Traditional forms of reuse include salvaging automobile
parts from older cars in junkyards and recovering
materials from old houses and buildings. By 2015,
the European Union will require that 95% of any discarded
car must be reused or recycled. Other reuse
strategies involve yard sales, flea markets, second hand
stores, traditional and online auctions, classified newspaper
ads, and online sites such as e-Bay and Craigslist.
An international website at www.freecycle.org links
people who want to give away household belongings
free to people in their area who want or need them.
Technology allows reuse of many items such as
batteries. The latest rechargeable batteries come fully
charged, can hold a charge for up to 2 years when they
are not used, can be recharged in as few as 15 minutes,
and greatly reduce toxic waste when used in place of
discarded conventional batteries. They cost more than
conventional batteries but the extra cost is recovered
quickly, because replacement batteries do not have to
be purchased as often.