Hello Forum friends,

Thought I’d start this post, because just lately I’ve been pleasantly surprised at what can be put in my recycle bin.
Some frozen vegie bags…Birdseye brand have recyclable bags. So if they can use them, why can’t all plastic bags be recyclable?
Koala brand Jasmine rice… also a plastic bag I can put into recycle bin, and this is a Thailand product.

It made me stop and think how many of us actually check if a plastic bag can be recycled?
I’m spreading the word and work and thought I’d check here too.

So what have you discovered that can go in the recycle bin, that most people would overlook?

do they have a number on them? Recyclable plastics are graded and even though some may be recyclable, they may not be accepted if the facilities are not set up to recycle those grades. Our collection will accept grades 1 to 7, but it used to only be up to grade 5.

ours won’t accept greasy cardboard, or lids…

Fashionista can’t recycle her newspapers AFAIK…

Muschee I’m more dismayed at what I can’t recycle…e.g. meat trays etc, even after they’ve been washed…

but yes, I check…

Getting the fellers to clean out the cans first is a hassle…baked beans being the worst…I wash the cat and dog cans in hot soapy water with a good scrub out…

bluegreen said:

do they have a number on them? Recyclable plastics are graded and even though some may be recyclable, they may not be accepted if the facilities are not set up to recycle those grades. Our collection will accept grades 1 to 7, but it used to only be up to grade 5.

I got a plastic singlet bag from a major store the other day an it has ‘compostable ‘ printed on it. I’ll try it.

bluegreen said:

do they have a number on them? Recyclable plastics are graded and even though some may be recyclable, they may not be accepted if the facilities are not set up to recycle those grades. Our collection will accept grades 1 to 7, but it used to only be up to grade 5.

Yep.
Our council will also collect anything with #1 to 7

Dinetta said:

ours won’t accept greasy cardboard, or lids…

Fashionista can’t recycle her newspapers AFAIK…

Muschee I’m more dismayed at what I can’t recycle…e.g. meat trays etc, even after they’ve been washed…

I agree. Especially the meat trays, be it plastic or foam.

Good morning all….in Europe, I believe they have little recycling bins, in the house…have had these for years…well Germany, anyhow…

Dinetta said:

Good morning all….in Europe, I believe they have little recycling bins, in the house…have had these for years…well Germany, anyhow…

We keep a basket on the end of the kitchen bench and when she’s full it goes out to the big bin.
Looks a bit messy sometimes, but who cares :)

I have an ex-tomato box under the kitchen table, and this gets tipped into an old chaff bag inside our wheelie bin…as we don’t get rubbish collection, we don’t use the bin for anything else…comes sunday, out with the chaff bag and to the recycling industrial bin at the Refuse Transfer Station she goes…

MrD was impressed at the amount of rubbish we “weren’t” throwing out…we went from 2 – 3 bin bags a week to just the one…

and of course I compost my scraps

We have a “chook bucket” in the fridge (left over from the days I used to fill it with good scraps and exchange with my mother for eggs) , for things like the bags the home-grown meat has been frozen in and other food related items/plastic bags that you wouldn’t put in the kitchen bin because of the eventualy smell and fly-attractant potential…I also freeze the chicken carcasses and such, so they won’t go “off” waiting for the dump run…but I digress…just hate a smelly kitchen…

Morning.

I have a tall laundry basket for paper/cans/ drink bottles < of which there are very few now, and the council bin is never full. Dirty cans get a rinse out from an outside small water collection tub. Water re used on the lawn.
Food scraps -chooks and compost.
Old PC’s printers TV’s and similar hardwear goes to a collection station.
Dead mobile phones go to a girl who is collecting them to save the gorillas habitat.

I have amassed a huge pile in the carport for a hard rubbish collection, the boys furniture and curtain tracks and whatnot from the painting/ reno job ect.
We no longer have a collection day, but ring the council to collect the pile, as needed.

Muschee said:

Dinetta said:

Good morning all….in Europe, I believe they have little recycling bins, in the house…have had these for years…well Germany, anyhow…

We keep a basket on the end of the kitchen bench and when she’s full it goes out to the big bin.
Looks a bit messy sometimes, but who cares :)

I have a couple of milk crate type boxes in a kitchen cupboard. Our kitchen is big enough to sacrifice a cupboard for that.

One thing I’ve always wondered – if you put little scraps of paper in the recycling bin, would they get recycled, or sort of lost in the process? I also think, in my bin at least, little dribbles of water/milk etc would sort of ruin small bits of paper before they get to the processing plant…

I know I should just compost them.. one day :)

pomolo said:

bluegreen said:

do they have a number on them? Recyclable plastics are graded and even though some may be recyclable, they may not be accepted if the facilities are not set up to recycle those grades. Our collection will accept grades 1 to 7, but it used to only be up to grade 5.

I got a plastic singlet bag from a major store the other day an it has ‘compostable ‘ printed on it. I’ll try it.

I wonder about those sorts of things, too – do they really break down into proper soil, or do they just break down into tiny bits of plastic?

Oh! and to hijack a little bit..

What do you guys do with the little dehydrating sachets you get in things? The ones that say “Do not eat” :D I get them in vitamin bottles, and also sometimes you get one under a piece of meat.

I’ve heard that you can stick them into potting mix to act like water saving crystals, or I suppose you could put them in wardrobes etc to act as dehumidifiers?

Seems wrong to just bin them…

Muschee said:

Dinetta said:

Good morning all….in Europe, I believe they have little recycling bins, in the house…have had these for years…well Germany, anyhow…

We keep a basket on the end of the kitchen bench and when she’s full it goes out to the big bin.
Looks a bit messy sometimes, but who cares :)

Yep, we have a crate in the bottom of the pantry. Can’t imagine going out to the bin outside every time we finish a milk carton or chuck out some paper =/

bon008 said:

pomolo said:

bluegreen said:

do they have a number on them? Recyclable plastics are graded and even though some may be recyclable, they may not be accepted if the facilities are not set up to recycle those grades. Our collection will accept grades 1 to 7, but it used to only be up to grade 5.

I got a plastic singlet bag from a major store the other day an it has ‘compostable ‘ printed on it. I’ll try it.

I wonder about those sorts of things, too – do they really break down into proper soil, or do they just break down into tiny bits of plastic?

the latter I think

bluegreen said:

bon008 said:

pomolo said:

I got a plastic singlet bag from a major store the other day an it has ‘compostable ‘ printed on it. I’ll try it.

I wonder about those sorts of things, too – do they really break down into proper soil, or do they just break down into tiny bits of plastic?

the latter I think

unless they are made of corn starch, which many are. If it is compostable rather than biodegradable then they are probably made of corn starch, but possibly GE corn.

bluegreen said:

bon008 said:

pomolo said:

I got a plastic singlet bag from a major store the other day an it has ‘compostable ‘ printed on it. I’ll try it.

I wonder about those sorts of things, too – do they really break down into proper soil, or do they just break down into tiny bits of plastic?

the latter I think

In that case, I would think it’s better for them to be recycled in a recycling plant (I think at Coles and Woolies now they have bins to take back checkout bags for recyclying?) and made into something useful, instead of ending up in people’s soil? But then I suppose there’s transport and the energy cost of running the plant.. complicated!

The seedlings I buy come in blue plastic punnets and on the label it says they are compostable.
I buried a bunch in a spot last year, and digging there just now, I cannot find a trace of them.

But I still don’t get why seedlings don’t come in recycled paper punnets to ease transplant shock. For the plants that do suffer from it anyway.

bluegreen said:

bluegreen said:

bon008 said:

I wonder about those sorts of things, too – do they really break down into proper soil, or do they just break down into tiny bits of plastic?

the latter I think

unless they are made of corn starch, which many are. If it is compostable rather than biodegradable then they are probably made of corn starch, but possibly GE corn.

Ahh, that’s a really good point.

I’m sure I read somewhere, that things saying compostable or biodegradable only have to do so in certain conditions, and it may not work in the usual home composting. Worth a try though!

Muschee said:

Dinetta said:

Good morning all….in Europe, I believe they have little recycling bins, in the house…have had these for years…well Germany, anyhow…

We keep a basket on the end of the kitchen bench and when she’s full it goes out to the big bin.
Looks a bit messy sometimes, but who cares :)

Most things go straight into the bin, sits on the washing Machine and then if your first out you take it out with you.

bon008 said:

Oh! and to hijack a little bit..

What do you guys do with the little dehydrating sachets you get in things? The ones that say “Do not eat” :D I get them in vitamin bottles, and also sometimes you get one under a piece of meat.

I’ve heard that you can stick them into potting mix to act like water saving crystals, or I suppose you could put them in wardrobes etc to act as dehumidifiers?

Seems wrong to just bin them…

I used them in my camera bags, and in the sealed containers that the camera and parts live in when they’re not being used. It is amazing how much moisture there is in the air up here…. some call it humidity.

Muschee said:

Dinetta said:

Good morning all….in Europe, I believe they have little recycling bins, in the house…have had these for years…well Germany, anyhow…

We keep a basket on the end of the kitchen bench and when she’s full it goes out to the big bin.
Looks a bit messy sometimes, but who cares :)

Our recyclable basket was made by a Koiari man from the Village of Nauro 2 just off the Kokoda Track. He was my Porter and Best Friend when I walked the Track. After the track experience, he would often walk to Moresby and give me a call and we would meet up and just chill with his family. One day he said that he had made a cane basket for me, and he handed it to me. It is so well made and so strong, it looks perfect for a picnic hamper without the lid, but it now sits in our kitchen and collects our tins, cans and plastic to be recycled.

Our normal garbage bin has so little put into it now that I may as well tell the shire council to take it back. I’m still paying exaggerated prices for having a bin that I don’t use and emptying a bin that they could empty once every six weeks and it still wouldn’t be full enough to be worth emptying. So, I want my money back on the old garbage bin and they can recycle everything that I don’t.

I’ve always composted anything that can go in the compost because after all I have already paid for the packaging, why should I throw it away then go and buy compost in a bag at bunnings??

There is also this issue. If you are collecting recyclables to put in the sulo, then why not simply separate them and drop them off at the recyclers for cash?

They’ll pay for many things if you organise them properly. They may not pay much but in my case I have to drive a ways to get to town or work anyway, so it is no skin off my nose to chuck bags or buckets of aluminium copper steel and lead .. type thing.. For example the old car batteries if I have had them sitting around taking up space in my yard.. five of them will get you 20 bucks for fuel.
People really should start demanding that we get our money back on stuff we have bought and is now useless.. For example, within a year, all support for my computer will be gone. I’ll have to buy a new computer and toss this one away even though it is perfectly useable. If I don’t hurry up all the data on it will be irretrievable since the HD will not be recognised by modern computers but I think I’ll just botcott all that and go back to being a Luddite..

roughbarked said:

I think I’ll just botcott all that and go back to being a Luddite..

Don’t do that, we couldn’t “talk” to you then…:(

Dinetta said:

roughbarked said:

I think I’ll just botcott all that and go back to being a Luddite..

Don’t do that, we couldn’t “talk” to you then…:(

Aw, how could I resist. :)

However it may well be true unless something changes my fortunes.

roughbarked said:

Dinetta said:

roughbarked said:

I think I’ll just botcott all that and go back to being a Luddite..

Don’t do that, we couldn’t “talk” to you then…:(

Aw, how could I resist. :)

However it may well be true unless something changes my fortunes.

I do hope your fortune changes then RB.

pain master said:

bon008 said:

Oh! and to hijack a little bit..

What do you guys do with the little dehydrating sachets you get in things? The ones that say “Do not eat” :D I get them in vitamin bottles, and also sometimes you get one under a piece of meat.

I’ve heard that you can stick them into potting mix to act like water saving crystals, or I suppose you could put them in wardrobes etc to act as dehumidifiers?

Seems wrong to just bin them…

I used them in my camera bags, and in the sealed containers that the camera and parts live in when they’re not being used. It is amazing how much moisture there is in the air up here…. some call it humidity.

D’oh.. wish I’d thought of that when I took our digital camera to Indonesia :D Luckily it was an old, crap one, so its death wasn’t too sad.

roughbarked said:

Dinetta said:

roughbarked said:

I think I’ll just botcott all that and go back to being a Luddite..

Don’t do that, we couldn’t “talk” to you then…:(

Aw, how could I resist. :)

However it may well be true unless something changes my fortunes.

They say everybody’s stars are moving into some favourable orbit…hope something turns up for you…

Dinetta said:

roughbarked said:

Dinetta said:

Don’t do that, we couldn’t “talk” to you then…:(

Aw, how could I resist. :)

However it may well be true unless something changes my fortunes.

They say everybody’s stars are moving into some favourable orbit…hope something turns up for you…

Think I’m bit of unacceptable cog in the gear train of society.. For my fortune to change, that of many others would have to be drastically altered.

Muschee said:

So what have you discovered that can go in the recycle bin, that most people would overlook?

Just checked our local recyclers website and found out that they accept aerosol cans….never knew that! They don’t accept waxed cardboard (eg fruit boxes) but it seems that other cardboard is ok. They take steel cans, but not paint tins. PET plastic, glass jars without lids, milk bottles, shampoo and detergent bottles are all ok as well.

Muschee said:

Dinetta said:

ours won’t accept greasy cardboard, or lids…

Fashionista can’t recycle her newspapers AFAIK…

Muschee I’m more dismayed at what I can’t recycle…e.g. meat trays etc, even after they’ve been washed…

I agree. Especially the meat trays, be it plastic or foam.

I often use the deep meat and fruit trays for seed raising

bon008 said:

Oh! and to hijack a little bit..

What do you guys do with the little dehydrating sachets you get in things? The ones that say “Do not eat” :D I get them in vitamin bottles, and also sometimes you get one under a piece of meat.

I’ve heard that you can stick them into potting mix to act like water saving crystals, or I suppose you could put them in wardrobes etc to act as dehumidifiers?

Seems wrong to just bin them…

I put them with my saved seed to keep it dry

pain master said:

bon008 said:

Oh! and to hijack a little bit..

What do you guys do with the little dehydrating sachets you get in things? The ones that say “Do not eat” :D I get them in vitamin bottles, and also sometimes you get one under a piece of meat.

I’ve heard that you can stick them into potting mix to act like water saving crystals, or I suppose you could put them in wardrobes etc to act as dehumidifiers?

Seems wrong to just bin them…

I used them in my camera bags, and in the sealed containers that the camera and parts live in when they’re not being used. It is amazing how much moisture there is in the air up here…. some call it humidity.

My son uses them with his camera stuff also.

AnneS said:

bon008 said:

Oh! and to hijack a little bit..

What do you guys do with the little dehydrating sachets you get in things? The ones that say “Do not eat” :D I get them in vitamin bottles, and also sometimes you get one under a piece of meat.

I’ve heard that you can stick them into potting mix to act like water saving crystals, or I suppose you could put them in wardrobes etc to act as dehumidifiers?

Seems wrong to just bin them…

I put them with my saved seed to keep it dry

That’s a clever use, thanks Anne :)