to hope for a donation?

To be scrupulous, I think you raised the question of landfill in the UK yesterday and earlier today, Gj. Subsequent comments related to that and the widespread and varied provision of recycling/free cycling etc all,over the UK.

to be fair, this thread is about charity shops -
and I made a comment re throwing away instead of giving goods no longer wanted, furniture, household goods, curtains, clothes, computers, etc- and not general recycling. My comment was simpy that giving is better than throwing - here, there or anywhere.

Different areas vary enormously in their recycling provision, so it is really impossible to generalise.
A sophisticated recycling scheme has been running in MK for some years. Separate weekly collections for glass in blue crates, paper/plastics/fabrics/lightweight metals in pink plastic sacks, garden and food waste in a green wheely bin (which goes to an anaerobic digester) and general waste in black bags. We were issued with grey lidded "caddies" for food waste to use indoors on a daily basis before taking it out to the wheely bin so there are no nasty smells in the house. I think the MK scheme was one of the first of its kind to collect everything on a weekly basis. Other areas may be fortnightly or alternate bio waste with general household waste.
Judging by the ratio of each type of recycling put out each week, households around here are very diligent and I know we are appreciative of a weekly collection system.
I recently went round the recycling plant and it was an eye-opener.

How can this comment be out-dated or over-generalised:

Better than being wasted and ending up in landfill...pray tell?

The ESA website shows the very complex process of waste disposal in the UK. I can vouch for the fact that recycling is on the increase and the types of material that can be recycled are also increasing. This site clarifies the materials that we, in Cheshire are able to put in our recycling bins. As a result, there is usually very little in my black (non-recyclable) bin. I hope this makes it very clear to you, gj that perhaps your notions of the situation in UK are somewhat out of date or,at best, over-generalised.

Meanwhile, in my area, general waste bin collection is being reduced from fortnightly to three weekly - with trials of four-weekly collections to be started in some areas.

That's OK for one or two-person households, but I do feel for families with three or four children over 5 (you're allowed an extra bin under that age!). OK, so recycling refuse will be collected weekly, but there's a limit on how much of your waste you can put in those bins, and for people with no transport the local tip is out of the question!

Just so the Council can meet EU 'targets'...

Here are the UK Government statistics Gj
www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/487916/UK_Statistics_on_Waste_statistical_notice_15_12_2015_update_f2.pdf

As you will see, the UK meets all the EU standards except for recycling of household waste, but is on target to recycle 50% by 2020, which will meet EU requirements.

The UK comfortably met (and exceeded) the target for reduction of Biodegradable Municipal Waste (BMW) sent to landfill in 2013 and continues to do so.

In 2013, 72.7 per cent of UK packaging waste was either recycled or recovered. The 2013 EU target was for the UK to recycle or recover at least 60 per cent of packaging waste.

The recovery rate from non-hazardous construction and demolition waste in the UK in 2012 was 86.5 per cent. There is an EU target for the UK to recover at least 70 per cent of this type of waste by 2020.

The UK generated 200.0 million tonnes of total waste in 2012. Half of this (50 per cent) was generated by Construction. Commercial & Industrial activities generated almost a quarter (24 per cent), with households responsible for a further 14 per cent. Almost half (50.0 per cent) of the 186.2 million tonnes of total waste that entered final treatment in the UK in 2012 was recovered. The proportion that went to landfill was 26.1 per cent.

So whilst it is generally accepted that Switzerland is a leader in terms of waste management, the UK is not doing too badly either.

All the stuff that used to go to landfill is now burnt to help create electricity in the local area (I'm in the UK).

I don't believe very much in our area goes to landfill. Home refuse is segregated into food, metal, glass, paper, materials, plastic, garden waste, we only get a very small bag of other waste. Each of theses is collected separately (do not go in same truck). Garden waste is composted and you can buy it back - had 5 ton last year.
At our local tip, again everything is segregated, even more so than domestic rubbish.
Landfill is very expensive for councils, they do not use it unless there is no choice.
They Blaby tip has similar segregation.
Most of this has come in over the last few years as landfill has become a dirty word (word play there)

Do seem to remember though that you resented me commenting about racism in Southern USA too.

oh dear- best not to respond sometimes, so I won't- apart from saying that landfill is a huge problem in the UK- but not in some countries, like mine for instance. Fact.

I rarely go to tips GJ because I don't throw stuff away, so can't comment on what is actually there or what happens to it.

Re your sweeping statements etc - I was referring to your overall input into Gransnet, not just this thread.
It seems to me that you never miss an opportunity to denigrate the UK population, whether it's misuse of the NHS, failure to take a shower before using a swimming pool, and now dumping everything in landfill instead of recycling.

Washing machines and computers do not seem to end up in landfill where I live, all electrics and metal are kept separate and dismantled for scrap. it is not hard to recycle or give away stuff. When we extended and refurbished our house 100% of the household goods were given away to new homes :- washer, fridge freezer, microwave, oven and hob. The double glazed windows were taken away and rebuilt into greenhouses and the doors, in good condition, were used to renovate a pensioners property. All extra crockery, vases and ornaments were given to the local community shop as were about 100 CDs.

Goodwill is goodwill. If a charity is involved a donation is appropriate and kind.

just re-read my posts- just in case- and no, can't find anything sweeping or patronising at all- so no apologies required. Pheew.

sorry jane, out of the country, but back every 3 months- with family and friends here, and property too- so we are generally very 'au fait' with what goes on.
But yes although we used Freecycle to give a lot of stuff away- I had personally not come across any 'free bric-à-brac' here- and was very pleased to hear it does happen now- great.

Sweeping statements? Tell me then, where does the stuff thrown away end up in the UK- if not in landfill? We regularly drop stuff at the Council refuse disposal facility near us here in the UK- and the amount of nearly new stuff in the dumpsters, TVs, computers, beds, furniture, washing machines, hoovers- most of them in good condition- is staggering- and yes, most ends up in landfill.
Fact it seems. If you have relevant info to counter this, fire away, please.

Where we live it would be crushed and burnt with all the other refuse, and provide energy for whole villages- NO landfill.

I was in a charity shop and spotted what I thought was a Clarice Cliff piece. I told the staff (who took it off the shelf so their expert could check) and didn't buy it.

Perhaps if you've been out of the UK for seven years gj it's time to stop making those sweeping generalisations and patronising comments.
Like the one about people on the UK wasting things and putting everything into landfill.

great to hear- been out of UK for 7 years- and its a recent thing where I live now too.

Many charity shops especially the larger branches have experts who appraise the
Antique items, local auction room assessors will often value rare items for free.

Yes, our Transition group organise that sort of thing here too - I got some very nice FP toys for the DGC from one of the 'free fairs' and we have sent stuff too.

They have been holding them for a number of years.

We have a version of that where I live granjura - people are forever putting stuff out on the pavement with a note on it "Please take me". (I live in a cul-de-sac).

I picked up a great office chair recently.

oh yes, we gave tons of stuff to freecycle when we moved- I had no problem with stuff being sold on- better than throwing away. But we also gave lots of stuff that I do believe was used for the FC collector-including 2 primary schools, and 1 unemployed lady who needed a trailor and tools to start a gardening round.

What I am talking about is 'bric-à-brac type fairs' where everything is free. Never come across this in the UK before.

Typing together jane

We have that here it is called free cycle. Sadly it is open to abuse as people take it and then sell it on. It is quite a business.