops and markets, using refill schemes. There was a lot more home cooking and where products came in disposable packaging, some people chose to make their own instead, including making home made yoghurt, bread and pasta. Overall, everyone saw huge reductions in the amount they threw in the bin even if they were already doing a lot to start with and a lot of people we have spoken to intend to carry on with some of the changes they have made.”
Councillor Gerry Curran, Executive Member for Sustainability and the Environment, said:
“Zero Waste Week was a great success and encouraged everyone to look at how they can reduce what goes in the bin. Several people commented that they now recycle things they didn't think about before the week. The experiment demonstrated that for a short time it is possible to achieve zero waste or at least dramatically reduce the amount of waste you throw away and next year we're hoping to make it an even greater success!”