Over one million tonnes of waste sent to New Zealand landfills each year is generated by the household sector – that’s an average of 260 kg per person. Of this waste around 54 kilograms is made up of residential waste.
Residential waste is waste which isn’t collected by regular council domestic waste collection. It is usually transported to a dump using a car or trailer, or by a commercial waste operator in a skip and includes items such as furniture and clothing.
Many valuable resources go into producing consumer goods. You can cut down the waste that ends up in our landfills by buying second hand goods, taking good quality items you no longer want to second hand shops or selling them yourself. You can also save or make some money in the process.
It can take some time and effort to find good second-hand alternatives to new products, but it can be a rewarding process, who knows - that cutlery set or dining room suite you’ve always wanted could be waiting at your local second hand shop for you to discover! Those purple leg warmers from the 80s could be someone’s dream come true. As the saying goes – “somebody‘s trash is another person‘s treasure”.
If you really would rather buy your items brand new, made sure they are durable and built to last. If they break – see if you can get them repaired by an appropriate repair service.
When buying appliances it’s best to buy new energy efficient appliances if you can afford it. This is because you’ll make ongoing savings on your power bill in the long run.
If you do need or choose to purchase second hand, then first of all think about the running costs. Improvements in appliance energy efficiency standards over the last decade or so mean that newer appliances cost a lot less to run. For example, a fridge that is 10 years old could cost you several hundred dollars a year to run, while a new fridge/freezer will cost you around $100 a year.
If you're looking at second hand fridges, make sure they've been well serviced. Fridges that have bad door seals, have lost some refrigerant gas or have very old motors will still appear to be working, but will have to work a lot harder to maintain cold temperatures inside. This could double or triple the cost of using that fridge.
Second hand washing machines are okay if you wash in cold water.
If you're buying a second hand computer, make sure you activate the power management options.
See EECA’s ENERGYWISETM website which shows you how to calculate appliance running costs.
Be aware that when it comes to second hand goods your rights may be different than if you were buying the goods brand new. To find out more about your rights and the obligations of second-hand dealers, auctioneers, and private sellers, check out the Ministry of Consumer Affairs website.
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