Lidl/Aldi recyclable packaging?

cookie1977

I've only recently noticed that a lot of the packaging in Lidl and Aldi is not recyclable according to it's packaging. For instance the plastic packaging that the sliced cheese comes in from Lidl states:

Packaging - not currently recyclable, please check with your local council for further recycling information

This warning appears on a lot of the packaging such as the plastic around the crackers (lidl brand like tuc), Plastic bag covering the apples etc etc etc... The list goes on and on. There's also a line through the recycling symbol on a lot of the packaging.

So does anyone know if this is all correct or simply applies to some recycling locations/centres in the UK?

It's a bit confusing as up until now I have been putting a lot of this packaging in the recycle bin as I presumed it's all recyclable

Agent_99

I think it has a lot to do with your own waste company, I know we used to be able to recycle plastic/fruit/bread bags with Mr Binman but my mum lives in the North and cannot recycle any of these. Your waste company should provide guideline to what they accept. I throw everything within reason to recycle with the exception to meat packaging boxes.

foggy_lad

cookie1977 wrote: »

I've only recently noticed that a lot of the packaging in Lidl and Aldi is not recyclable according to it's packaging. For instance the plastic packaging that the sliced cheese comes in from Lidl states:



This warning appears on a lot of the packaging such as the plastic around the crackers (lidl brand like tuc), Plastic bag covering the apples etc etc etc... The list goes on and on. There's also a line through the recycling symbol on a lot of the packaging.

So does anyone know if this is all correct or simply applies to some recycling locations/centres in the UK?

It's a bit confusing as up until now I have been putting a lot of this packaging in the recycle bin as I presumed it's all recyclable

most of the thin clear plastic food wrapping is not recyclable because of the type of plastic involved and should go to landfill at the moment.

cookie1977

Well up until recently I would have washed all the packaging, including the meat packaging, and then put it in the recycle bin. I'm just surprised by the amount of packaging from lidl and aldi that's marked as not recyclable while the similar branded products in tesco and dunnes etc... is marked as recyclable.

I think I'll give Greyhound a call and ask them. Maybe a call to Lidl too. Funny thing is if it's not (as it says) recyclable then I imagine that there's a lot of people like me who just presume it is without even looking. Is a;ll this waste then driving greyhound crazy to sort?

Agent_99

My current provider specifically states no meat packaging in the recycle bin.

"What cannot be put in the blue bin
No Glass / Ceramics
No Plastic Bags / Plastic Film
No Green Waste (Kitchen or Garden)
No Clothes / Shoes
No Food
No Aerosols
No Meat Wrappings
No Nappies / Sanitary Items"

foggy_lad

cookie1977 wrote: »

Well up until recently I would have washed all the packaging, including the meat packaging, and then put it in the recycle bin. I'm just surprised by the amount of packaging from lidl and aldi that's marked as not recyclable while the similar branded products in tesco and dunnes etc... is marked as recyclable.

I think I'll give Greyhound a call and ask them. Maybe a call to Lidl too. Funny thing is if it's not (as it says) recyclable then I imagine that there's a lot of people like me who just presume it is without even looking. Is a;ll this waste then driving greyhound crazy to sort?

It may be marked as recyclable in dunnes/tesco etc because it can be recycled somewhere in the world but at what cost to the environment with extra shipping and probably huge amounts of energy required in the specialised recycling procedure?

Remember when most bottles were glass and got returned washed sterilised and refilled, then it was decided that to save the environment it was more efficient to collect all this heavy glass from around the country and bring it to several large depots where it is crushed down to save space but which requires a large outlay of energy, then it is transported hundreds of miles out of the country at great expense where even greater amounts of energy and large amounts of chemicles are used to melt this waste product down and produce more glass.

All that was needed before was a bit of hot water and steam and an extra production line to sort and wash the bottles at the bottling plants.

Washing anything before putting it in the recycling bin is a waste of your energy as well as a waste of the resources needed(water, heat, soap) to wash the packaging.

cookie1977

I don't wash but greyhound require me to rinse containers out so no food goes in there. They state plastic is recyclable but don't specify what if any aren't so I have to go by the packaging guidelines. God it's very confusing.

foggy_lad

Agent_99 wrote: »

My current provider specifically states no meat packaging in the recycle bin.

"What cannot be put in the blue bin
No Glass / Ceramics
No Plastic Bags / Plastic Film
No Green Waste (Kitchen or Garden)
No Clothes / Shoes
No Food
No Aerosols
No Meat Wrappings
No Nappies / Sanitary Items"

What they are looking for is plastic bottles and containers as well as "unsoiled" paper and cardboard so pizza boxes are not for recycling if the bottom of the box is a bit messy. Milk cartons and beans cans that are not washed out are fine.

L1011

foggy_lad wrote: »

What they are looking for is plastic bottles and containers as well as "unsoiled" paper and cardboard so pizza boxes are not for recycling if the bottom of the box is a bit messy. Milk cartons and beans cans that are not washed out are fine.

Soiled paper/pizza boxes go in the brown bin, should you have one.

dudara

Moved to Sustainability & Environmental Issues

dudara

Capt'n Midnight

plastic should have a triangular recycle logo with a number in it

depending on the number it goes in different bins

some plastics are biodegradable and go in brown bin / some are not recyclable at present and go in black bin

cookie1977

I get the idea of what is and isn't recyclable but my puzzlement comes from seeing a vast quantity of lidl and aldi product packaging marked as un recyclable and if this is correct or if they're mearly referring to uk guidlines and rules on what is and isn't recyclable in that juristiction.

Persius

Those symbols on Aldi packaging relate to a UK scheme.

Check out http://www.recyclenow.com/why_recycling_matters/recycling_symbols.html

It states that the symbol which says "not recycled means less than 15% of people have access to recycling facilities for these items". It then goes on to say "These symbols are a guide to how widely different packaging items are recycled, however you should always follow the advice of your local authority."

The above site is run by WRAP, some UK governmental agency (www.wrap.org.uk). So the symbols don't necessarly apply to Ireland.

I tried to find some info on the Greyhound web site as to what they accept for recycling, but can't find anything.

cookie1977

Persius wrote: »

Those symbols on Aldi packaging relate to a UK scheme.

Check out http://www.recyclenow.com/why_recycling_matters/recycling_symbols.html

It states that the symbol which says "not recycled means less than 15% of people have access to recycling facilities for these items". It then goes on to say "These symbols are a guide to how widely different packaging items are recycled, however you should always follow the advice of your local authority."

The above site is run by WRAP, some UK governmental agency (www.wrap.org.uk). So the symbols don't necessarly apply to Ireland.

I tried to find some info on the Greyhound web site as to what they accept for recycling, but can't find anything.

Cheers. I've continued to recycle the material that I feel is permissible as I agree that they probably only pertain to the UK but it's been difficult to get a definitive answer.

GermanicGalore

Capt'n Midnight wrote: »

plastic should have a triangular recycle logo with a number in it

depending on the number it goes in different bins

some plastics are biodegradable and go in brown bin / some are not recyclable at present and go in black bin

I'm sorry for digging this thread up again, but I am currently puzzled by this problem. Most of the Aldi/Lidle plastic packaging does NOT have a triangle imprinted. I find that weird. How can it not say what it is?
So, if it doesn't say what it is, where does it go?
Greyhound takes plastic PET, PP and HDPE, that the triangle numbers 1,2 and 5.