Reuse, using a product more than once in its original form, is one of the preferred methods of solid waste management because it prevents materials from becoming part of the waste stream. It is a form of source reduction of waste.

Some products are specifically designed to be reusable while others are commonly reused as a matter of convenience. In the former instance, products such as canvas shopping bags and cloth napkins are meant to be used again and again, unlike their paper cousins. In the latter case, glass and plastic food containers are often reused for numerous household purposes, even though they are intended to be used only as food packaging.

Reuse of products is a basic component of diaper services and home bottled water delivery. Although neither of these services were originally created with waste reduction in mind, they do impact solid waste generation. A cotton...