The average person throws away 1.5 Tonnes of rubbish every year, yet 70% of this is and could be recycled! But unfortunately, only 30% is actually recycled currently
Councils generally make it very easy for us to get our tins, bottles, cardboard, etc taken away but it does need a little effort on our part.
Most councils now provide facilities for sorting and processing recyclable materials which are collected from our homes and workplaces. What actually can be recycled (Plastics/cans/bottles/cardboard etc) does vary on where you live so it is advisable to check with your local council.
Did you know?
Food left sticking to anything we leave for recycling is a form of contamination. Food residue left on containers (those bottles, cans, and packets) cannot be reliably recycled, so anything going into your recycling should be clean of food residue.
Recycling that’s contaminated to some extent will go on to produce less high-quality materials.
This question also depends on the recycling facility in question. While some wash the waste before sending it on to specialist recycling plants, others will process recycling straight away. So to stay on the right side of the factory line, get your recycling as clean as you can.
If too much food waste is left on the container then the entire collection may be rejected and then still end up in a Landfill site, that will not just be the things you have sorted out, but everyone else’s that has been collected as part of that load.
If your pizza box is sopping with grease, it’s likely too far gone. If it’s merely grazed by a smear of oil then it’s probably good to be recycled. And if only half of your pizza box is sullied by last night’s dinner, you can always separate the box and recycle the bottom half instead.
When the waste in landfills is rotting, it creates methane, a type of greenhouse gas which is far more potent than carbon dioxide. Methane leaves the landfill and goes into the atmosphere. This contributes to global warming.
Plastic you put in the bin ends up in a landfill. When rubbish is being transported to landfills, plastic is often blown away because it’s so lightweight and can spread into rivers and drains.
Even if you live hundreds of miles from the coast, the plastic you throw away could make its way into the sea. Once in the ocean, plastic decomposes very slowly, breaking down into tiny pieces known as microplastics that can be incredibly damaging to sea life.
In relation to all the plastic we use the World Wildlife fund say, there's always a chance the plastic throw away could make it into the sea, and from there who knows? Maybe even as far as the Arctic. Instead of buying another bottle of water, why not fill an empty one up from the tap and keep it in the fridge?
Other problems occur when the wrong materials are put into the system (e.g. nappies in the recycling bin) or when the right materials are prepared in the wrong way.
3 of the top things that are mistakenly put into recycling bins are:
· Nappies
· Food waste
· Clothes and shoes
In a typical UK household, the Energy Saving Trust believes, more than half the money we spend on our gas and electricity goes towards providing heating and hot water. An efficient heating system will help keep them low. Saving both money and helping the wellbeing of the planet. So as winter approaches, we will be sharing some energy-saving tips.
