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Science/nature/environment

recycling again

(33 Posts)
Fennel Sun 24-Jun-18 19:23:19

We're now living in a NE town where you can put your empty bottles and jars in the recycling bin.
I was horrified at first because a few weeks ago we were staying in a place where you had to use a bottle bank.
And you had a special little bucket for food waste.
Does anyone understand the reasoning?

jenpax Sun 24-Jun-18 19:26:42

Sorry I am being a bit dim??‍♀️ you miced from somewhere you had to put bottles in a bottle bank to somewhere you put them in a recycling bin instead? What’s the issue as surely it’s just a different way of recycling?

jenpax Sun 24-Jun-18 19:27:54

Sorry moved not miced!!

tanith Sun 24-Jun-18 19:42:13

I’m also confused

DanniRae Sun 24-Jun-18 19:56:38

Me too hmm

Jalima1108 Sun 24-Jun-18 20:13:20

I used to like going to the bottle bank but now we have a recycling bin!

www.bing.com/videos/search?q=i+love+the+sound+of+breaking+glass&view=detail&mid=DBBC436DB488D5497DE5DBBC436DB488D5497DE5&FORM=VIRE

Fennel Sun 24-Jun-18 21:22:14

I just don't understand the principles of recycling.
As I've said before, in the last 5 months we've lived in 5 different places and each has different recycling rules.
3, 4 or 5 containers. Collections weekly fortnightly or 3 weekly. Cartons etc in one bin or must go to the tip. Bottles etc as above.
And as to garden rubbish - if only we were allowed to burn it as in France.
Why aren't there any general rules?

OldMeg Sun 24-Jun-18 21:58:01

What’s not to understand? Each local authority is different. All you have to do is ask for their local leaflet on recycling and by the time you’ve figured it out you’ll be on the move again.

But in the plus side you’ll have a grear collection of recycling leaflets.

hildajenniJ Sun 24-Jun-18 22:16:14

We live in Northumberland. I cannot put jars and bottles into my recycling bin. I have to use the bottle/glass bin in the car park at Sainsbury's. The only things that go into our recycling bin are, paper, cardboard, cans and plastic bottles.
When DD lived in Argyll she could put plastic of all sorts in her bin, even cling film. She also had a little food waste bin and was supplied with the bags to put in it. Some authorities are much better than others. I suppose it has to do with how close the recycling processing plants are.

Jalima1108 Sun 24-Jun-18 22:34:01

Why aren't there any general rules?
That is a question that DH and I have asked many times Fennel.
I can understand different countries having different arrangements - but every area, every council in the UK seems to differ from each other!

And as to garden rubbish - if only we were allowed to burn it as in France. Ooh er - sharp intake of breath shock

What we need is 'Joined-Up Recycling'.

Jalima1108 Sun 24-Jun-18 22:35:00

But in the plus side you’ll have a grear collection of recycling leaflets.
No, they'll have gone into the recycling the day after grin

grannyticktock Sun 24-Jun-18 22:54:38

Why should there be general rules? You only live in one place at a time, so the only rules you need to consider are the relevant ones for that area.

Different areas have different budgets and priorities; also, what local authorities will accept and how they deal with it are dictated by local facilities and conditions. They pass the materials (e.g. paper) on to a processor, but not all contractors work in the same way - some will accept cardboard or shredded paper, some won't. Local geography also makes a difference to the feasibility of collecting everything from the kerbside. Some authorities decide to make a charge for taking garden waste, others don't - it's up to each council to decide their priorities, just as they do for car parking or library provision.

It would be really silly to impose one scheme on the whole country. What works well in London may not suit rural Cornwall or the Outer Hebrides.

Jalima1108 Sun 24-Jun-18 22:58:49

But wouldn't it be better to use the same type of bags/bins/boxes?
Our CC has changed the bags used for garden waste - so what happens to the polypropylene bags we used previously? Hundreds, if not thousands, of redundant bags. They changed from plastic boxes for recycling to plastic bags.

Plastic, plastic, plastic - to recycle plastic.

Bonkers.

SueDonim Sun 24-Jun-18 23:01:25

Hildajenni, I think you're right. Where I live is a long way from recycling centres for certain materials and the cost, both financially and environmentally, of transporting them outweighs the benefits. Things have improved in recent years though.

We have to recycle glass ourselves but I quite enjoy that, it's rather satisfying. grin

janeainsworth Mon 25-Jun-18 08:38:58

I’m in Northumberland too and my only gripe is that they don’t recycle much plastic. I’d be very happy to wash out yoghurt containers, plastic food trays etc but the only plastic we can put it in the recycling bin is plastic bottles.
I’ve just heard an item on the news expressing shock and horror that 172 local authorities charge to remove garden waste, rather than funding it from council tax.
Northumberland is one of them and I’m more than happy to pay £26 a year to have my garden waste taken away. I don’t see why people who are lucky enough to have a big garden should be subsidised by those who don’t, and it saves me time and money in that I don’t have to take it to the tip myself.
Northumberland actually recycles its garden waste and sells the compost, creating a revenue stream for the council.

Fennel Mon 25-Jun-18 08:57:48

I'm going to the council offices this morning to ask for leaflets, plus a few questions. There's quite a bit about it online, in alphabetical order, but I don't want to have to go online every time I throw something away.
Good replies, it's a bit clearer for me now.

Liz46 Mon 25-Jun-18 09:04:50

I'm ok with our recycling but when I go to look after my grandchildren (about 40 miles away), I am totally confused by the system there. Maybe I should google the recycling in that area because my daughter never stands still long enough to explain it to me so I just leave all the rubbish piled in a corner for her to sort when she has a minute. All I know is that food waste goes into a disgusting little bag to be collected separately.

Izabella Mon 25-Jun-18 09:23:06

I am confused regarding the food waste. We compost all peelings and trimmings. What other sort is there (genuine question)

HAZBEEN Mon 25-Jun-18 09:43:09

We have communal bins. Dark green general rubbish, light green recycle such as papers, cardboard, glass, plastics including bottles, then a smaller blue one for food waste. Any small electricals like toasters leave beside the bins on recycle days, same with clothes bag in open plastic bag and leave by bin. The problem comes when one tenant puts a plastic carrier in the recycling bin (not allowed) and the men leave the bin with a big yellow sticker on!
By the way Izabella the food waste is things like scrapings off the plates, peelings, eggshells etc in other words anything that can rot down for compost.

janeainsworth Mon 25-Jun-18 09:45:55

I agree Izabella
I compost all uncooked vegetable matter and apart from the odd crust of bread or bit of cheese that I’ve forgotten about, there isn’t any waste.

grannyticktock Mon 25-Jun-18 10:36:31

Same here, I don't really recognise the concept of "food waste" except for kitchen waste which goes in the compost. Scraps of meat fat, burnt toast etc go out for the birds. Almost everything else gets eaten. The only non-compostable waste is meat bones.

Fennel Mon 25-Jun-18 12:06:49

Food waste - when we had hens we gave them most of it, even veg. and fruit peelings etc. We also had a compost bin then. Maybe I should get one now.
Sometimes I have 'wet' food remains, such as veg from casseroles, things that have gone 'off' a bit. I put them down the toilet, as my Mum used to do.
Long story from the Council, but the lady was very helpful. I need at least 3 bins in the kitchen.

Izabella Mon 25-Jun-18 14:14:00

Good to know there is little if any waste. I use casserole "juice" that is left over as the basis for soups which I then freeze or even freeze it into ice cube trays as stock.

Maggiemaybe Mon 25-Jun-18 20:23:42

There’s a fair bit of waste for our food recycling bin if the grandsons are visiting. Apart from the one we call the human dustbin. smile

I find the food waste bin very useful. All our compostables are composted, but bones, fruit stones, fish heads and skin, shells, teabags etc go in the food waste. And the odd bit of processed or cooked food that goes mouldy or so far out of date even we won’t use it.

varian Mon 25-Jun-18 20:35:06

Our LA was one of the leaders in recycling. We separate organic waste/ tin or metal, paper/ glass/ cardboard/ plastic bottles (but not tops).

This has been going on for years but most of our general rubbish is plastic supermarket packaging which for some reason I can't understand cannot be recycled locally.'