How can we get rid of plastic waste?

Of course it is not our fault - and yet- if we refused to buy things in plastic and ask to see manager for fruit and veg, etc, everytime to make the point (I know it takes time... ) - then the message would percolate very quickly to the sellers.

There is not 'good' way to dispose of it - unless it is PET which has not contained oils, vinegar or cleaning products (so very little), which can be relatively simply recycled (but still ends up in refuse one day) ... until now, we were given the 'impression' it was being carefully recycled- when it was in fact mostly just sent to China (how ecological is that anyhow- even if it did get recycled).

We can 'just say NO' - and yes, it does take a bit of effort. Most fruit and veg can be bought loose as well as packed - we just need to insist on paper bags, or card trays (packs of apples and other fruit and veg here and in France are sold in card trays- all it needs is for the GVT to make the official request, and for customers to insist- quite simple, really).

Another tactic that was used here to stop plastic or polystirene trays- was for customers to insist on removing package after going to the till and ask for the cashier to dispose of it - mayhem ensued- and they just stopped- So so simple.

It's not our fault that things are sold in plastic, but how we dispose of it is our fault.

It's not our fault everything is sold in plastic! We don't have much choice - it's down to the manufacturers and the supermarkets. Bread used to be sold in grease proof paper ditto butter and margarine. I used it to line cake tins. Glass milk bottles were used over and over. A spoonful of Flash in a bucket of hot water was used to clean the house, now it's all plastic spray bottles - more profit! Why all these plastic bags? Don't people take a shopping bag with them? Why do people need a plastic bottle of liquid soap on the wash basin? Get a bar of soap! Try doing the weekly shop without buying anything in plastic. It's virtually impossible.

Should have said that the petition is specifically about plastic and teabags!
PG tips seem to be particularly guilty.

I did read Meg's link and was already aware of the efforts of the Scottish government to push the deposit scheme.
If interested, go to the 38 degrees website and sign the latest petition.

I had an organic vegetable box delivered today. The suppliers have gone over to reusable and returnable cardboard boxes, so that's another bit of plastic knocked on the head!

Yes, it is interesting! A family member lives in a town that's trying to go entirely plastic-free for a week and the link was from there.

That is really helpful, places which I never knew about. taking items for recycling

Thanks SueDonim, very useful

I saw a link yesterday which tells you which plastics can be recycled in supermarket carrier bag recycle points. Things like the bags bread comes in, veg bags from supermarkets, the outlets from loo and kitchen roll and bubble wrap. I had no idea!

Obviously it's better not to get the plastic waste in the first place but better to recycle than put it to landfill.

www.recyclenow.com/what-to-do-with/plastic-film

https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/201801/medium-329571-wp-20180131-17-18-01-pro.jpg https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/201801/medium-362965-wp-20180131-17-18-57-pro.jpg https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/201801/medium-737716-wp-20180131-17-20-39-pro.jpg

I said I would report on the cotton mesh bags I ordered, which arrived today. Denser than my homemade one, so not as easy for checkout to identify contents. Largest is about the same size. It says cold wash only, but I have given them a hand-wash in warm water and dried them on the radiator, and they haven't disintegrated - I think it is the usual back-protecting, surely cotton can stand hot water? Sizes - 14 in. x 18 in, 12 in. x 15 in. 10 in. x 12 in. and they have their own muslin storage bag, which would make a fourth veg bag.
Photos - 6 onions in my homemade cotton fabric and polyester dress-net bag, same onions more obscured in the largest of the bought cotton bags, three bought bags with storage bag.

I always reuse my fruit and veg bags, I think they last me about three months before they disintegrate. I stuff them back into my shopping bag as soon as I unpack at home.

What shocked me yesterday was reading that there is plastic in tea bags. I went back to using loose tea a few months ago but never realised about the plastic.

Yes, it is up to us. However many laws are passed on the subject, it is the customers who accept the plastic bags for their vegetables and throw them into landfill, who unwrap layers of cardboard and plastic on everything they buy, who eat their takeaway in the street and leave the plate and the box lying on the pavement, who throw their drinks can and their water bottle out of the car window.

I'm going to look for those net washing bags in Wilkos or the pound shop

OldMeg It was a great link & I think it's an excellent idea to charge a deposit for plastic bottles.
I'm making some bags to take to the supermarket for fruit & veg. Had a sort through the linen cupboard and found a couple of old cotton pillowcases. Time to blow the dust off the sewing machine and get crafting!

Thank you Elegran and Jalima ???

There are so many vested interests in plastics and packaging- the only wy forward if FOR US, the customers- to say NO in a determined and massive way- and get the message across, that WE the buyers do NOT WANT PLASTIC in our everyday life- and olluting our grandchildrens' world.
WE can do it.

That's a very good idea OldMeg
I think I posted on another thread that I watched a food programme about the Ribena/Lucozade etc factory which imports plastic chips made from recycled bottles and then they make their own bottles at the factory in Gloucestershire.

I did, Oldmeg! but I must admit that it was after reading your post of 16:29:39. I meant to read it first time round but I was diverted into reading something else. What a good scheme. If that had been set up while we were still accustomed to returning empty glass milk bottles everyone would have accepted it without a fuss. Introducing it now would take more effort, but it would be worth it.

Did anyone bother to follow that link? No? Thought not. Talk amongst yourself.

#wandersoffinhuff

If you are recycling existing net curtains, it doesn't matter if they are not cotton, in fact you are doing just the right thing, recycling and re-using them so that they do not need to go to landfill.

I have netting produce bags made from recycled plastic bottles. They last forever.

If you want cotton you could crochet your own!

Our council has got its act together in recent years and we can recycle almost everything now, inc all plastics marked as recyclable. We don't have much in the way of landfill rubbish nowadays.

The net curtains on the net, and the fabric for making your own, is all polyester these days. I know that is so because I looked. You can get fancy cotton fabrics and curtains that cost an arm and a leg, but not simple cotton mesh.

but I haven't got any old net curtains

Germs, germs everywhere