Blue bins

[Sparky71]

Anyone know what definately happens to our re-cycleable waste in our new blue bins?

 

I would hope that it goes to a plant where the various materials are seperated. But I saw a TV program where a lot of the UK's waste is sent to massive landfills in India.

[Paul Kennedy]

I asked a question at Full Council a couple of months ago, coincidentally at the time there was a programme on the matter on the TV. I was assured by the Executive Board Member, Cllr Alan Litton, that our recyclables are not "dumped" abroad, but sorted ( locally in a depot at Bank Quay) and recycled into other products. Prices for recyclates have been rising over the last few years, however given the current economic times prices will fall. There is a record of my questions and the answers on the WBC website. I am a great supporter of the new blue bin scheme, and am amazed at how full mine is at the end of two weeks......and how relatively empty my black bin is.

[DS]

Paul,

They may not be "dumped" abroad, but I seem to recall the council press release on the subject stating that the shredded bins were being sent abroad for recycling, which struck me as a little odd at the time.

[observer]

What are the Council's provision (if any), for the re-cycling of electrical and white goods?

[AlisonF]

There was something in the paper about the old blue bins which indicated that they were being shredded and down and sent to Germany (I think it was) as there was no call for the material in this country. Not ideal but at least it's being made up into something useful.

[Zephyr6]

Shipping them to Germany is not what i would call "green". The carbon footprint of that little activity must be huge.

 

I simply cut the base out of mine and am using as a second compost bin.

[asperity]

As they will have been put on a ship that was going to Germany anyway on a regular liner trade, the so called "carbon footprint" is an irrelavance!

[observer]

Seems the paper chase isn't so profitable now: waste paper for recycling, has been going half way round the world to China, to be converted into the copious packaging around the flimsy Chinese goods we're no longer buying cos of the credit crunch! So much for global trade and inter-dependence!

[Bazj]

I kept my old blue bin.... going to recycle it into a handy storage unit or drill lots of 2" holes in it and fill it with compost and grow starwberries in it next year.... We've had it for so long now it was like part of the family!!

[Dizzy]

Might do that with my new blue bin as the novelty of seperating the recyclables seems to have worn off with other members of my family

 

There are only so many times a person can reach into the depths of a black bin to retrieve items that should not be in there.

 

Shame on my family

[sheila]

Hi,

This is my first real post,so bear with me.I've been reading this topic with interest as we do re-cycling collections too. we have yellow topped bins and most everything goes in it,except things like plastic bags batteries etc.WE can organise trips around the re-cycling plant to see what happens to it all,not been round it myself,we also get a booklet on what can go in the bin,and yes this bin is always fuller than the household bin

[Paul Kennedy]

Paul,

They may not be "dumped" abroad, but I seem to recall the council press release on the subject stating that the shredded bins were being sent abroad for recycling, which struck me as a little odd at the time.

 

There is a bin fragmenting machine at School Brow, the small blue plastic chips are then bagged and exported to be converted into new plastic products.....maybe even new bins. I am told that the aluminium axle is the most valuable part of the bin and they are being removed before the bin makes its final journey up the conveyor and into the fragmentor.

 

I understand that another council was interested in buying Warrington's ol blue bins, alas they had Warrington stamped on the lid, which wouldn't go down well in.....Wigan....for example.

 

Over the last few months the market for all types of recyclables has declined rapidly and waste companies are now, in some instances, charging to collect recyclables rather than pay for them or collect them at nil cost.

 

Waste has been hit by a double whammy, land fill taxes are rising and the value of recyclables is falling....makes me think a high technology incinerator could be the way foward....unpopular as it might be with some people.

 

PS I like the innovate ideas people have for using the old blue bins.

[Bazj]

I understand that another council was interested in buying Warrington's ol blue bins, alas they had Warrington stamped on the lid, which wouldn't go down well in.....Wigan....for example.

 

 

Then why not just make new lids for the old bins with "Wigan" or whatever stamped on them or restamp over the old Warrington bit? Surely a lot cheaper than recycling and remaking new ones; especially with all the travel involved in sending the stuff abroad!

[Peter T]

I understand that another council was interested in buying Warrington's ol blue bins, alas they had Warrington stamped on the lid, which wouldn't go down well in.....Wigan....for example.

 

 

Then why not just make new lids for the old bins with "Wigan" or whatever stamped on them or restamp over the old Warrington bit? Surely a lot cheaper than recycling and remaking new ones; especially with all the travel involved in sending the stuff abroad!

 

There's NO box to tick for that idea.

[RENT-A-GOAT]

I am told that the aluminium axle is the most valuable part of the bin

Great, when the local gypsy population learn of that little snippet of information we may be finding ourselves with bins stripped of their axles!!

[Steve the Original]

I am told that the aluminium axle is the most valuable part of the bin

Great, when the local gypsy population learn of that little snippet of information we may be finding ourselves with bins stripped of their axles!!

 

Never mind the gippos what about the scousers?

 

Steve

[Dizzy]

Wondered about the comment of the apparent value of the axles myslef but you beat me too it.

 

One thing does puzzle me though... why were so many people taking their glass and other recyclables to or local local tip yesterday when we all have our new blue bins

[asperity]

Well it's a day out for the family innit

[Evil Sid]

i'll be chuckling all day now at the thought of rows of wheelie bins propped up on bricks

[AlisonF]

One thing does puzzle me though... why were so many people taking their glass and other recyclables to or local local tip yesterday when we all have our new blue bins

 

As quite a lot or people prefer to have their recycling in separate streams so that broken glass (for example) doesn't mix with paper and therefore make the waste paper less useful. Also, the glass in the blue bins is mixed and not split into brown, clear and green and therefore of less use for recycling also. WCC have gone for an option which makes it easy for the householder but less useful to recycle and therefore will end up with less valuable products which, especially in the current climate, may well come back and bite them.