How much of our waste is actually recyclable?
So here is the challenge - how low can you go if you put your mind to it?
Our amazing Rubbish Dieters in Shropshire have been slimming their bins over the last few weeks to spectacular effect
here are a few quotes:
"I can't believe what a difference taking all the polythene out of my bin makes! Wouldn't it be great if everyone took their polythene to Sainsburys, Morrisons or the Coop"
"I'm loving my Bokashi bin - no more food waste in my bin - and my bin is so much slimmer"
"Doing the Rubbish Diet with my neighbours has been a great way to meet people who live on Ashley Street"
"I asked the council to take away my big wheelie bin - now I have a tiny one because my rubbish has gone down so much I don't need a big one. The little one is easy to move and doesn't take up much space"
If you would like to know more about the Rubbish Diet - give me a shout on 01743 351014 07972 858313 or follow us on twitter @rdshropshire Alison@therubbishdiet.org.uk
Sign up to the Rubbish Diet www.therubbishdiet.org.uk or come to 8 Woodfield Road Monday 17th June at 7.30pm all welcome for cake and a rubbish chat
Monday 17 June 2013
Friday 17 May 2013
Do light bulbs go in your bin?
Recycling Light Bulbs
A few people have been asking about what to do with light bulbs - James Thompson from Shropshire Council sent over this advice:
.
Incandescent
Incandescent light bulbs should be disposed of in normal household waste. They can't be recycled like regular glass as the fine wires are very difficult to separate out in processing.
Compact Fluorescent Lamp
Compact fluorescent lamps are energy saving light bulbs and do not belong in the rubbish bin. They contain small amounts of mercury. Although this is completely safe for users of the lamps, they must be collected separately for disposal.
This ensures that valuable parts of the lamps, such as glass and metal, are not lost. The energy saving lamps can be disposed of for free at your local Council or other collection points.
Halogen
Halogen Light bulbs should be disposed of in normal household waste. They can't be recycled like regular glass as the fine wires are very difficult to separate out in processing.
Metal Halide
HID lamps are energy saving light bulbs and don't belong in the rubbish bin. They contain small amounts of mercury. Although this is completely safe for users of the lamps, they must be collected separately for disposal. Furthermore, it ensures that valuable parts of the lamps, such as glass and metal, aren't lost.
The energy saving lamps can be disposed of for free at your local Council or other collection points.
Light-Emitting Diode (LED)
LEDs don't contain harmful substances. They have an extremely long service life and are virtually maintenance free.
You should look for the disposal rules that apply to the equipment in which they're incorporated. Individual LEDs can be disposed of in household waste.
Fluorescent Tube
Fluorescent lamps are energy saving and don't belong in the rubbish bin. They contain small amounts of mercury. Although this is completely safe for users of the lamps, they must be collected separately for disposal. Furthermore, it ensures that valuable parts of the lamps, such as glass and metal, aren't lost.
The energy saving lamps can be disposed of for free at your local Council or other collection points.
Neon
Neon lamps are energy-saving bulbs that don't belong in the rubbish bin. They must be collected separately for disposal. Furthermore, it ensures that valuable parts of the lamps, such as glass and metal, aren't lost.
The energy saving lamps can be disposed of for free at your local Council or other collection points.
So I guess the upshot is - you get less waste in landfill if you use low energy bulbs, and use LED and fluorescent when you can as they last and last and last .........
I was in B and Q the other day and found the staff in the lighting department to be really helpful - so if in doubt go and ask them
A few people have been asking about what to do with light bulbs - James Thompson from Shropshire Council sent over this advice:
.
Incandescent
Incandescent light bulbs should be disposed of in normal household waste. They can't be recycled like regular glass as the fine wires are very difficult to separate out in processing.
Compact Fluorescent Lamp
Compact fluorescent lamps are energy saving light bulbs and do not belong in the rubbish bin. They contain small amounts of mercury. Although this is completely safe for users of the lamps, they must be collected separately for disposal.
This ensures that valuable parts of the lamps, such as glass and metal, are not lost. The energy saving lamps can be disposed of for free at your local Council or other collection points.
Halogen
Halogen Light bulbs should be disposed of in normal household waste. They can't be recycled like regular glass as the fine wires are very difficult to separate out in processing.
Metal Halide
HID lamps are energy saving light bulbs and don't belong in the rubbish bin. They contain small amounts of mercury. Although this is completely safe for users of the lamps, they must be collected separately for disposal. Furthermore, it ensures that valuable parts of the lamps, such as glass and metal, aren't lost.
The energy saving lamps can be disposed of for free at your local Council or other collection points.
Light-Emitting Diode (LED)
LEDs don't contain harmful substances. They have an extremely long service life and are virtually maintenance free.
You should look for the disposal rules that apply to the equipment in which they're incorporated. Individual LEDs can be disposed of in household waste.
Fluorescent Tube
Fluorescent lamps are energy saving and don't belong in the rubbish bin. They contain small amounts of mercury. Although this is completely safe for users of the lamps, they must be collected separately for disposal. Furthermore, it ensures that valuable parts of the lamps, such as glass and metal, aren't lost.
The energy saving lamps can be disposed of for free at your local Council or other collection points.
Neon
Neon lamps are energy-saving bulbs that don't belong in the rubbish bin. They must be collected separately for disposal. Furthermore, it ensures that valuable parts of the lamps, such as glass and metal, aren't lost.
The energy saving lamps can be disposed of for free at your local Council or other collection points.
So I guess the upshot is - you get less waste in landfill if you use low energy bulbs, and use LED and fluorescent when you can as they last and last and last .........
I was in B and Q the other day and found the staff in the lighting department to be really helpful - so if in doubt go and ask them
Thursday 16 May 2013
Trying to avoid packaging in shops
Please tell me why supermarkets are selling stuff in black plastic trays? We cannot recycle them in Shropshire - even the most modern. sophisticated plastics separation facility in the country can't do anything with black trays!! So why is stuff still sold in them?
Are black trays cheaper to produce? Does the food look better on a black tray? Either way, there should be a way to force non-recyclable packaging out of the loop.
Perhaps, there should be a disposal surcharge on products if their packaging is non-recyclable to discourage food companies from using it. Perhaps, supermarkets could start to refuse to sell products which come in non-recyclable packaging.... Another idea would be for supermarkets to provide the facility to take back all their own packaging.... all the bring banks in the car park are a good start - but if supermarkets had to find recycling and disposal routes for all the packaging they sold - they would soon start to only sell things wrapped in stuff that is easy and cheap to handle. Oh for a joined up World...
Apparently you can compost almost anything!!
Did you know.....?
20 surprising items you can compost Taken from the RecycleBank (4 Sep 2012 by Jo Dimbleby)
Many items of household waste can add extra nutrients to your compost heap – not just the obvious, such as vegetable peels and coffee grounds.
1. Stale wine and beer – great for after a party! Wine is actually used by many old school gardeners as an ‘activator’ for compost, kicking off the bacterial processes needed to break down the waste.
2. Hair from your family and your pets
3. Balsa wood boxes – such as the ones commonly sold with Camembert cheeses.
4. Used masking tape
5. Stale fish food
6. Hide or bone based dog chews – just make sure your dog’s finished with it first, otherwise you’ll have an unhappy hound.
7. Old rope – so long as it’s natural and not plastic-based
8. Really worn out leather items – chop these up into small strips with scissors to cut the time it takes them to break down.
9. Condoms – did you know that both latex and sheepskin condoms compost?
10. Wool or cotton clothing – finally a good use for that exhausted old jumper!
Old cotton clothing can be used as dusters and cleaning cloths first; when they get too mangy, wash them through and bung them on the compost.
11. Cotton tampons and cardboard applicators
12. Seaweed – tried and tested ‘activator’. Useful as it gives the decomposition process a boost.
13. Feathers – another brilliant way to get your compost heap working overtime.
14. Vacuum dust – woollen carpets only, not synthetic as these fibres will not compost.
15. Muddy scrapings from your hiking boots
16. Lint from the tumbledryer filter
17. Fingernail and toenail clippings – provided they’re nail varnish free.
18. Ashes from the BBQ – worms go crazy for these. Make sure they’re cool first, unless you want a flaming compost heap!
19. Used tissues – collect them when you have a cold. The screwed up paper helps create space and aerate the heap. Also paper towels make excellent compost.
20. Animal manure from vegetarian pets – best mixed with straw.
Let us know if anyone's got any other compost tips?
20 surprising items you can compost Taken from the RecycleBank (4 Sep 2012 by Jo Dimbleby)
Many items of household waste can add extra nutrients to your compost heap – not just the obvious, such as vegetable peels and coffee grounds.
1. Stale wine and beer – great for after a party! Wine is actually used by many old school gardeners as an ‘activator’ for compost, kicking off the bacterial processes needed to break down the waste.
2. Hair from your family and your pets
3. Balsa wood boxes – such as the ones commonly sold with Camembert cheeses.
4. Used masking tape
5. Stale fish food
6. Hide or bone based dog chews – just make sure your dog’s finished with it first, otherwise you’ll have an unhappy hound.
7. Old rope – so long as it’s natural and not plastic-based
8. Really worn out leather items – chop these up into small strips with scissors to cut the time it takes them to break down.
9. Condoms – did you know that both latex and sheepskin condoms compost?
10. Wool or cotton clothing – finally a good use for that exhausted old jumper!
Old cotton clothing can be used as dusters and cleaning cloths first; when they get too mangy, wash them through and bung them on the compost.
11. Cotton tampons and cardboard applicators
12. Seaweed – tried and tested ‘activator’. Useful as it gives the decomposition process a boost.
13. Feathers – another brilliant way to get your compost heap working overtime.
14. Vacuum dust – woollen carpets only, not synthetic as these fibres will not compost.
15. Muddy scrapings from your hiking boots
16. Lint from the tumbledryer filter
17. Fingernail and toenail clippings – provided they’re nail varnish free.
18. Ashes from the BBQ – worms go crazy for these. Make sure they’re cool first, unless you want a flaming compost heap!
19. Used tissues – collect them when you have a cold. The screwed up paper helps create space and aerate the heap. Also paper towels make excellent compost.
20. Animal manure from vegetarian pets – best mixed with straw.
Let us know if anyone's got any other compost tips?
Thursday 9 May 2013
How much food goes in your bin?
So here we are in week 3 of the rubbish diet - this week we are looking at food waste and how to avoid it!
No-one deliberately wastes food but it is so easy to do!
Karen Cannard - the creator of the Rubbish Diet sent over this link from love food hate waste campaign.... "Re food, it's also worth remembering that even up to its Use By date, certain food can still be frozen. Here's a great link that you might like to share around your community:" http://england.lovefoodhatewaste.com/content/know-your-dates-londons-love-food-hate-waste-campaign
I think I just need a 30 hour day - then I would be really organised! The chickens next door are enjoying my attempts at getting rid of food waste and the dog is getting fat! This has got to stop - no more food waste from now on!
No-one deliberately wastes food but it is so easy to do!
Karen Cannard - the creator of the Rubbish Diet sent over this link from love food hate waste campaign.... "Re food, it's also worth remembering that even up to its Use By date, certain food can still be frozen. Here's a great link that you might like to share around your community:" http://england.lovefoodhatewaste.com/content/know-your-dates-londons-love-food-hate-waste-campaign
I think I just need a 30 hour day - then I would be really organised! The chickens next door are enjoying my attempts at getting rid of food waste and the dog is getting fat! This has got to stop - no more food waste from now on!
My biggest and best discovery is the bokashi bin - a little caddy into which you put all your food waste even bones. You add some bokashi bran and in 2 weeks the fermented contents are safe to put in your compost bin or dig straight into your garden.
Here at the Rubbish diet we have some bokashi bins to give away to rubbish dieters to help you keep your bin weight down. If you would like a set to have a go - just drop me a line at Alison@therubbishdiet.org.uk
Just seen this from love food hate waste for things to do with soft tomatoes: http://england.lovefoodhatewaste.com/search/apachesolr_search/tomatoes?filters=tid:78%20type:recipe
Here at the Rubbish diet we have some bokashi bins to give away to rubbish dieters to help you keep your bin weight down. If you would like a set to have a go - just drop me a line at Alison@therubbishdiet.org.uk
Just seen this from love food hate waste for things to do with soft tomatoes: http://england.lovefoodhatewaste.com/search/apachesolr_search/tomatoes?filters=tid:78%20type:recipe
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