Category: Reuse

Four in five Scots would welcome a second-hand Christmas gift

A survey backed by Zero Waste Scotland has found that four-fifths of Scots would welcome a pre-loved gift for Christmas, but 65 per cent of those surveyed said they wouldn’t consider buying a second-hand gift for a loved one. Only one quarter of Scots have ever gifted someone a second-hand item.

Iain Gulland, Chief Executive with Zero Waste Scotland, said:

“People may worry that friends and family won’t be happy with a second-hand gift, but these new figures show the majority of people would actually welcome a pre-loved gift. Now that there are over 80 Revolve certified shops across the country, including high street branches of Sense Scotland and Capability Scotland, it has never been easier to find a place to shop second-hand with confidence.”

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Bradford: Healing wounds with recycled eggshells

Researchers based at Bradford Royal Infirmary are currently developing a wound dressing which utilises the thin, fibrous membrane found inside hen’s eggshells.

The researchers are from NIHR WoundTec HTC at the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR), and are working in unison with a Norwegian company, Biovotecat, at the BRI site.

What are the benefits?

This groundbreaking research could be set to save the NHS millions of pounds, as wound management currently costs the NHS an eye-watering £5 billion per year. With 2.2 million wounds to tend per year, it is clear to see that the current cost of wound management is high. So, the eggshells cost less to buy than traditional wound dressings, but also the healing and anti-inflammatory properties of the eggshell membranes mean that wounds will heal faster and so treatment time will be significantly shorter too.

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How to replace your household disposables

You may not even realise it, but the chances are your home is full of disposable items that you use (and bin) on a daily basis. These things add up quickly, and create a huge impact on landfill, when they could be avoided altogether. So, what are these items, and how can you live without them? We have done the research for you, so have a read and see what changes you could make in your household.

Kitchen paper

Image credit: master1305

Also known as kitchen roll or kitchen towel, this ‘throwaway’ stuff is used in abundance in most households in the UK. According to research, households worldwide get through 6.5 million tonnes of kitchen paper annually. Whilst some will be composted or recycled, the majority will end up on landfill.

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