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washing recyclables?

  • 27-06-2013 5:47pm
    #1
    Registered Users Posts: 2,169 ✭✭✭


    Milk containers, Tetra paks, bean cans, yogurt containers etc.

    Is this environmentally friendly or a waste of time
    ? Thinking of water usage and detergent and with water charges coming...

    I pay €5 for my green bin and it's always full to capacity ( and more) but put out very little rubbish. Rubbish is cheaper to dispose of so I'm already making a financial sacrifice.

    Thanks

    ps. They doubled the cost of my green bin because of my lack of spend on rubbish


«1

Comments

  • Closed Accounts Posts: 13,549 ✭✭✭✭Judgement Day


    I can't see the problem, you shouldn't be wasting fresh water on washing recyclables if you wash them in the same water when you've finished the regular washing up. If you can't do this because you're using a dishwasher....you're probably already being environmentally wasteful.


  • Registered Users Posts: 13,104 ✭✭✭✭djpbarry


    Grawns wrote: »
    Is this environmentally friendly or a waste of time? Thinking of water usage and detergent and with water charges coming...
    Detergent? They only need a rinse - they don't have to be sparkling!
    ...you're probably already being environmentally wasteful.
    Who isn't?


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,343 ✭✭✭beazee


    Spend three days at the waste facility sorting line, separating plastics, paper, metal from other stuff.

    Having that experience I know the workers there are grateful for me rinsing leftover organic matter of every recyclable before I fire it into the bin.

    The smell of half empty cans or takeway boxes sitting in the bin for weeks before collected made your legs weak and I'm rather a big fella.

    So please - pour a little water in, swirl, pour off and throw away.


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,169 ✭✭✭Grawns


    beazee wrote: »
    Spend three days at the waste facility sorting line, separating plastics, paper, metal from other stuff.

    Having that experience I know the workers there are grateful for me rinsing leftover organic matter of every recyclable before I fire it into the bin.

    The smell of half empty cans or takeway boxes sitting in the bin for weeks before collected made your legs weak and I'm rather a big fella.

    So please - pour a little water in, swirl, pour off and throw away.

    That's what I figured but appearently washing it defeats the environmental benefit when recycling messy food containers. My fear is that if you don't give it a clean it will be rejected and go to landfill at twice the cost to me and no environmental benefit. Can you confirm that doesn't happen?

    p.s. Perhaps the worst job ever!


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,169 ✭✭✭Grawns


    I can't see the problem, you shouldn't be wasting fresh water on washing recyclables if you wash them in the same water when you've finished the regular washing up. If you can't do this because you're using a dishwasher....you're probably already being environmentally wasteful.

    :confused:Just to clarify - are you stating that using a dishwasher is less environmentally sound than doing regular washing up or that washing recylables in fresh water is a waste of time.


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  • Registered Users Posts: 1,343 ✭✭✭beazee


    Grawns wrote: »
    but appearently washing it defeats...
    Rinsing, bit of water, no detergent.
    if you don't give it a clean it will be rejected and go to landfill
    AFAIC the customer (manufacturing facility) looks to buy a rather clean plastics as they're paying by weight. No point trying to sell them half recyclable/half leftover food as this would cost them more in a long run to clean and dispose the waste.
    Perhaps the worst job ever!
    Bills won't pay themselves.


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,169 ✭✭✭Grawns


    beazee wrote: »
    Rinsing, bit of water, no detergent.

    AFAIC the customer (manufacturing facility) looks to buy a rather clean plastics as they're paying by weight. No point trying to sell them half recyclable/half leftover food as this would cost them more in a long run to clean and dispose the waste.

    .


    Lets say it's a yogurt carton, a quick rinse makes no difference to dairy but all the difference to an orange juice carton. I am inclined to bin the yogurt

    I rinse milk conatiners but sqaush them and put lid back on to stop smell.

    I know this is a very pedantic way of looking at it but this information is not widely available. I am also not in the buiness of harming the environment and my wallet to subsidize the profits of a plastic manufacturing facility. When recycling started it was free - now it's more expensive to recycle than to bin things for me and for all I know it's going off in a container to flippin China.

    What to do for the best ?

    Maybe someone here who is expert in the field could write a stickey about best recycling practices ;)


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 13,549 ✭✭✭✭Judgement Day


    Grawns wrote: »
    :confused:Just to clarify - are you stating that using a dishwasher is less environmentally sound than doing regular washing up or that washing recylables in fresh water is a waste of time.

    I mean that you shouldn't use clean fresh water to specially wash recyclables i.e. use the leftover washing up water in your sink/washing-up bowl. The dishwasher option is wasteful, not to mention very hard on your crockery, glasses etc. if you have any decent stuff.

    PS binning yogurt cartons is not environmentally friendly as they are plastic.


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,169 ✭✭✭Grawns


    I mean that you shouldn't use clean fresh water to specially wash recyclables i.e. use the leftover washing up water in your sink/washing-up bowl. The dishwasher option is wasteful, not to mention very hard on your crockery, glasses etc. if you have any decent stuff.

    PS binning yogurt cartons is not environmentally friendly as they are plastic.

    But it's said that dishwashers are greener Evidence

    I know yogurt tubs are plastic but they take a lot of water ( and detergent) to clean and I'm not happy recycling stinky sticky things or wasting water to clean them. Personally I try to avoid such containers but binning them seems to be the lesser of two evils


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 13,549 ✭✭✭✭Judgement Day


    Grawns wrote: »
    But it's said that dishwashers are greener Evidence

    I know yogurt tubs are plastic but they take a lot of water ( and detergent) to clean and I'm not happy recycling stinky sticky things or wasting water to clean them. Personally I try to avoid such containers but binning them seems to be the lesser of two evils

    An article vaguely stating that 'full' dishwashers are environmentally friendly doesn't cut it with me I'm afraid. You can find a counter argument to anything online. If you want to be pedantic I bet the article doesn't take into account the environmental production costs, delivery, packaging, ultimate disposal etc. relating to the dishwasher. :)


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  • Registered Users Posts: 2,169 ✭✭✭Grawns


    Hmmm...

    I can remember the fights when I was a kid over the dishes so I am biased towards dishwashers plus I run a b&b so were taking lots of dishes.

    I'm more concerned about the yogurt pot!
    Also I already pay for water and its very expensive.


  • Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 15,858 ✭✭✭✭paddy147


    Grawns wrote: »
    Milk containers, Tetra paks, bean cans, yogurt containers etc.

    Is this environmentally friendly or a waste of time? Thinking of water usage and detergent and with water charges coming...

    I pay €5 for my green bin and it's always full to capacity ( and more) but put out very little rubbish. Rubbish is cheaper to dispose of so I'm already making a financial sacrifice.

    Thanks

    ps. They doubled the cost of my green bin because of my lack of spend on rubbish


    The property tax should include bin lifts.

    Fcuking pointless to pay a PT and also then have to fork out bin lift charges too.

    But thats the FG/Labour way for you.:rolleyes::mad:


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 13,549 ✭✭✭✭Judgement Day


    paddy147 wrote: »
    The property tax should include bin lifts.

    Fcuking pointless to pay a PT and also then have to fork out bin lift charges too.

    But thats the FG/Labour way for you.:rolleyes::mad:

    Yeah, I can't wait for the next FF government. :rolleyes:


  • Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 15,858 ✭✭✭✭paddy147


    Yeah, I can't wait for the next FF government. :rolleyes:


    FF had their chance and blew it.

    FG/Labour are currently laughing at us all and fcuking us all over.They are gonners allready.


    So maybe let Sinn Fein in for the next one.


  • Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 15,858 ✭✭✭✭paddy147


    Grawns wrote: »
    Milk containers, Tetra paks, bean cans, yogurt containers etc.

    Is this environmentally friendly or a waste of time? Thinking of water usage and detergent and with water charges coming...

    I pay €5 for my green bin and it's always full to capacity ( and more) but put out very little rubbish. Rubbish is cheaper to dispose of so I'm already making a financial sacrifice.

    Thanks

    ps. They doubled the cost of my green bin because of my lack of spend on rubbish


    Start collecting and using filtered rainwater.


    Lots of people are doing this allready,and come water meter time,lots more will do it too.


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,501 ✭✭✭zagmund


    Grawns wrote: »
    Lets say it's a yogurt carton, a quick rinse makes no difference to dairy but all the difference to an orange juice carton. I am inclined to bin the yogurt

    Maybe you're doing it wrong. In my books, a quick rinse *does* make all the difference to a yogurt carton. A really quick rinse does for orange juice. Seriously, for yogurt all you have to do (with left over washing water from some other process) is stick the carton in, shake vigorously (or swish it around if you prefer that terminology), remove . . . done. This will take care of the *vast* majority of remaining yogurt. There may be a tiny amount left, but remember that this is waste, it's never going to be sterile or anything approaching it.

    I normally leave the top off milk cartons - that way when I jump up and down on top of them in the bin to squeeze another week before a lift they end up flatter. If the lid was on they wouldn't compress as much. I know I could compress each one separately and put the lid on but then I wouldn't get to squish them all in one go.

    z


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,169 ✭✭✭Grawns


    zagmund wrote: »
    Maybe you're doing it wrong. In my books, a quick rinse *does* make all the difference to a yogurt carton. A really quick rinse does for orange juice. Seriously, for yogurt all you have to do (with left over washing water from some other process) is stick the carton in, shake vigorously (or swish it around if you prefer that terminology), remove . . . done. This will take care of the *vast* majority of remaining yogurt. There may be a tiny amount left, but remember that this is waste, it's never going to be sterile or anything approaching it.

    I normally leave the top off milk cartons - that way when I jump up and down on top of them in the bin to squeeze another week before a lift they end up flatter. If the lid was on they wouldn't compress as much. I know I could compress each one separately and put the lid on but then I wouldn't get to squish them all in one go.

    z

    There is something very satidfying with squishing! I have been looking into getting a can/ Plastic bottle compactor but they're hard to source for domestic use. Anyone recommend one?

    So the consensus is wash the yogurt pot! Will do.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,343 ✭✭✭beazee


    Grawns wrote: »
    So the consensus is wash rinse the yogurt pot!
    Fixed it for ya.
    And yes.


  • Registered Users Posts: 13,104 ✭✭✭✭djpbarry


    paddy147 wrote: »
    The property tax should include bin lifts.

    Fcuking pointless to pay a PT and also then have to fork out bin lift charges too.

    But thats the FG/Labour way for you.:rolleyes::mad:
    [MOD]Absolutely nothing to do with the discussion at hand.[/MOD]


  • Registered Users Posts: 922 ✭✭✭trishasaffron


    In an area in France I am familiar with they specifically tell you NOT to clean out the recyclables on the basis that it is not cost effective environmentally.


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 13,549 ✭✭✭✭Judgement Day


    In an area in France I am familiar with they specifically tell you NOT to clean out the recyclables on the basis that it is not cost effective environmentally.

    Precisely, it's a bit like people making special trips to the recycling centre in the car instead of trying to fit in the visit with some other necessary journey - defeats the purpose. Similar to people trying to live a 'green' lifestyle who buy organic fruit/veg with hundreds of air miles on them.


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,501 ✭✭✭zagmund


    Life is a compromise.

    There is no "one true green way".

    On the basis that one is participating in one way or another in society there's no single way of life that can be said to be absolutely better than all other ways. This argument that people are silly or wasting their time *by making an effort* is not constructive. In net consumption terms it can be said to be a waste to drive 1,000 kms to a recycling centre with one empty bottle. Driving 100 kms is less bad, right? And driving 10 kms is less bad again. If someone drives 1 km to drop off their recyclables is this better or worse than simply not recycling at all? If you agree that it's better than not recycling then it's pretty clear that the effort is not a waste. It might be less efficient than combining it with another trip, but it's not inherently *bad*. No more than the other trip or any trip is inherently *bad*. Unless you believe that travelling other than on foot is bad. Once you accept that people travel, then a trip to the recycling centre is no worse than a trip to the beach, or work, or your parents house, or the cinema, or the shops, or anywhere.

    Yes, I've gone all philosophical, but it bugs me when people try to put down efforts that others make to recycle. Sure, it may not be absolutely optimal, but as above unless you are a hermit living in a cave you have to make compromises every single day on the environmental front.

    z


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,169 ✭✭✭Grawns


    zagmund wrote: »
    Life is a compromise.

    There is no "one true green way".

    On the basis that one is participating in one way or another in society there's no single way of life that can be said to be absolutely better than all other ways. This argument that people are silly or wasting their time *by making an effort* is not constructive. In net consumption terms it can be said to be a waste to drive 1,000 kms to a recycling centre with one empty bottle. Driving 100 kms is less bad, right? And driving 10 kms is less bad again. If someone drives 1 km to drop off their recyclables is this better or worse than simply not recycling at all? If you agree that it's better than not recycling then it's pretty clear that the effort is not a waste. It might be less efficient than combining it with another trip, but it's not inherently *bad*. No more than the other trip or any trip is inherently *bad*. Unless you believe that travelling other than on foot is bad. Once you accept that people travel, then a trip to the recycling centre is no worse than a trip to the beach, or work, or your parents house, or the cinema, or the shops, or anywhere.

    Yes, I've gone all philosophical, but it bugs me when people try to put down efforts that others make to recycle. Sure, it may not be absolutely optimal, but as above unless you are a hermit living in a cave you have to make compromises every single day on the environmental front.

    z

    I agree with you in theory but I don't want be taken for a mug where i'm going to the trouble to recycle, paying a lot for it and perhaps subsidizing a profitable industry who are happy to trick people into doing their work for them. It all comes back to the yogurt pot for me. Wait until you're paying a grand a year for water :eek:

    I just wish there was official indisputable guidelines available for optimal household recycling. I also really really want a domestic baler /crusher but they cost about a grand :mad:


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,169 ✭✭✭Grawns


    Was discussing this with a friend last night and she thought that as soon as water charges come in it would be the end of washing/rinsing recyclables for many people.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 13,549 ✭✭✭✭Judgement Day


    Grawns wrote: »
    Was discussing this with a friend last night and she thought that as soon as water charges come in it would be the end of washing/rinsing recyclables for many people.

    In terms of recycling it will make little difference, except to those coming in close contact with dirty recyclables but how about from your own point of view i.e the storage of quantities of smelly, fly and vermin attracting plastic on your premises? I think you're making a mountain out of a molehill. What other steps have you taken in your B+B to prepare for the onset of water charges e.g. reducing water discharge in your toilets, taps that shut off when released etc. :)


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,169 ✭✭✭Grawns


    In terms of recycling it will make little difference, except to those coming in close contact with dirty recyclables but how about from your own point of view i.e the storage of quantities of smelly, fly and vermin attracting plastic on your premises? I think you're making a mountain out of a molehill. What other steps have you taken in your B+B to prepare for the onset of water charges e.g. reducing water discharge in your toilets, taps that shut off when released etc. :)

    I'm already paying water charges ( hefty water charges) and we've taken every step we can without a major capital investment. I would love those taps though and will look into it. :)

    Putting me and my water use aside. People are going to freak out when the bills start pouring in and there will be a lot less rinsing. ( it's paying for water that got me on this subject)

    In terms of smell and vermin - it will be no different than your black bin!

    In the meantime I'm going to get me one of these yokes :DBin Trasher


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,169 ✭✭✭Grawns


    paddy147 wrote: »
    Start collecting and using filtered rainwater.


    Lots of people are doing this allready,and come water meter time,lots more will do it too.

    Good idea :)


  • Registered Users Posts: 13,104 ✭✭✭✭djpbarry


    Grawns wrote: »
    Putting me and my water use aside. People are going to freak out when the bills start pouring in and there will be a lot less rinsing.
    I would imagine rinsing recyclables represents a tiny fraction of the average household's water usage.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,343 ✭✭✭beazee


    Grawns wrote: »
    In the meantime I'm going to get me one of these yokes :DBin Trasher
    Watch our demonstration video now… This video does not exist


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  • Registered Users Posts: 2,169 ✭✭✭Grawns


    beazee wrote: »
    Watch our demonstration video now… This video does not exist

    I know and I phoned them today to confirm about about crushing recyclables (in green bin) and forgot to say it to them.:o Told them they were missing a trick as black bins are often weighed and green bins might not be.

    Still am going to buy one and hope it will pay for itself inside a few months. ;)


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