We all have the experience of food that goes over, or the clothes we rarely wear in the wardrobe. With the benefit of hindsight we would never buy more than we need, but it is a lesson we are increasingly finding we need to learn. There may also be times when a device is broken or a jacket is worn out, but can be fixed. When waste is unavoidable, we need to be as smart as possible in recycling so that good use is made of materials, rather than ending in landfill.

What can you do?

Repair

• Before throwing things away, consider repairing them. We are lucky to have a Repair Café in Nailsworth / Stroud.

• We also have a wonderful tailor, Suraj from Nailsworth Tailoring (Market Street, Nailsworth) who can mend holes (including jeans).

• The Nailsworth Computer Shop offers computer repairs.

Reuse

• If you don’t need an item (clothing, books, crockery, etc..) consider taking it to one of the charity shops in town and ask if they will take it.

Recycle

• Here’s a helpful list of types of plastic that you can put into your green recycling bin.

• You can recycle many items in Nailsworth at the locations below:

  • Batteries: Brutons

  • Blister packs from medicine tablets: Superdrug Stroud

  • Brita water filters: Brutons

  • Clothing and shoes (if usable): charity shops or look for one of the wonderful local clothes swaps

  • Clothing and shoes (if not usable): clothing and shoe banks by Tesco Express

  • Computers and printer cartridges: Nailsworth Computer Shop

  • Eyeglasses: Finch Optical in Nailsworth

  • Furniture: Stroud Furniture Bank

  • Soft plastics (including crisp packets, pet food pouches): Morrisons Nailsworth, Co-op Nailsworth, Tesco Stroud, Sainsbury’s Stroud - here’s a helpful list of soft plastics that can be recycled

• Here are two useful tools for finding local places to recycle specific items:

What happens to our waste in Nailsworth?

• General waste from grey refuse bin/beige bags is treated at Javelin Park Waste to Energy Facility in Stonehouse.

• Household recycling is sorted and separated into different types of materials by hand or machine (or both) before being sent to manufacturers who make it into new products.

• Food waste is collected by Stroud District Council and is used in an anaerobic digester and turned into energy (so please don’t throw it into the general waste bin!).