Milk in Glass Bottles - Dublin?

mike_2009

Hi,
Does anyone know of any companies / farmers supplying milk in glass bottles around the Dublin region? Trying to get away from tetrapak and plastic cartons.
Thanks

Woodenframe

I didn't a quick google on this a few days ago and found a small company selling raw milk in bottles in the south west.
I'd also love to find somewhere that sells or delivers normal milk in glass bottles. We are trying to (slowly, very slowly) move towards zero waste and we are trying to reduce the Tetra Pak and plastic containers we bring into the house.

Skedaddle

It's crazy when you think back to the 1980s and even into the early 1990s most of the milk sold in Ireland was in reusable glass bottles that were home-delivered. It's only really since the mid 90s that supermarket bought plastic jugs and tetrapaks became the norm.

Also, a lot of retailers seem to be pushing towards plastic jugs instead of tetrapak. I'm not sure which is less recyclable, but I assume it's the plastic jug?

Woodenframe

Skedaddle wrote: »

It's crazy when you think back to the 1980s and even into the early 1990s most of the milk sold in Ireland was in reusable glass bottles that were home-delivered. It's only really since the mid 90s that supermarket bought plastic jugs and tetrapaks became the norm.

Also, a lot of retailers seem to be pushing towards plastic jugs instead of tetrapak. I'm not sure which is less recyclable, but I assume it's the plastic jug?

I agree, it's crazy. I'd be willing to pay more for milk, delivered to my door, fresh in a glass bottle.. I used to love getting to push through the foil lid as a kid

I try to buy tetra pak as we are really trying to reduce the plastics coming into the house.

mike_2009

Well,
I found a line on pasteurized non-homogenized milk via the coop in the liberties - my brother in law kindly brought me a sample as he's a member. The bottle is out on deposit, just like the good 'ol days! The only thing I'm not in that way often but at least there's one dairy that does supply this. Their name is "Dunlavin Dairy" based in Co. Wicklow. Nice taste! I wonder if they supply anywhere else?
I was in temple bar yesterday and they also have milk in glass bottles but it's raw milk, not a path I'm want to head down...
The closest supply I've found locally is lullaby milk from Cork in Tetrapak, tastes really nice. They used to supply it non-homogenized but people gave out about the creamy head it had so they switches to homogenized!
So, if you're around either market in Dublin there are glass bottle options, outside of those no luck so far.....

SCOOP 64

If i remember rightly right at the top of glass bottle it use to be creamy,
lovely on the cornflakes if you were the first to open it.

vicwatson

SCOOP 64 wrote: »

If i remember rightly right at the top of glass bottle it use to be creamy,
lovely on the cornflakes if you were the first to open it.

If the sparrows didn’t get it first

ted1

SCOOP 64 wrote: »

If i remember rightly right at the top of glass bottle it use to be creamy,
lovely on the cornflakes if you were the first to open it.

Yep it was just pasteurised back then

Homogenisation milk stops the cream from separating

two wheels good

Woodenframe wrote: »

I agree, it's crazy. I'd be willing to pay more for milk, delivered to my door, fresh in a glass bottle.. I used to love getting to push through the foil lid as a kid

I try to buy tetra pak as we are really trying to reduce the plastics coming into the house.

But then Tetra-paks require specialist recycling due to the multiple laminated layers. I suspect that it's more likely a plastic bottle will be recycled.
But I accept the quantity of plastic in the tetra-pak is probably less.

The OP has the best approach "Reduce, Reuse, Recycle".

mike_2009

Just for kicks I queried TetraPak with Thorntons and in their response they said:
"while there are some outlets for recyclables in Ireland, the vast majority is send abroad. Ireland doesn't have enough facilities to recycle all the material that is produced. Tetra Pak in particular is segregated with the mixed paper and all this is exported for recycling."
Also didn't realize there's aluminium in the Tetra Pak carton makeup!

I'm not sure which is worse, Plastic or Tetra Pak for my milk until I find a closer bottle supplier. Or buy a cow?!

Sam Russell

mike_2009 wrote: »

I'm not sure which is worse, Plastic or Tetra Pak for my milk until I find a closer bottle supplier. Or buy a cow?!

You could start with a goat.

ted1

mike_2009 wrote: »

Just for kicks I queried TetraPak with Thorntons and in their response they said:
"while there are some outlets for recyclables in Ireland, the vast majority is send abroad. Ireland doesn't have enough facilities to recycle all the material that is produced. Tetra Pak in particular is segregated with the mixed paper and all this is exported for recycling."
Also didn't realize there's aluminium in the Tetra Pak carton makeup!

I'm not sure which is worse, Plastic or Tetra Pak for my milk until I find a closer bottle supplier. Or buy a cow?!

Jauysus don’t get a cow!! The methane in their bealches is a major source of pollution

mike_2009

I plan to attach two bags to the cow, one for either end! Get compost/manure and free gas for my range cooker at the same time.....

Capt'n Midnight

http://www.bbc.com/news/business-43724314

Waste charity Wrap said the environmental benefit is difficult to decipher. "For glass to be the better environmental option from a carbon perspective, our research shows that any bottle needs to be reused at least 20 times," a spokesperson explained.

"Less than that and the lifecycle carbon footprint would be greater than for plastic. In practice, glass bottles survive being reused around 18 times.

W123-80's

I'd love to see milk made available in bulk form in supermarkets and sold by the litre or some such unit of measurement.
Consumer rocks up with their container of choice, glass bottle, plastic bottle, wellington, whatever and fills their milk and pays for it.
Surely thats a better option than an isle full of plastic jugs and tetra pak?
Essentially a milk vending machine only you need to bring your own vessel to transport the milk from the shop to your home.

Sam Russell

W123-80's wrote: »

I'd love to see milk made available in bulk form in supermarkets and sold by the litre or some such unit of measurement.
Consumer rocks up with their container of choice, glass bottle, plastic bottle, wellington, whatever and fills their milk and pays for it.
Surely thats a better option than an isle full of plastic jugs and tetra pak?
Essentially a milk vending machine only you need to bring your own vessel to transport the milk from the shop to your home.

Although that sounds a good idea, and it is, there are many many different types of milk on sale these days compared to when loose milk was sold from a churn. Would you propose anly full fat milk, or low fat, or semi skimmed, or skimmed, or enriched with Vit D, or even chocolate flavoured? Choices, choices.

There is also a question of hygiene - how clean is your bottle, and how long will the milk last in your bottle, and who is responsible for its condition. This point is raised about people presenting with their own coffee cups to cut down on non-recyclable cups.

Glass bottles were returned and reused - up to 80 times each. That is a better way to go, but then the dairy needs to be local to you, otherwise the returned bottle is uneconomical to the dairy. A plastic bottle would be easier and cheaper.

Bananas used to be shipped in timber crates (like coffins) and returned to the Caribbean for reuse. Now they use cardboard containers of more or less the same shape, but they are single use.