CONCEPT OF 5Rs

Refuse:
 Refuse to buy or accept products that can harm you, your company and the
environment.
 Refuse chemical solvents and use alternatives that are water based.
 Refuse to receive materials from your supplies with unnecessary packaging that
you will later have to pay for to dispose.
Reduce:
 Reduce the energy use and stick to the basic requirements.
 Limit the requirements to minimum to reduce the use of resources.
 Control the use of non-renewable natural resources.
Reuse:
 Slowly replace any single use items with reusable ones – like reusable water
bottles and mugs.
 Reuse packaging material (pallets, drums, bubble wrap or packaging peanuts).
 Reuse shipping containers (boxes, inserts, cartons).
 Reuse printer cartridges and have them refilled.
Repurpose:
 Repurpose is the process of taking something and using it for a separate purpose.
 Repurpose metal cans, buckets for creative plant containers.
 Repurpose wood crates into benches or shelves.
 Repurpose material shavings to help clean up spills.
 Repurpose HVAC condensate as a source for distilled water.
Recycle:
 All the materials that can be subjected to a chemical process to recycle them
should be used as they can be recycled back to the new form again.
 Recycle all the basics you can – paper, plastic, metal and glass.
 Recycle food wastes into compost or as a food for a local farm.
 Recycle all fabrics including ripped clothes.
 Recycle all electronics if possible.