No recycling on certain packaging in shops

Worztron

Hi.

Where possible I try to only buy stuff in shops that has minimal packaging and is recyclable. I have noticed that some packages are marked with the recycle logos and similar items such as bread have no recycle logo. Would the manufacturer have been too lazy to put on the recycle logo or are those packages indeed non-recyclable?

Macha

Hi Worztron,

just checking when you mean recycle logo, you mean the triangle with the number inside? If it's just a triangle of three arrows, it means the packaging contains some recycled material but doesn't say anything about it's recyclability.

Worztron

Macha wrote: »

Hi Worztron,

just checking when you mean recycle logo, you mean the triangle with the number inside? If it's just a triangle of three arrows, it means the packaging contains some recycled material but doesn't say anything about it's recyclability.

Hi Macha. I've never been certain about what all those recycle logos actually mean. I mainly refer to the circle made from curved arrows: http://www.elgin.co.za/Uploads/image/Logos/green-recycle-logo.jpg

So the triangle of three arrows is NOT recyclable?

Macha

Oh yeah, that's another one.

No, it just means there's recycled material in the packaging. I was surprised when I found out as well.

This is another one

Worztron

I came across this: http://www.energysavingwarehouse.co.uk/news/148/21/Common-Recycling-Symbols-Explained.html

Macha

A good guide, thanks for that *stores for future reference*

The problem with the 3 arrows as a triangle is that without a number in the middle, you can't be 100% certain that it is recyclable. Often, recycling facilities will specify certain numbers, eg they only recycle numbers 1, 2, 3 and 5.

Worztron

Macha wrote: »

A good guide, thanks for that *stores for future reference*

What reference?

There should be an overhaul of the logo system. It should be made clear to all and mandatory for manufacturers to make their products recyclable (and made from recycled material) where possible.

edwinkane

Worztron wrote: »

What reference?

There should be an overhaul of the logo system. It should be made clear to all and mandatory for manufacturers to make their products recyclable (and made from recycled material) where possible.

Personally, I have recycling fatigue, but I never fail to drive to the bottle bank in my SUV.

If recycling was actually going to recycle things, then I am all in favour. However, so much recycling (like driving to the bottle bank in my SUV) has the appearance of window dressing, and taking into account the whole activity, the value of it open to question. Does the fuel etc used by my SUV outweigh the recycling benefit of the few bottles? I don't know the answer, and suspect the worst.

Macha

edwinkane wrote: »

Personally, I have recycling fatigue, but I never fail to drive to the bottle bank in my SUV.

If recycling was actually going to recycle things, then I am all in favour. However, so much recycling (like driving to the bottle bank in my SUV) has the appearance of window dressing, and taking into account the whole activity, the value of it open to question. Does the fuel etc used by my SUV outweigh the recycling benefit of the few bottles? I don't know the answer, and suspect the worst.

What recycling are you talking about, edwinkane?

20% of Irish households either do not avail of a collection service or are not offered the service. The other 80% are perfectly capable of recycling the majority of their household waste without getting into a car.

Worztron

As things stand, people in my housing estate can recycle everything bar glass via collection by the council. Glass should be collected also as someone without a car cannot possibility lug a bag full of jars and bottles to a bottle bank.

edwinkane

Macha wrote: »

What recycling are you talking about, edwinkane?

20% of Irish households either do not avail of a collection service or are not offered the service. The other 80% are perfectly capable of recycling the majority of their household waste without getting into a car.

I used to live in Dublin. We had two bins, a green one and a black one. While I used to separate the "green " waste and the black waste meticulously, I noticed the truck collecting then just turfed them both into the back of the same truck, mixing it all up. I asked them why, and they laughed and said it all goes to the landfill dump anyhow.

I'm all for recycling, but not for window dressing.

Macha

edwinkane wrote: »

I used to live in Dublin. We had two bins, a green one and a black one. While I used to separate the "green " waste and the black waste meticulously, I noticed the truck collecting then just turfed them both into the back of the same truck, mixing it all up. I asked them why, and they laughed and said it all goes to the landfill dump anyhow.

I'm all for recycling, but not for window dressing.

What company was it? When was this? That is an illegal practice that should have been reported.

edwinkane

Macha wrote: »

What company was it? When was this? That is an illegal practice that should have been reported.

It was about 6 months ago. We still have a place in Dublin and I am there occasionally. While I can't remember the name of the company, I'll be in Dublin again over teh coming weeks and will have a look if I am there when the bins are collected.

Have you ever been to, say, the recycling plant in Ballyogan? When last I was there, most "recycling" seems to consist of hurling your items from a height into a series of skips below. I often wondered how that helps whatever recycling process they go through after that.

Del2005

edwinkane wrote: »

Have you ever been to, say, the recycling plant in Ballyogan? When last I was there, most "recycling" seems to consist of hurling your items from a height into a series of skips below. I often wondered how that helps whatever recycling process they go through after that.

You're supposed to only put the same material into each skip. Then they aren't supposed to need any more processing and can be sold straight to recyclers.

The problem is that people don't segregate their waste correctly for either their own bins or at the civil recycling centres which leads to most of it ending up in landfill. I've often heard the bins being collected in my estate, SDCC/Grayhound, and I've heard glass in green bins and they still empty them.

astrofool

Del2005 wrote: »

You're supposed to only put the same material into each skip. Then they aren't supposed to need any more processing and can be sold straight to recyclers.

The problem is that people don't segregate their waste correctly for either their own bins or at the civil recycling centres which leads to most of it ending up in landfill. I've often heard the bins being collected in my estate, SDCC/Grayhound, and I've heard glass in green bins and they still empty them.

Panda collect glass via the green bin, not sure if Greyhound have started this yet.

Worztron

Since tin cans are recyclable, would it be correct to say that similar material is also recyclable i.e. tin foil?

Macha

Worztron wrote: »

Since tin cans are recyclable, would it be correct to say that similar material is also recyclable i.e. tin foil?

Yup, I throw in with the tin cans.

Worztron

How about recycling plastic (with no logo) that looks and feels the same as plastic that has recycle logo?