Recyling habits Options

[Claude]

This week walking past recycling put out and ready for collection I couldn't help but notice the amount of plastic bottles with lids attached, some dirty, some clean, all intact.

I thought all plastic lids should be disposed of in the black bin, is that right? Also, should we wash & crush bottles, or is that not helpful to the operatives who collect, or any further processing that's carried out?

What are your recycling habits and what should/could we do to make life easier for those involved in the end-to-end recycling journey?

[CBW137Y]

It depends on the local authority/recycling centre. You are supposed to put bottle caps in the black bin in West Berks and indeed squash the bottles, but I'm over the Wiltshire border and can leave the caps on the bottles and include them in the blue bin.

It's not exactly uniform advice across the country, eh?

[motormad]

I have to admit we never squash the bottles, we just stick them in the right box. It's hard enough as it is!!

[Claude]

It's hard enough as it is!!

Ha ha.

That was a joke, wasn't it? I mean, surely nobody can find putting refuse in different containers depending on what type they are, challenging, right?

[GMR]

Ha ha.

That was a joke, wasn't it? I mean, surely nobody can find putting refuse in different containers depending on what type they are, challenging, right?

No, but the council try to make it as challenging as possible. You can't put this in, you can that, but not this. If it is plastic, bottles or paper I put it in the appropriate container; the rest is up to them to sort out. We pay our council charges for them to deal with our rubbish.... but over time the onus has been pushed to us. Next we'll be taking to the tip and paying extra for the privilege.

[biggus_richus]

That was a joke, wasn't it? I mean, surely nobody can find putting refuse in different containers depending on what type they are, challenging, right?

Hardly challenging, but it's a bit of a pain, no? And if Veolia can't make life a bit easier for the consumers, say by giving us a single wheelie bin rather than separate containers (like other contractors do in other boroughs) then I don't see why I should squash or rinse containers.

[GMR]

Hardly challenging, but it's a bit of a pain, no? And if Veolia can't make life a bit easier for the consumers, say by giving us a single wheelie bin rather than separate containers (like other contractors do in other boroughs) then I don't see why I should squash or rinse containers.

I agree, where my mum and dad live you have wheelie bins for such rubbish instead of the crap boxes and sacks.

[CBW137Y]

I've got three different bins and two boxes. There's no room left for my garden!

[Andy Capp]

What are your recycling habits and what should/could we do to make life easier for those involved in the end-to-end recycling journey?

Buy less recyclable packaging!

It took a while for us to understand that plastic = plastic bottle only; after that, cardboard and tins, there's not a lot else for us to recycle. We have little food waste to make it worth while.

[Berkshirelad]

And just what is the purpose of this recycling? I guess, to save the planet or something equally green.

It just seems a bit silly that to collect the recycling, the truck goes along the road twice, using twice as much diesel and giving out twice as much pollution because they operatives only load from one side at a time.

I didn't actually believe when I saw it happen, but have noticed this several times since

[motormad]

No, but the council try to make it as challenging as possible. You can't put this in, you can that, but not this. If it is plastic, bottles or paper I put it in the appropriate container; the rest is up to them to sort out. We pay our council charges for them to deal with our rubbish.... but over time the onus has been pushed to us. Next we'll be taking to the tip and paying extra for the privilege.

That's pretty much it.

We have a black bin, a green bin, and three stupid little basket things which stink and I pretty much refuse to touch them (I leave that to the other people and just do something else instead).
And I'm told we have to be exact in what we put or they will refuse to collect the whole basket at all. Say for example we have a plastic container in the glass basket, they would be able to refuse to collect it.

There are 4 people in our house and it's hard enough not to overflow with rubbish as it is.
We sort things out as best we can but I wouldn't bother taking bottle caps off and putting them separate or something. If they want to make it difficult I will just throw everything in the black bin along with some poo.

[RedDevil]

It was pointed out that rinsing the bottles is more for our benefit than anyone else. If the bottles are rinsed out the sack doesn't stink anywhere near as much as when I'm lugging it down the drive! A fortnights worth of millk bottle dregs is enough to turn anyone's stomach

[GMR]

That's pretty much it.

We have a black bin, a green bin, and three stupid little basket things which stink and I pretty much refuse to touch them (I leave that to the other people and just do something else instead).
And I'm told we have to be exact in what we put or they will refuse to collect the whole basket at all. Say for example we have a plastic container in the glass basket, they would be able to refuse to collect it.

There are 4 people in our house and it's hard enough not to overflow with rubbish as it is.
We sort things out as best we can but I wouldn't bother taking bottle caps off and putting them separate or something. If they want to make it difficult I will just throw everything in the black bin along with some poo.

That little green bin that goes in the house; I chucked it out after a couple of weeks. It stunk the house out. Now, what went into it goes in the rubbish bin. It was a bloody stupid idea. Most people I know threw it out.

[motormad]

That little green bin that goes in the house; I chucked it out after a couple of weeks. It stunk the house out. Now, what went into it goes in the rubbish bin. It was a bloody stupid idea. Most people I know threw it out.

Oh the "food waste" bin. We empty that like, every day and then I think we put the food in the normal bin? I'm not entirely sure where it goes to be honest.

Along with the 3 green baskets. I should rephrase and say they are crates.

[Andy Capp]

Oh the "food waste" bin. We empty that like, every day and then I think we put the food in the normal bin? I'm not entirely sure where it goes to be honest.

The green biodegradable bags are meant to go in the green wheelie bin.

[motormad]

The green biodegradable bags are meant to go in the green wheelie bin.

Maybe that's where they go.
I never go anywhere near them. It makes me throw up.

[Andy Capp]

Maybe that's where they go.
I never go anywhere near them. It makes me throw up.

That happens every time I get near house work!

[GMR]

The green biodegradable bags are meant to go in the green wheelie bin.

I gave those to my daughter. A total waste of time.

[Andy Capp]

I gave those to my daughter. A total waste of time.

I felt the same thing too. They burst on us a couple of times!

[GMR]

I felt the same thing too. They burst on us a couple of times!

Yes, crap bags, rubbish caddy and a stupid idea. How come other authorities can manage better equipment than us?