When it comes to solid waste management the 3R’s can be defined as such:
Reduce
Reduce is to prevent or reduce waste generation at the source by buying fewer or longer lasting products [waste prevention] or by promoting recycling or composting [waste reduction]. One example of waste prevention is to reduce the amount of plastic packaging by using used paper instead, simplifying package, or not using plastic bags (use your own bag!).
For island countries like Fiji, where manufacturing industries are not developed much and there are not many final users of recyclables, waste prevention is one of the most critical issues.
Reuse:
Reuse is to extend the life cycle of an item by using it again (glass and pet bottles) or in another way. By using our imaginations there are many things we can reuse or find new uses for such as plastic containers, cardboard boxes or jars for storage.
Donation of unused items, participation in flea markets and net auctions are popular ways of reuse recently.
Recycling:
Recycling involves the process of collecting used materials that are usually considered as ‘waste’ and reprocessing them. The collected materials are used as raw materials in order to produce new products.