Recycle and Reuse Programs

Reusing items, by repairing them, donating them to charity or community groups, or selling them, not only reduces waste but reduces their need to be reprocessed before they can be used again. One such program that utilizes re-use and is increasingly popular is "free-cycling." With this technique, individuals post notices on free-cycling internet sites, offering to give people opportunities to reuse materials that would otherwise be slated for disposal.

Advantages

Reuse programs provide the following benefits:

Limitations

The following issues need to be considered when developing a reuse program:

Examples

There are many existing reuse/free-cycling programs in the Chester County region. Individuals interested in participating in these programs, or those interested in establishing their own reuse programs, can to the following websites:

Related References

Act 247, the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code (MPC) permits municipalities to address energy conservation as part of a comprehensive plan. Section 301.1 of the MPC states that a municipal comprehensive plan may include an energy conservation plan element, which systematically analyzes the impact of each component and element of the comprehensive plan on the present and future use of energy. Reuse and recycling can represent an important part of an energy conservation plan.

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