Forum Topic

Plastic recycling

Does anyone know where we can recycle soft plastic packaging (other than carrier bags) which cannot legitimately be placed in our recycling bins? The new rules seem to be stricter than they were in relation to the permitted categories.

Moira Black ● 3427d7 Comments

Co-mingled waste recycler, Viridor's boss speaks.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BVSUOXsN7bs

Aubrey Houseman ● 3421d

There is the threat of a fine.  Methods of measurement can always be questioned.  Statistics the same.It is important that people question and don't just accept all the packaging that they buy.  The less that you buy the less you have you dispose of and that makes it easier.  It is much more satisfying to make less waste and to be more adventurous and creative in cooking and in other areas of life than to just mindlessly buy and throw away.I find it particularly worrying that people seem to be unable to repurpose nowadays - and feel that something needs to be marketed for a particular purpose before they can use it.

Philippa Bond ● 3423d

Thanks for the Viridor link, Philippa.  And does Ealing Council get fined for the waste that can't be recycled by Viridor?  My hunch remains that the predictable council alleged 'improved recycling figures', as a result of wheelie bin use, will 'look' good, whilst a significant percentage of waste taken to Viridor will go to landfill.

Aubrey Houseman ● 3425d

https://www.ealing.gov.uk/news/article/1476/ealing_council_appoints_viridor_to_mixed_recycling_contractThere are people sorting this as well as machinery.  You are still asked to rinse out cans and jars and allow them to dry first - just as before when it was sorted kerbside - but some antisocial and lazy people didn't even when the sorting was in plain view.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8DAk8m7sVM4Plastic film can clog up the sorting machinery stopping it from running and also can be accidentally baled with the paper making it unmarketable.

Philippa Bond ● 3426d

Many thanks - very helpful. In brief, recycle stretchy plastic with plastic carrier bags but crinkly plastic cannot currently be recycled.

Moira Black ● 3426d

Probably best not to get too hung up about the type of plastics that gets put in the blue wheelie bin (or any other type of waste, come to that).  Our illustrious council leaders tell us that all the co-mingled recyclable waste gets sorted in a facility in south London anyway.  And if you believe that, you'll believe anything.

Aubrey Houseman ● 3427d

http://www.therubbishdiet.org.uk/recycle-your-plastic-bags-and-packaging/http://www.recyclenow.com/what-to-do-with/plastic-film

Philippa Bond ● 3427d