What is the difference between Reuse and Recycle?

We love being able to help our Ecobin family by answering some of the most FAQs, and today we are answering the question ‘What is the difference between Reuse and Recycle?’ REUSE – means to find another purpose for an item that would have otherwise been thrown away. For example;

• Donating clothes that you no longer want to: friends, family or Op Shops so that they may become someone else’s treasure.
• Washing out plastic take away containers you may have been given, and using them again to store household items in.
• Using old glass jars (from your pasta sauces etc) to store food items in your pantry. This helps reuse an old item, and prevents purchasing unnecessary plastic storage containers.
• Old clothes that are no good to recycle can be turned into rags to use around the home or office. If you’re feeling particularly creative you can make braided rugs out of tying strips of material together!

RECYCLE – refers to the process of turning waste items into new reusable material or items. For example;

• Plastic can be made into new plastic bottles such as shampoo, cleaning products, drink bottles, containers etc.
• Paper is recycled and made into paper towels, toilet paper, stationery, napkins, packaging etc
• Glass recycling creates all new glass items such as jars, containers, bottles, vases etc