Lets talk about waste..

In the last couple of weeks it seems that all my conversations come back to plastic and waste. In some ways what was a lovely walk on the beach, even reminded me that we have to change quicker, with the plastic rubbish and cigarette butts.  

​So recycling seems to be the topic of the week.  If you can’t manage to find things plastic or waste free then the next option is to recycle. Bournemouth Council seems to be doing a good job compared to other authorities, and I went to an informative talk by their Senior Waste Officer at Southbourne library last week.
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Local recycling facilities

In an attempt to make things easier we have created a page for local recycling facilities on our Sobo Wastebusters website. Take a look at our page and let us know if there is anything else you know about or want to know. As this is work in progress we are very happy to received feedback.

So are they or aren’t they recyclable?

Bournemouth kerbside collection will take the following:

Plastic Packaging (remember they need to be clean!):
Drinks bottles - fizzy drinks, squash, milk; Detergent bottles - washing-up liquid, cleaners; Plastic tubs, pots or trays - fruit punnets, yoghurt pots, meat trays (any colour); Shampoo & shower gel bottles; Plastic lids in fact all bottles tops.

Plus: Foil & foil trays, Food and drink cartons (tetra paks), Envelopes with windows, metal packaging, cardboard, mixed glass and paper.

If in doubt you can always ring the recycling team at the Council to check!
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Signs and Symbols

Other things that everyone finds confusing when it comes to packaging are the various symbols, signs and labels that supposedly are there to help you. 

So here’s a quick guide:

So these are commonly seen on packaging now and are fairly comprehensible.  Obviously the check locally one is difficult but should be easier with the above advice. 
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This symbol indicates that the product is capable of being recycled. It does not guarantee that the material will be accepted by your local recycling centre or collection. It does not signify that the product is made from recycled materials.

This symbol does not mean that the packaging is recycled or recyclable. It shows that the producer has financially contributed to the recovery and recycling of packaging.
 
Then the newer ones that we may have been fooled by, certainly goes for the paper cup suppliers. 

              Compostable or biodegredable?

Compostable

This logo certifies that the product is ‘industrially compostable’.  That means it needs to be collected separately and be sent to be composted industrially, otherwise it just goes into normal landfill! 
 

Home compostable

Packaging with this symbol or plastic sleeves that say they’re 100% compostable can go in your home compost bin.  
 

Biodegradable 

A biodegradable material is not necessarily compostable but a compostable material is always biodegradable.  In a lot of cases biodegradable is just plastic that breaks down into smaller pieces of plastic quicker than normal plastic. In other words worse than regular plastic as it becomes micro plastic sooner!

I won’t bore you with the details but biodegradable is only one element test in whether something is compostable.  Again it may need to be processed separately.

Basically compostable is better.

Still baffled?  If you’re interested in this and unpicking the issue, we’re going to be running a reduce your waste and recycling event at the end of February. So keep an eye open or sign up to our mailing list or FB page with just the practical advice of what we can do locally. 
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​To end on a positive note though I did though find some egg cases of undulate rays on the beach near Hengistbury head - nature reminding me why I care about waste and making the changes, thinking about what’s happening to these animals and their and our environment. 




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