Plastic recycling

[Green_not_greed]

Now that Christmas is almost upon us, there will be the usual wrappings to dispose of in the following weeks. Thankfully, Highland Council now have pretty good recycling service and most of the paper and card can be recycled via various locations across the county.

The question is what to do with the plastic? Is it better to dispose to landfill, with all the associated long-term problems, or burn it on the fire, saving fuel but immediately converting a good part of the tied-up carbon to CO2, or is there another alternative?

I understand that transportation to a recycling facility elsewhere is both cost-prohibitive and hardly worth it in terms of carbon savings, as transport emissions are high for mass transported. I also understand that until plastic types are standardised, it is very difficult to segregate into different types of plastic, which is required before it can be recycled properly.

Can anyone provide any suggestions on what should best be done with plastic from all that Christmas packaging? i.e. the best short-term solution?

[Bobinovich]

The best solution would be to pressurise the packaging manufacturers to stop using it in the first place, or at least reduce it from those situations where it's not really required - i.e. kids toys, etc. The same goes for all those little ties with which they secure the parts inside the box - just supply everything in a cardboard box, with all the little accessories in another wee cardboard box inside. 100% recyclable packaging & happier parents (saves all that frustration getting into the packaging on Christmas day).

That'd be a start!

[lynne duncan]

maybe we could start by following ullapool and go plastic bagless, then how about removing all packaging in store and leaving the big companies to deal with recycling it

[dirdyweeker]

I like the idea of removing all packaging in store. Maybe then the stores could get the producers to sit up and take note. There is nothing worse than trying to get into some of these plastic packages!

[hobbes1962]

The same goes for all those little ties with which they secure the parts inside the box

We use the little cable tie things as toys for the cat. We must have loads of the things in little hidey holes that only the cat can find:lol:

[Green_not_greed]

I completely agree with all of the comments above. A longer-term solution has to be put in place. However, until that happens, we have to deal with the current situation. I was simply asking if anyone can advise on the best environmental option for plastic that we will all no doubt accumulate over the Chriustmas break.

[lynne duncan]

i think dingwall take some forms of plastic at their recycling depot this maybe help

[rupert]

Going off the point a little but still staying with recycling, I saw a very interesting bit of kit advertised in one of todays Sunday papers. It was a briquette making tool. You basically recycled all of your newspapers into these briquette shaped lumps and then burnt them on your fire. The manufacturers stated they would replace logs and would burn for up to two hours. It looked a bit messy as you had to wet the paper first and roll it into little balls before you put it in the press but I thought it was a great idea.

[Green_not_greed]

Going off the point a little but still staying with recycling, I saw a very interesting bit of kit advertised in one of todays Sunday papers. It was a briquette making tool. You basically recycled all of your newspapers into these briquette shaped lumps and then burnt them on your fire. The manufacturers stated they would replace logs and would burn for up to two hours. It looked a bit messy as you had to wet the paper first and roll it into little balls before you put it in the press but I thought it was a great idea.

Its not that off-the point! A more heavy-duty version may be able to produce plastic bricks - which would cut down on the landfill volume needed for disposal. In the longer-term, if plastics could be sorted into their main types beforehand, they could be compacted in an industrial baler (or similar) then transported for recycling elsewhere. Such compaction may make the case for transport and recycling elsewhere a viable option.

[mccaugm]

I am completing a research project on this very subject and have discovered (thanks to the orgers) that there is a recycling point for plastic in Tain. I reckon we should put pressure on local councillors to uplift plastic and take it to the recycling centre. I am told that this is a money drain but we drain the environment so reckon that should be the pay off.

[Green_not_greed]

I am completing a research project on this very subject and have discovered (thanks to the orgers) that there is a recycling point for plastic in Tain. I reckon we should put pressure on local councillors to uplift plastic and take it to the recycling centre. I am told that this is a money drain but we drain the environment so reckon that should be the pay off.

That would be excellent if it could be used. It should be simple to collect plastic at existing recycling points. If it could be compressed (as happens with cardboard etc) then it would be more cost-effective to transport. However, I don't know if this would affect the recycling process.

McCaugm - did your research include how plastic recycling works? If so, could you please post a short explanation?

Thanks

[Rheghead]

I also understand that until plastic types are standardised, it is very difficult to segregate into different types of plastic, which is required before it can be recycled properly.

The vast majority of new plastic containers are now standardised already into broad categories. Just look for an embossed circle with HDPE, LDPE, PP, PE, PVC, PET on the underside of the bottle or somewhere on the label. So recognition of plastic bottles and their recycling should be easy now.

[Green_not_greed]

The vast majority of new plastic containers are now standardised already into broad categories. Just look for an embossed circle with HDPE, LDPE, PP, PE, PVC, PET on the underside of the bottle or somewhere on the label. So recognition of plastic bottles and their recycling should be easy now.

Thanks. I did understand that, however I also understood there are too many broad categories to make plastic recycling effective from a public point-of-view. If you covered them all above then thats still six separate bins just for plastic. By standardisation I meant reducing the different plastic types used to a smaller number - ideally two (hard and soft), tho' I realise that may not be possible.

[Rheghead]

Yes I agree there are 6 categories and it may seem comfusing to some and difficult to implement for a local authority but that is the nature of the problem I'm afraid.

An ID chart is here

http://www.recycle-more.co.uk/nav/page689.aspx

[tracyann]

A&S Contracts at Nipster, Gillock run a plastic waste recycling service for all type of farm/domestic plastic waste. At present it is mainly farm plastic (all types) we deal with.

We gave the council a solution to their problem of not recycling plastic waste but were told that there was no funding available at the moment.

A&S Contracts put forward that the council would use the A&S Bin & Liner system (as is used in many farms) at their recycling points and when the liners were full the council could deliver them to Nipster or A&S would come and pick them up. There was also the option that skips for plastic could be at the recycling points and A&S would come and empty them or the council empty them at nipster.

The council did buy 2 small domestic Bins which as far as I am aware they were going to put at there recycling points for plastic bags to go in!!! (what a difference that will make!)

The plastic waste that A&S contracts collect is transported down south for recycling although A&S are looking into purchasing a baler.

When the council pay to put there waste into Seater why can't they just pay to put it to a company that will recycle it - saving 1000's of Tonnes going into landfill???????:confused

[Rheghead]

A&S Contracts at Nipster, Gillock run a plastic waste recycling service for all type of farm/domestic plastic waste. At present it is mainly farm plastic (all types) we deal with.....When the council pay to put there waste into Seater why can't they just pay to put it to a company that will recycle it - saving 1000's of Tonnes going into landfill???????:confused

That is great if you can get the scheme going. I'm glad someone is doing something about those bright green bags snagging on trees and stuff.

[NickInTheNorth]

A&S Contracts at Nipster, Gillock run a plastic waste recycling service for all type of farm/domestic plastic waste. At present it is mainly farm plastic (all types) we deal with.

Do you accept plastic direct from the public?

[TBH]

Off topic but a tip to save water every time you flush your toilet is to fill up a 4 pint milk bottle with water and place it in your cistern.

[Tilter]

I understand that transportation to a recycling facility elsewhere is both cost-prohibitive and hardly worth it in terms of carbon savings, as transport emissions are high for mass transported.

GNG, if you look at http://forum.caithness.org/showthread.php?t=35222 you will see that Dozy said "The council were offered recycling for plastics ,wood ,non-recyclable paper/cardboard ,organic waste plus any others in the waste stream and they turned it down flat .The facility was to be based in Wick and would have employed 12 .The Council stated that there was no need to recycling these materials at present or in the future ..Yet some of the ideas put forward appeared in the Highland Waste Strategy.."

I had meant to ask my Councillors why, if Dozy is correct, such a thing would have been turned down but haven't yet. Thanks for reminding me. I think he's right, as I've heard more or less the same thing from another source.

[badger]

There was a talk by June Ross, the HC Waste Management Officer, at the first meeting of Landward Ward Forum and she mentioned recycling plastic. I can't remember exactly what the plan was but a note of the meeting is here
http://www.highland.gov.uk/yourcouncil/yourward/ward04/wardforum/2007-10-02-an.htm

Doesn't help much with Christmas packaging I know. I asked her later about recycling batteries (small ones like AA) and this is also some way off but I heard on the radio today that the EU are getting tough on this so something will have to be done soon.