Goods that are durable, re-usable, longer lasting, rechargeable or refillable are a better option than lower quality or disposable items and they are often more economical because;
- They reduce waste to the landfill resulting in lower costs for trash removal.
- They have a longer life resulting in fewer purchases of new items.
Things to look for:
- Reusable, refillable [e.g. pens, serviceware, napkins, rags, towels]
- Recyclable and/or made from recycled material(s) [recycled paper, plastic, or wood]
Things to avoid:
- Disposable, single use items and individually packaged items where possible.
- Lower quality, less durable, cheaper items that may have to be replaced more often, costing more in the long term.
For more information:
- Consider whether you can obtain a used item as opposed to buying new. Go to the Purchasing Home Page and click on County Surplus under Internal Links.
- Health care is an industry that, for reasons of cleanliness and patient care, traditionally uses a lot of disposable items. Check out Health Care Without Harm at www.noharm.org and read about environmentally responsible healthcare.