The 8R’s all started with a few basic rules as to how we could address the issue of needlessly throwing stuff away…
Firstly there were the 3Rs…
Before throwing anything away – whether the product or its packaging – check out whether you can:
Reuse it in its present form? (e.g. refilling a water bottle with water)
Reform it and use it for some other purpose? (e.g. use a yoghurt pot to grow seedlings in)
Recycle it so that the raw materials can be used in the manufacturing process again
The three above were the first ones documented, before two additional ones specifically aimed at manufacturers were added…
…which then became the 5Rs
Refuse – in other words try and avoid purchasing environmentally burdensome materials
Reduce the amount of waste material generated in the manufacturing process.
However, we believe there is even more scope for adopting sustainable practice, and we think this should be:
…extended to at least 8Rs
Repair – if an item is broken, can-it-be-repaired first before buying another one; or even improved by modification or upgrading (often known as upcycling)
Reassign – if you can’t reuse an item, find someone else who could use it
Recover – if a manufacturer uses excessive packaging, shouldn’t they recover it and recycle it themselves!
And please do let us know if you can think of any more to add to this model.