Pay as you throw away? Five ways to cut off waste at the source

Financial incentives, drinking fountains, food redistribution and reused furniture can reduce rubbish and recycling woes

How are we going to crack waste? Emily Barrs zero-waste week has been a graphic illustration of how individuals can dramatically reduce the amount of non-recyclable waste we produce if were prepared to put in the effort. Recycling, composting and energy from waste are all ways of dealing with the problem once it has arisen. But its better to prevent waste in the first place, and that needs action by businesses and governments. Here are five ideas to help cut waste off at source.

The first, and most controversial, is important because it makes any other effort at waste prevention more effective. The coalitions Localism Act took away councils powers to charge residents for the weight of rubbish they produce. A pay as you throw (PAYT) switches waste from a fixed charge to a metered service like electricity or gas, saving money for those who waste less or recycle more. Examples from across Europe show that well-designed PAYT schemes can cut household waste by 10% because they provide a direct incentive to householders and therefore save councils money.