Is recycling worthwhile?

[french frank]

We were all given a booklet explaining what we could and couldn't put into each of the boxes. I have to consult it each week. But if anything is wrong, the men just leave it behind in the box.

[Dave2002]

We were all given a booklet explaining what we could and couldn't put into each of the boxes. I have to consult it each week. But if anything is wrong, the men just leave it behind in the box.

But even if the men do "save" you if you make a "mistake", do you have any idea what happens to the stuff afterwards? In some areas they use automatic sorting systems - which I think can be quite effective, while in others they may use some manual sorting. It's possible that neighbouring areas, or even adjacent recycling depots in the same region may use different methods, which makes things complicated/unpredictable.

I'm not sure that glass milk bottles, and reusing those, is actually such a great idea. One problem we found was that the milk didn't arrive until after breakfast, and then if the bottles got left out all day, the milk went off anyway. Sometimes various birds tapped the tops off, so eventually we gave up and now buy large plastic containers from cheap supermarkets.

[french frank]

But even if the men do "save" you if you make a "mistake", do you have any idea what happens to the stuff afterwards? In some areas they use automatic sorting systems - which I think can be quite effective, while in others they may use some manual sorting.

They must have some automatic sorting here, because the reason they don't take black plastic is because, they say: "our machines can’t sort black plastic".

I only have soya milk in a TetraPak® so need for milk bottles.

This is what happens to our "stuff":

https://www.bristol.gov.uk/bins-recycling/where-your-recycling-goes

[Serial_Apologist]

I'm not sure that glass milk bottles, and reusing those, is actually such a great idea. One problem we found was that the milk didn't arrive until after breakfast, and then if the bottles got left out all day, the milk went off anyway. Sometimes various birds tapped the tops off, so eventually we gave up and now buy large plastic containers from cheap supermarkets.

Are you saying that glass milk bottles may not be adequately de-contaminated prior to re-use? Because milk delivered to the doorstep will go off in any case if left all day, regardless of what sort of container.

BTW those plastic cartons milk from supermarkets comes in are recyclable in our borough (Southwark) - as are plastic butter, margarine and other spread cartons, as well, it seems, as transparent plastic bottles once containing bottled water or lemonade, etc. I'm never sure about the plastic stoppers, and dispense with those for landfill.

[Old Grumpy]

I'm not sure that glass milk bottles, and reusing those, is actually such a great idea. One problem we found was that the milk didn't arrive until after breakfast, and then if the bottles got left out all day, the milk went off anyway. Sometimes various birds tapped the tops off, so eventually we gave up and now buy large plastic containers from cheap supermarkets.

Our milk gets delivered approx 2am, so is warm at breakfast time on humid summer nights, but otherwise generally OK. I would have thought one who is right-on enough to recycle, would also by milk from expensive supermarkets, so the farmer gets a decent price!

OG

[jean]

...one who is right-on enough to recycle...

If you read between the lines, you may come to the conclusion that he is looking for excuses not to.

[Dave2002]

This is what happens to our "stuff":

https://www.bristol.gov.uk/bins-recy...recycling-goes

Bristol does seem to at least be trying quite hard. The residual material would seem to be about 0.12 tonnes/person (54,000 over 450,000 approx). That's moderately impressive.

Not only is the treatment seemingly comprehensive, but the explanation is clear and hopefully accurate. Other areas obfuscate over what they do with all the waste material.

[Dave2002]

If you read between the lines, you may come to the conclusion that he is looking for excuses not to.

Sorry - no. I try to recycle almost everything, if indeed I throw stuff away. However, I do know of people who have experienced a form of recycling fatigue, who now just bung everything into the "black" bin. This seems a great shame.

In small living spaces in some large cities there may, for many people, be little real sensible alternative.

[VodkaDilc]

Our milk gets delivered approx 2am, so is warm at breakfast time on humid summer nights,
OG

You must be a better sleeper than I am. My milk comes at a similar time. On hot nights I am usually awake (numerous times) and often get the milk into the fridge before morning. Incidentally, in thirty years at this address, including frequent days of deep snow, I have never known the milkman miss a delivery. It is encouraging to see that he now calls at most houses in the road. This is a service which was said to be in terminal decline decades ago. It's certainly flourishing here.

[Dave2002]

It might be worth considering Freecycle, though I am finding this a bit hit and miss. We have had had some good stuff, and also off loaded a modicum of unwanted things.

However, waiting for people to come and take stuff away is sometimes sufficiently mind dumbing as to make one consider an "easier" way - just taking stuff to the dump! Hardly an environmentally friendly approach, but there it is.

https://www.freecycle.org

[oddoneout]

It might be worth considering Freecycle, though I am finding this a bit hit and miss. We have had had some good stuff, and also off loaded a modicum of unwanted things.

However, waiting for people to come and take stuff away is sometimes sufficiently mind dumbing as to make one consider an "easier" way - just taking stuff to the dump! Hardly an environmentally friendly approach, but there it is.

www.freecycle.org

Leaving things by the front gate or equivalent with a note saying 'Free, please take away' can be quite effective.I believe in some countries towns have designated days for people to put things out on the pavement for others to browse and pick up. Dumps with clued up management should have re-use shops to reduce waste to landfill. Our purpose-built facility in town sadly does not have adequately trained staff, so perfectly usable items go to landfill or are crushed for some form of recycling/use. To add insult to injury the public is not allowed to give items to others who express an interest once they've come on site - dog in the manger or what, and then they keep guilt tripping the council tax payers about how much landfill costs the council....

[jean]

To add insult to injury the public is not allowed to give items to others who express an interest once they've come on site

That's probably because once they're on council property, the council would be responsible if they turned out to have been impregnated with deadly poison or something.

For similar reasons, chartity shops aren't allowed to sell electrical equipment.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

For similar reasons, chartity shops aren't allowed to sell electrical equipment.

Somebody hasn't mentioned this to the Sue Ryder shop in Lytham St Anne's.

[Old Grumpy]

Somebody hasn't mentioned this to the Sue Ryder shop in Lytham St Anne's.

Items we can't accept

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Items we can't accept

Ah! It was a table lamp with a safety check sticker next to the £4.99 price tag - glowing comfortably next to me as I type! I don't believe that there's the slightest danger of