Recycling
Coming clean on recycling We’re all getting into recycling now - do you know your compostable from your bio-degradeable? What used to be a minority preference has become a nationwide concern. It is set become more so, but just how much do you really know about how to re-cycle effectively, and just as importantly, avoid spoiling your collections? Studies show that a heartening 98 per cent of Irish people are ‘in favour’ of recycling, and 22 per cent of our plastic waste is recycled – top EU score. A great starting point but bear in mind that under EU law, 50 per cent of our plastic waste will have to be re-cycled in 2025, just three years away. Statistics suggest that up to 30 per cent of what we put in re-cycling bins cannot be recycled. Also - less can be more - putting the incorrect material into the bin could lead to spoilage, the load being
refused, and sent to landfill. Another mistake to avoid is unknowingly tossing in items, e.g. wire coat hangers, which can break the recycling machinery, whilst old clothes can wind their way around machinery. We all think that we know just what can be safely recycled, but changes in ‘allowed items’ do occur. One easy way is to go back to your ABC s, and automatically think of: A for Appropriate, B for Bio-degradable, C for Clean, D for Dry and E for Empty Of course, learning how to use more and more of less and less is increasingly about also learning how to re-purpose and/or re-use in
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everyday life. This brings wry smiles to faces of many of the older generation. Many can remember mothers routinely washing and ironing summer dresses, before carefully putting them away for the next year. Broken items were often mended or re-purposed, or passed on, or donated. Now, we’re completing the circle, as it becomes cool to repair, re-use, re-design and renovate. It all starts, however, with what goes into your bins – or in some cases, should not. What the recycling industry want to find in your green bin– clean, dry and loose, please. Newspaper, aluminium and steel products, such as food and drink cans. Cardboard, cereal boxes, newspaper, magazines, card sleeves on food products, brown paper, egg
