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When I asked about getting plastic bottles (juice, milk etc) recycled in Caithness the council informed me that the Highland Council don't provide the facility because "it costs too much"! I also wanted to get my cardboard recycled and, rather than directing me to go to my recycling centre (which was what I was asking about) the woman sorted out for it to be picked up by the regular rubbish collection. Whilst I appreciated having it taken from my door, I am frustrated that there are no kerbside collections for cardboard :( (now we save all the cardboard packaging up and I take it to the recycling centre myself, along with glass bottles and jars)
Does anyone know if there is any other local council in the UK that does kerbside collections for cardboard and plastic bottles? I've lived all over the place and I'm *sure* I've known it offered somewhere but I can't think where!
I would be quite keen to push our council to review their recycling policy (it would be good to get more recycling points for knackered carrier bags too).... and if there is a precedent it would make it so much easier...
When I asked about getting plastic bottles (juice, milk etc) recycled in Caithness the council informed me that the Highland Council don't provide the facility because "it costs too much"! I also wanted to get my cardboard recycled and, rather than directing me to go to my recycling centre (which was what I was asking about) the woman sorted out for it to be picked up by the regular rubbish collection. Whilst I appreciated having it taken from my door, I am frustrated that there are no kerbside collections for cardboard :( (now we save all the cardboard packaging up and I take it to the recycling centre myself, along with glass bottles and jars)
Does anyone know if there is any other local council in the UK that does kerbside collections for cardboard and plastic bottles? I've lived all over the place and I'm *sure* I've known it offered somewhere but I can't think where!
I would be quite keen to push our council to review their recycling policy (it would be good to get more recycling points for knackered carrier bags too).... and if there is a precedent it would make it so much easier...
Not sure about cardboard (although that is collected separately here in Bettyhill by B.E.A.G.) but I know that my mum in Milton Keynes has four separate containers for her rubbish for bottles, paper, etc etc. Not sure of the exact details mind you.
It's unfortunately that being environmentally friendly is not only more expensive but that there is no real budget or enthusiasm for it. Unfortunate also that there's not much budget for many other things.
I believe recycling targets are measured by weight not by volume. It is easier to meet recycling targets by picking up heavy articles like grass, glass and paper than plastic.
I believe recycling targets are measured by weight not by volume. It is easier to meet recycling targets by picking up heavy articles like grass, glass and paper than plastic.
Interesting point, so it makes me wonder why they don't get their act together on less dense materials like plastics if they want to mitigate the need for landfill.
One thing that I found ridiculous was when I helped out at a newsagents and they were throwing unsold newspapers away (they didn't get collected as there were too few) - I asked why they didn't pop them to the recycle bins. They had phoned the council and asked if it was ok to do this and were told no - the bins weren't for business use and they'd already made their targets!!
We keep our glass, cardboard and other stuff for recycling in the utility room until my hubby thinks we have a carload then takes it to janetstown the newspapers and tins and garden waste are collected I think if all the recycable waste was collected at the door the recycling rates would surely go up which would be a good thing. I have also bought a compost bin and im trying it out for the first time this year for the kitchen waste.
One thing that I found ridiculous was when I helped out at a newsagents and they were throwing unsold newspapers away (they didn't get collected as there were too few) - I asked why they didn't pop them to the recycle bins. They had phoned the council and asked if it was ok to do this and were told no - the bins weren't for business use and they'd already made their targets!!
Crazy! .
When I asked about getting plastic bottles (juice, milk etc) recycled in Caithness the council informed me that the Highland Council don't provide the facility because "it costs too much"! I also wanted to get my cardboard recycled and, rather than directing me to go to my recycling centre (which was what I was asking about) the woman sorted out for it to be picked up by the regular rubbish collection. Whilst I appreciated having it taken from my door, I am frustrated that there are no kerbside collections for cardboard :( (now we save all the cardboard packaging up and I take it to the recycling centre myself, along with glass bottles and jars)
Does anyone know if there is any other local council in the UK that does kerbside collections for cardboard and plastic bottles? I've lived all over the place and I'm *sure* I've known it offered somewhere but I can't think where!
I would be quite keen to push our council to review their recycling policy (it would be good to get more recycling points for knackered carrier bags too).... and if there is a precedent it would make it so much easier...
I had this exact same question and gave it to the recycling officer in Dingwall who says there is NO PLASTIC RECYCLING done in Scotland. The nearest centre is in England. I find this awful as some areas only get uplifts once a fortnight. In some areas Refuse Collectors are being assaulted for not picking up excess rubbish and vermin are beginning to surface in some areas. Whoever is elected today better get their act together over this issue.
I would not push it to much with the council regarding recycling........ we are down to bins empty one a fortnight !!! and recycle waste once a week..... the bins stink after a while, specially in the summer !!! the containers for the recycle waste end up strewn all over the street, on a windy day they end up in balmedie !!
I believe some of the waste is transported to Wales by lorry ! how can that be green, they pick up your waste and dump it in Wales, nor economical !
Skip recycling centres are the biz, got one five minutes away and it is very handy !
I am all for recycling, if it is done sensibly... not just because a council is trying to look green............ but i would like it to start with the companies that produce goods, they should start investing in packaging that can be recycled !
Black bin for non recyclable,Green bin for garden waste,Blue box for bottles & tins,White sack for papers,Blue sack for plastic,Yellow bag for clothes and shoes,Cardboard flattened and tied up left at side of Green bin.
All collected from roadside only problem is remembering which goes out each week as they are collected on alternate weeks.
Recycling up here is really hard work, especially if you don't live in town. I too collect up my paper, glass and cardboard until there's enough to take to the Wick centre, which is great btw and always very helpful. Couldn't do it without a car though. Also have two large compost bins for all the veg. rubbish. But the council offices don't seem to have enough information and it is appalling that there is no plastic recycling given that most milk comes in plastic these days. I was also shocked to hear on the radio that carboard juice/milk cartons take 80 years to rot down but what is one to do with them? One man said he used them to re-roof his garage :roll:
Have just been to vote and there are all new ballot boxes so the voting papers go in flat for electronic scanning in Inverness. I remember Jamie Stone bemoaning the end of local counting some time ago - yet more centralisation. And guess what, the new boxes look very flimsy and are made of cardboard and plastic so how long are they going to last and what will happen to them when they finally collapse? Also what did they do with all the old sturdy metal boxes? Then there's the expense and waste of paper/board for all the new instructions and fancy notice boards. And instead of being transported to a local centre, they all have to be taken to Inverness. Are they going by train or road? If the latter, more waste. Was the old system really so bad? After all it worked. But hey, why save taxpayers' money if you can waste it and add to landfill at the same time.
My council collects plastic as part of the 'dry recyclable' wheelie bin contents and has done for some time now.
Cambridgeshire has the highest recycling rate in the UK (at last 'count')
Black bin for non recyclable,Green bin for garden waste,Blue box for bottles & tins,White sack for papers,Blue sack for plastic,Yellow bag for clothes and shoes,Cardboard flattened and tied up left at side of Green bin.
All collected from roadside only problem is remembering which goes out each week as they are collected on alternate weeks.
You are sooooo lucky...I want to live where you live...well maybe!
We have bins collected alternate weeks - one week it is recycling the next is rubbish week.
Recycling bins are
plastic - yes a bag for recycling plastics
bottles
tins
paper - but not envelopes
Carrier bags can be recycled at the supermarket, bin provided, but why not take a bag or two to supermarket for your groceries instead of using plastic carriers.
NickInTheNorth
03-May-07, 15:05
maybe time to setup a caithness plastics recycling scheme?
http://www.recoup.org/business/default.asp
Some very good information on that site :)
NickInTheNorth
03-May-07, 15:10
regarding the "smelly bins" syndrome from 2 weekly collecting. Why? It takes no time at all to rinse out anything that is being thrown away, so that should cut down on the smells.
Disposable nappies? Bad idea, use washables.
Throwing out food? Cook less, buy less, compost more.
Our bins are still collected every week - only ours gets put out for collection every 2 or 3 weeks, whenever it needs it. There is no obvious smell from it.
regarding the "smelly bins" syndrome from 2 weekly collecting. Why? It takes no time at all to rinse out anything that is being thrown away, so that should cut down on the smells.
Disposable nappies? Bad idea, use washables.
Throwing out food? Cook less, buy less, compost more.
Our bins are still collected every week - only ours gets put out for collection every 2 or 3 weeks, whenever it needs it. There is no obvious smell from it.
That is one of the most sensible posts that I've read on this subject. :)
That is one of the most sensible posts that I've read on this subject. :)
Aye ;)
Thanks for the link Nick, will have a good look around. Looks like our nearest reprocessor is in Glasgow.
Carrier bags can be recycled at the supermarket, bin provided, but why not take a bag or two to supermarket for your groceries instead of using plastic carriers.
I agree, taking bags to the supermarket is the best option but some people aren't willing to pay for them. I try to use cloth bags - or reuse the ones you get for free - anyway (it's why I said I wanted to recycle my knackered carrier bags) but, at least in Thurso, we don't have anywhere to do that - there's one in at Wick's Tesco but it's badly placed so not many people spot it.
dirdyweeker
03-May-07, 17:24
I am sure on driving through Golspie one day that they had a box which said it was for recycling plastic. Perhaps someone from that area could set me right? It is certainly something I have a lot of as we use a 6 pint plastic bottle of milk each day as well as other plastic containers.
GREAN in Golspie is the best recycling centre there is and take more than here. I have to say recycling is a good form of excercise. You can burn a lot of calories doing recycling.
My usual cynical mind makes me wonder how much of the recycling is nothing more than window dressing.
Reducing the amount of landfill? Simple, export it to China! (Not from the local area I'm sure) How sensible is that? :roll:
What happens to sheets of plain window-glass which won't fit through the small hole in the Glass Bottle Bank? It goes in with the stuff heading for landfill! :eek:
Don't get me wrong, I think recycling is a good idea. The theory is excellent but I wonder if the practice is as good as we are led to believe or is there a lot of "Smoke and Mirrors" involved.
Round here, Wokingham Council organise fortnightly collections of plastics, cans and paper/cardboard. We have to take bottles and jars to a bottle bank for H&S reasons. On the 'between weeks' they collect green garden waste for composting... which goes onto the parks and gardens.
Thanks for all your input guys. I'm going to try and compose a letter to the Council mentioning the precedents (especially the Scottish ones!) and also address some of the other things you have mentioned (such as recycling glass that isn't bottles or jars.)
I'll try and get it done over the next few days. If anyone is interested in the response I get, let me know.
Aye ;)
Thanks for the link Nick, will have a good look around. Looks like our nearest reprocessor is in Glasgow.
I agree, taking bags to the supermarket is the best option but some people aren't willing to pay for them. I try to use cloth bags - or reuse the ones you get for free - anyway (it's why I said I wanted to recycle my knackered carrier bags) but, at least in Thurso, we don't have anywhere to do that - there's one in at Wick's Tesco but it's badly placed so not many people spot it.
I have my shopping delivered and any carrier bags back to the delivery man. Also I spoke to the HR woman and she states that they use as few carrier bags for deliveries as is possible. Re the person who mentioned a plastics recyling place...maybe setting one up might put Caithness on the recycling map.
George Brims
05-May-07, 00:10
I have six bins at my house.
Green wheelie - rubbish for the landfill.
Blue wheelie - recyclables that don't have a deposit, including wine bottles, some but not all juice bottles, paper and cardboard, steel food cans.
Big brown wheelie - garden refuse.
Bin marked "Glass" - Beer bottles etc that have a deposit.
Bin marked "Plastic" - Coke etc bottles that have a deposit.
Bin marked "Cans" - Alumin(i)um drink cans.
No guesses required as to which of the latter three fills up fastest! Buying those three has made the side of my house much tidier.
I have six bins at my house.
Green wheelie - rubbish for the landfill.
Blue wheelie - recyclables that don't have a deposit, including wine bottles, some but not all juice bottles, paper and cardboard, steel food cans.
Big brown wheelie - garden refuse.
Bin marked "Glass" - Beer bottles etc that have a deposit.
Bin marked "Plastic" - Coke etc bottles that have a deposit.
Bin marked "Cans" - Alumin(i)um drink cans.
No guesses required as to which of the latter three fills up fastest! Buying those three has made the side of my house much tidier.
You'll need to be landed gentry to have room for all the bins at that rate!!
GB, at least the wasteful yanks are starting to get their act togather.:)
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