Recently the other half asked me this question. My reply went along the lines of:
Don’t really try to interpret what is written upon the lid.
Everything is recyclable. If you have a greenwaste bin. Then do that. If you have only been given a recyclables bin, then put compostible matial in a compost heap. All else, goes in the recyclables bin. The simple thing to remember is to separate every item. Plastic bags are still classed as containers. Just don’t put them in the recycleables bin whilst still containing anything other than air. Your responsibility is only to try to do the right thing. To put plastic bags anywhere else is an irresponsible act on your behalf. What the waste controllers do with it after that facr, remains their responsibility. And so forth. Think about it.

I’d say follow your council’s instructions. There may be some things that can theoretically be recycled but for which no recycling facilities are available.

And you don’t have to “separate” anything with our recycling, just chuck it all in loosely (not in bags) in your bin and it’s sorted at the depot.

Check the magnetic card list the council sent you. Or it might just be a list. Or have a look at the council’s online instructions. For your particular place.

Bubblecar said:

I’d say follow your council’s instructions. There may be some things that can theoretically be recycled but for which no recycling facilities are available.

And you don’t have to “separate” anything with our recycling, just chuck it all in loosely (not in bags) in your bin and it’s sorted at the depot.

The not in bags thing is a big part of what i said about separation.
You can indeed put all of your stubbies back in the box..

buffy said:

Check the magnetic card list the council sent you. Or it might just be a list. Or have a look at the council’s online instructions. For your particular place.

The responsibility for the bits in the recyclig bin belongs to those in control of that.

Only recycle clean things, e.g., pizza boxes covered in stuck-on sauce etc. go in the normal garbage, not the recycling.

If plastic bags or milk bottle lids are included in our recycling bin, the council sends the whole lot to landfill.

They have very strict guidelines on what can go in according to their capacity to process.

roughbarked said:

buffy said:

Check the magnetic card list the council sent you. Or it might just be a list. Or have a look at the council’s online instructions. For your particular place.

The responsibility for the bits in the recyclig bin belongs to those in control of that.

The council is responsible for telling you what can and can’t go in the bin, whatever contractors collect & recycle it.

Bubblecar said:

Only recycle clean things, e.g., pizza boxes covered in stuck-on sauce etc. go in the normal garbage, not the recycling.

Compost heap.

Teleost said:

If plastic bags or milk bottle lids are included in our recycling bin, the council sends the whole lot to landfill.

They have very strict guidelines on what can go in according to their capacity to process.

This is a responsibility that belongs to them.

roughbarked said:

Bubblecar said:

Only recycle clean things, e.g., pizza boxes covered in stuck-on sauce etc. go in the normal garbage, not the recycling.

Compost heap.

If you have one. Not everyone has a use for a compost heap.

But it’s your responsibility to stick to their guidelines.

Bubblecar said:

roughbarked said:

buffy said:

Check the magnetic card list the council sent you. Or it might just be a list. Or have a look at the council’s online instructions. For your particular place.

The responsibility for the bits in the recyclig bin belongs to those in control of that.

The council is responsible for telling you what can and can’t go in the bin, whatever contractors collect & recycle it.

The first thing to say here, is rubbish.

Bubblecar said:

roughbarked said:

Bubblecar said:

Only recycle clean things, e.g., pizza boxes covered in stuck-on sauce etc. go in the normal garbage, not the recycling.

Compost heap.

If you have one. Not everyone has a use for a compost heap.

Most Shires will provide you with one.

Divine Angel said:

But it’s your responsibility to stick to their guidelines.

No. Only if you clearly ignore everything that you are told. They will still chuck anything they are not equipped to deal with to the fancy of the winds and pelicans gullets.

You are talking unmitigated rubbish again, roughbarked. Pun intended.

thank you buffy. i thought it was just me with a comprehension problem.

buffy said:

You are talking unmitigated rubbish again, roughbarked. Pun intended.

Can I both agree, with a smile and disagree? It is up to us to teach them. Not up to us to follow their lead.

ChrispenEvan said:

thank you buffy. i thought it was just me with a comprehension problem.

It is about time you ztopped looking for outzide assistance.

Recycling system efficiency
The next issue with plastic bags is that they interfere with the automatic sorting machines.

Conveyor belts feed the recycling into rotating tunnels, onto spinning wheels and past magnets and eddy currents to separate the plastic, glass, paper, aluminium and steel cans. Plastic bags cannot be sorted from other materials by existing machinery. Instead, they get caught in the conveyor belts and jam spinning wheels and can bring the entire sorting station to a halt. The bags then need to be found and removed by hand – a time consuming and often dangerous process that reduces the overall efficiency of the recycling station or materials recovery facility (MRF).

http://recyclingweek.planetark.org/recycling-info/plasticbags.cfm

We definitely need a facility for recycling plastic bags. The bins at the supermarket are usually overflowing. Would be much easier if we could recycle them through council facilities.

i seem to be able to get just enough from shopping to use as garbage bags when disposing of rubbish.

the local tip has improved out of site over the years i have been here. they recycle as much as possible. e-waste, metal, ali cans, glass, cardboard and paper, irrigation pipe, wire, green and general. they take lead batteries, car bodies. and plus it is kept really neat. it is almost a pleasure to go there.

here

jjjust moi said:

Recycling system efficiency
The next issue with plastic bags is that they interfere with the automatic sorting machines.

Conveyor belts feed the recycling into rotating tunnels, onto spinning wheels and past magnets and eddy currents to separate the plastic, glass, paper, aluminium and steel cans. Plastic bags cannot be sorted from other materials by existing machinery. Instead, they get caught in the conveyor belts and jam spinning wheels and can bring the entire sorting station to a halt. The bags then need to be found and removed by hand – a time consuming and often dangerous process that reduces the overall efficiency of the recycling station or materials recovery facility (MRF).

http://recyclingweek.planetark.org/recycling-info/plasticbags.cfm

I know what plastic bags do. The responsibility for their manufacture, use and recycling of. Is not my responsibility.

Divine Angel said:

We definitely need a facility for recycling plastic bags. The bins at the supermarket are usually overflowing. Would be much easier if we could recycle them through council facilities.

Yes.

ChrispenEvan said:

i seem to be able to get just enough from shopping to use as garbage bags when disposing of rubbish.

Many people do

ChrispenEvan said:

the local tip has improved out of site over the years i have been here. they recycle as much as possible. e-waste, metal, ali cans, glass, cardboard and paper, irrigation pipe, wire, green and general. they take lead batteries, car bodies. and plus it is kept really neat. it is almost a pleasure to go there.

here

This is what waste management should be about, yes.

ChrispenEvan said:

the local tip has improved out of site over the years i have been here. they recycle as much as possible. e-waste, metal, ali cans, glass, cardboard and paper, irrigation pipe, wire, green and general. they take lead batteries, car bodies. and plus it is kept really neat. it is almost a pleasure to go there.

here

It’s good to be back in SA..
Took the empties to the local bottle and can depot (around the corner) and got $23 back :D

stumpy_seahorse said:

ChrispenEvan said:

the local tip has improved out of site over the years i have been here. they recycle as much as possible. e-waste, metal, ali cans, glass, cardboard and paper, irrigation pipe, wire, green and general. they take lead batteries, car bodies. and plus it is kept really neat. it is almost a pleasure to go there.

here

It’s good to be back in SA..
Took the empties to the local bottle and can depot (around the corner) and got $23 back :D

:-)

roughbarked said:

I know what plastic bags do. The responsibility for their manufacture, use and recycling of. Is not my responsibility.

So you think it’s helpful to sabotage the recycling process by including material that it can’t currently handle?

that’s how we made a bit extra as kids in england back in the 60’s, return “pop” bottles. and to think half a century later it still isn’t widespread in australia.

Bubblecar said:

roughbarked said:

I know what plastic bags do. The responsibility for their manufacture, use and recycling of. Is not my responsibility.

So you think it’s helpful to sabotage the recycling process by including material that it can’t currently handle?

Again I will say both no and yes. If we don,t teach them what to do, they will keep shoving that back down our throats.

ChrispenEvan said:

that’s how we made a bit extra as kids in england back in the 60’s, return “pop” bottles. and to think half a century later it still isn’t widespread in australia.

It was up until Schweppes (England) decided to stop washing bottles. In 1973, I believe it was. Something similar to when Don Dunstan initiated SA’s system.

roughbarked said:

ChrispenEvan said:

that’s how we made a bit extra as kids in england back in the 60’s, return “pop” bottles. and to think half a century later it still isn’t widespread in australia.

It was up until Schweppes (England) decided to stop washing bottles. In 1973, I believe it was. Something similar to when Don Dunstan initiated SA’s system.

From memory, Schweppes decided that 33 trips wans no longer cost effective for glass bottle washing.

The issues have need to be addressed, from whichever direction any of us arrive at this point. I’m not asking people to not do what they are directed to do in the case of things that have actual direction. ie: used oils, chemials, nuclear waste and the like. You don’t take your old tyres home for example. You drive home with new tyres and leave the old ones there. Otherwise you can take your old tyres home and save five bucks per tyre, if you want to figure out how to recycle them yourself.

But. And yes bad grammar aside, it is a big butt.

If plastic bags are put in recycle bins(tied in knots of course), then it will only be minutes after start on the first day, that something will be done about the issue.

roughbarked said:

But. And yes bad grammar aside, it is a big butt.

If plastic bags are put in recycle bins(tied in knots of course), then it will only be minutes after start on the first day, that something will be done about the issue.

Otherwise, plastic bag recycling bins would already be in place.

roughbarked said:

roughbarked said:

But. And yes bad grammar aside, it is a big butt.

If plastic bags are put in recycle bins(tied in knots of course), then it will only be minutes after start on the first day, that something will be done about the issue.

Otherwise, plastic bag recycling bins would already be in place.

Part of the reason plastic bags became the main of ths conversation is becase they happen to be an issue that hasn’t actually been dealt with. In many aspects, hwever the averave joe doesn’t realise that the only direction they have ben given, is to not put plastic bags in the bin if you expet the contents or the bag to be reycled. There remain many isses beyond plastic bags to be discussed

you can recycle plastic bags but not in the recycling bin

Some supermarkets have a collection bin for them

CrazyNeutrino said:

you can recycle plastic bags but not in the recycling bin

Some supermarkets have a collection bin for them

CrazyNeutrino said:

you can recycle plastic bags but not in the recycling bin

Some supermarkets have a collection bin for them

Yes.

rb, I’m not exactly sure what you’re on about here, but I’m going to take it that you’re suggesting we should all clog up the recycling plant/s until they change their ways and accept plastic bags.

Too many truckloads of waste are already rejected by recycling plants due to contaminated loads. If it was easy to introduce a plastic bag removal machine at the beginning of the process, I’m sure it would have been done by now. Alternatively we can introduce staff to do this task but unfortunately, this is both expensive and time-consuming.

Does it make you feel all warm and fuzzy to be “doing your bit” by adding your plastic bags? Sending a few more hundred truckloads of others’ carefully sorted recycling to the landfill to make your point? Letting councils deal with the mess you leave for them will make a positive change, will it?

Probably not.

Have you thought about writing to your Council’s GM or your Councillors? Starting a petition? Or as others have suggested, recycling your plastic bags at the local supermarket?

By the way, even though styrofoam may be marked as recyclable, do not put it in the recycling bin. Recycling centres hate it because it blows everywhere, making a big mess of the place. The item second most hated by recycling centres is food.

There was a very interesting Global Village program on third world recycling of plastic bags – they were heated (which created a huge stink) to melt them and mixed with sand to be set into cheap durable pavers for roads and footpaths. I want to try out making cheap carbon fibre products using plastic bags slit and threaded onto a loom before heat-shrinking. That’s OK, but definitely do not put them in the recycling bin.

Speedy said:

CrazyNeutrino said:

you can recycle plastic bags but not in the recycling bin

Some supermarkets have a collection bin for them

Yes.

rb, I’m not exactly sure what you’re on about here, but I’m going to take it that you’re suggesting we should all clog up the recycling plant/s until they change their ways and accept plastic bags.

Too many truckloads of waste are already rejected by recycling plants due to contaminated loads. If it was easy to introduce a plastic bag removal machine at the beginning of the process, I’m sure it would have been done by now. Alternatively we can introduce staff to do this task but unfortunately, this is both expensive and time-consuming.

Does it make you feel all warm and fuzzy to be “doing your bit” by adding your plastic bags? Sending a few more hundred truckloads of others’ carefully sorted recycling to the landfill to make your point? Letting councils deal with the mess you leave for them will make a positive change, will it?

Probably not.

Have you thought about writing to your Council’s GM or your Councillors? Starting a petition? Or as others have suggested, recycling your plastic bags at the local supermarket?

Thanks Speedy. No. I am not in favour of putting plastic bags in recycling bins. In fact I’ve avoided plastic bags for decades as much as humanly possible. However the issue is still with us and is being stepped around at every turn. Tonight I’ve been watching Aim High In Creation, it is on SBS. Very interesting indeed.

mollwollfumble said:

By the way, even though styrofoam may be marked as recyclable, do not put it in the recycling bin. Recycling centres hate it because it blows everywhere, making a big mess of the place. The item second most hated by recycling centres is food.

There was a very interesting Global Village program on third world recycling of plastic bags – they were heated (which created a huge stink) to melt them and mixed with sand to be set into cheap durable pavers for roads and footpaths. I want to try out making cheap carbon fibre products using plastic bags slit and threaded onto a loom before heat-shrinking. That’s OK, but definitely do not put them in the recycling bin.

Yes. Styrofoam is really difficult as well. It is interesting the debate that this thread has gone on with.

roughbarked said:

However the issue is still with us and is being stepped around at every turn.

And what issue is that?

Witty Rejoinder said:

roughbarked said:

However the issue is still with us and is being stepped around at every turn.

And what issue is that?

Plastic bags.

roughbarked said:

Witty Rejoinder said:

roughbarked said:

However the issue is still with us and is being stepped around at every turn.

And what issue is that?

Plastic bags.

How is the issue of plastic bags being stepped around?

Witty Rejoinder said:

roughbarked said:

Witty Rejoinder said:

And what issue is that?

Plastic bags.

How is the issue of plastic bags being stepped around?

For a start we are still using them.

roughbarked said:

Witty Rejoinder said:

roughbarked said:

Plastic bags.

How is the issue of plastic bags being stepped around?

For a start we are still using them.

But they are just so damned convenient. And like most people I find the ins from shopping, equal the outs in wrapping the detritus from what was purchased and putting into the non recycle bin.

Gee. Over all, it’s not too hard for us. We have two 99 cent plastic buckets purchased from Woolworths and another smaller container. These are our internal household rubbish bins.

Plastic shopping bags fit the bucket perfectly, and are used for non-recyclable rubbish only. We save the bags for that purpose.

Another bucket is used for recyclables (as per council list).

The smaller container is for compostable material, which ends up in one of the compost bins – this includes vegetable scraps, coffee grounds, tea bags and torn up bits of cardboard and paper.

The thing that annoys me is that we could go 4-6 weeks without needing the rubbish-only bin emptied. It is collected weekly. The recycling is collected fortnightly, and (in our case) should be collected weekly.

And we have to pay a whole lot extra to have a bin for green recycling. (I would use it for sticks and branches that don’t compost well.)

The thing that annoys me is that we could go 4-6 weeks without needing the rubbish-only bin emptied. It is collected weekly. The recycling is collected fortnightly, and (in our case) should be collected weekly.

sounds like me, only add a few weeks as it is a single person house. the chooks get the vege scraps. and the bgs are used for rubbish. the bags that i get the veges in are used to freeze stuff in.

AwesomeO said:

roughbarked said:

Witty Rejoinder said:

How is the issue of plastic bags being stepped around?

For a start we are still using them.

But they are just so damned convenient. And like most people I find the ins from shopping, equal the outs in wrapping the detritus from what was purchased and putting into the non recycle bin.

Yes but they go to landfill. This is a waste of the resource.

i would like to see a weight based rubbish charge.

And for no reason at all, when napoleon invaded Egypt he took offence at the stray dogs roaming the streets and ordered them all shot. It didn’t take long before Cairo was knee deep in rubbish, back in the day before tins and plastic the so called pariah dogs were the city’s waste management system.

why is it a waste?

the resource is still there.

the tech will come along where that resource can be “mined”. just like old mullock heaps are “mined” when the tech came along and the price was right.

roughbarked said:

AwesomeO said:

roughbarked said:

For a start we are still using them.

But they are just so damned convenient. And like most people I find the ins from shopping, equal the outs in wrapping the detritus from what was purchased and putting into the non recycle bin.

Yes but they go to landfill. This is a waste of the resource.

It is not a resource if it cannot be utilised. In a hundred years or so then the landfill will be a resource. I have seen recycling shows where plastic bags are recycled, I think they weave things out of them. But you need to incorporate economics into your plan.

they are mining the methane from rubbish tips now.

Michael V said:

Gee. Over all, it’s not too hard for us. We have two 99 cent plastic buckets purchased from Woolworths and another smaller container. These are our internal household rubbish bins.

Plastic shopping bags fit the bucket perfectly, and are used for non-recyclable rubbish only. We save the bags for that purpose.

Another bucket is used for recyclables (as per council list).

The smaller container is for compostable material, which ends up in one of the compost bins – this includes vegetable scraps, coffee grounds, tea bags and torn up bits of cardboard and paper.

The thing that annoys me is that we could go 4-6 weeks without needing the rubbish-only bin emptied. It is collected weekly. The recycling is collected fortnightly, and (in our case) should be collected weekly.

And we have to pay a whole lot extra to have a bin for green recycling. (I would use it for sticks and branches that don’t compost well.)

Yes. I noticed immediately that my recycling bin is always overflowing and that my non- recycling bin only ever has a small amount in the bottom. However, a large amount of my waste never enters either bin, including the sticks you mention. It may not always be energy efficient but we do all have a great recycling tool at our hand. So much can be reduced to compostable level by running over it with the lawnmower first.

ChrispenEvan said:

i would like to see a weight based rubbish charge.

They do that in Brisbane, (if you take stuff to the tip). The council gives out a few free tickets after the rates are payed.

I’d love to know what to do with branches at home. I recently took >300 kg to the tip. Admittedly they convert this stuff to mulch, which (I personally think) is a good thing.

ChrispenEvan said:

The thing that annoys me is that we could go 4-6 weeks without needing the rubbish-only bin emptied. It is collected weekly. The recycling is collected fortnightly, and (in our case) should be collected weekly.

sounds like me, only add a few weeks as it is a single person house. the chooks get the vege scraps. and the bgs are used for rubbish. the bags that i get the veges in are used to freeze stuff in.

Chooks are one of the great recyclers, though I”‘ve never been able to use all the eggs many ideas are floating about in my head.

ChrispenEvan said:

i would like to see a weight based rubbish charge.

I agree.

roughbarked said:

Michael V said:

Gee. Over all, it’s not too hard for us. We have two 99 cent plastic buckets purchased from Woolworths and another smaller container. These are our internal household rubbish bins.

Plastic shopping bags fit the bucket perfectly, and are used for non-recyclable rubbish only. We save the bags for that purpose.

Another bucket is used for recyclables (as per council list).

The smaller container is for compostable material, which ends up in one of the compost bins – this includes vegetable scraps, coffee grounds, tea bags and torn up bits of cardboard and paper.

The thing that annoys me is that we could go 4-6 weeks without needing the rubbish-only bin emptied. It is collected weekly. The recycling is collected fortnightly, and (in our case) should be collected weekly.

And we have to pay a whole lot extra to have a bin for green recycling. (I would use it for sticks and branches that don’t compost well.)

Yes. I noticed immediately that my recycling bin is always overflowing and that my non- recycling bin only ever has a small amount in the bottom. However, a large amount of my waste never enters either bin, including the sticks you mention. It may not always be energy efficient but we do all have a great recycling tool at our hand. So much can be reduced to compostable level by running over it with the lawnmower first.

Ah. I use a push-pull hand mower. Sticks and the reel-cutter don’t mix.

a chipper MV. though better to get the tip to do it really. i burn all my waste like that then get the ash for the garden.

ChrispenEvan said:

they are mining the methane from rubbish tips now.

I know, I was thinking of the usual type. I expect in future all western dumps will be plumbed for methane extraction.

AwesomeO said:

And for no reason at all, when napoleon invaded Egypt he took offence at the stray dogs roaming the streets and ordered them all shot. It didn’t take long before Cairo was knee deep in rubbish, back in the day before tins and plastic the so called pariah dogs were the city’s waste management system.

In places like Bali, this still exists.

roughbarked said:

ChrispenEvan said:

The thing that annoys me is that we could go 4-6 weeks without needing the rubbish-only bin emptied. It is collected weekly. The recycling is collected fortnightly, and (in our case) should be collected weekly.

sounds like me, only add a few weeks as it is a single person house. the chooks get the vege scraps. and the bgs are used for rubbish. the bags that i get the veges in are used to freeze stuff in.

Chooks are one of the great recyclers, though I”‘ve never been able to use all the eggs many ideas are floating about in my head.

I love chooks for that purpose. Pity one is only allowed four in Brisbane, and no rooster…

Michael V said:

ChrispenEvan said:

i would like to see a weight based rubbish charge.

They do that in Brisbane, (if you take stuff to the tip). The council gives out a few free tickets after the rates are payed.

I’d love to know what to do with branches at home. I recently took >300 kg to the tip. Admittedly they convert this stuff to mulch, which (I personally think) is a good thing.

I have a party and burn them. The get togethers of old mates and a fire are popular. Not enough this year but the poles are growing for next year…

i don’t have a rooster and wouldn’t. noisy bastards and they annoy the chooks.

ChrispenEvan said:

why is it a waste?

The resource you mean? Well, it can be recycled into other products. It requires a lot from the composting process to do anything with it at all. The resource itself is non- renewable and should be treated with as much economy as we can.

ChrispenEvan said:

the resource is still there.

This is true but it is in a less usable form and this is after we have gone to great expense to put it there.

ChrispenEvan said:

a chipper MV. though better to get the tip to do it really. i burn all my waste like that then get the ash for the garden.

Chippers are expensive to run, and use more energy to cut the sticks than is justifiable IHMO. Burning, well. If one could use the heat, great. I have been thinking of building a rocket stove (to cook using a wok) to deal with the sticks problem.

ChrispenEvan said:

the tech will come along where that resource can be “mined”. just like old mullock heaps are “mined” when the tech came along and the price was right.

Again correct but in this instance the resource isn’t there because it couldn’t be mined or economically sifted in the first place.

Michael V said:

roughbarked said:

Michael V said:

Gee. Over all, it’s not too hard for us. We have two 99 cent plastic buckets purchased from Woolworths and another smaller container. These are our internal household rubbish bins.

Plastic shopping bags fit the bucket perfectly, and are used for non-recyclable rubbish only. We save the bags for that purpose.

Another bucket is used for recyclables (as per council list).

The smaller container is for compostable material, which ends up in one of the compost bins – this includes vegetable scraps, coffee grounds, tea bags and torn up bits of cardboard and paper.

The thing that annoys me is that we could go 4-6 weeks without needing the rubbish-only bin emptied. It is collected weekly. The recycling is collected fortnightly, and (in our case) should be collected weekly.

And we have to pay a whole lot extra to have a bin for green recycling. (I would use it for sticks and branches that don’t compost well.)

Yes. I noticed immediately that my recycling bin is always overflowing and that my non- recycling bin only ever has a small amount in the bottom. However, a large amount of my waste never enters either bin, including the sticks you mention. It may not always be energy efficient but we do all have a great recycling tool at our hand. So much can be reduced to compostable level by running over it with the lawnmower first.

Ah. I use a push-pull hand mower. Sticks and the reel-cutter don’t mix.

No. This is true.

AwesomeO said:

And for no reason at all, when napoleon invaded Egypt he took offence at the stray dogs roaming the streets and ordered them all shot. It didn’t take long before Cairo was knee deep in rubbish, back in the day before tins and plastic the so called pariah dogs were the city’s waste management system.

Interesting.

ChrispenEvan said:

they are mining the methane from rubbish tips now.

In some instances yes.

Again correct but in this instance the resource isn’t there because it couldn’t be mined or economically sifted in the first place.

why does it matter how or why it is there?

roughbarked said:

ChrispenEvan said:

why is it a waste?

The resource you mean? Well, it can be recycled into other products. It requires a lot from the composting process to do anything with it at all. The resource itself is non- renewable and should be treated with as much economy as we can.

In 20 years the boffns will via gene technology invent a microbe that digests plastic and inject it into rubbish dumps to convert the plastics into usable hydrocarbons, unfortunately the microbe escapes and modern civilisation ceases.

AwesomeO said:

Michael V said:

ChrispenEvan said:

i would like to see a weight based rubbish charge.

They do that in Brisbane, (if you take stuff to the tip). The council gives out a few free tickets after the rates are payed.

I’d love to know what to do with branches at home. I recently took >300 kg to the tip. Admittedly they convert this stuff to mulch, which (I personally think) is a good thing.

I have a party and burn them. The get togethers of old mates and a fire are popular. Not enough this year but the poles are growing for next year…

I like this, but Brisbane is never cold enough to justify a fire. Well, I suppose I could, if I tried…

Michael V said:

ChrispenEvan said:

i would like to see a weight based rubbish charge.

They do that in Brisbane, (if you take stuff to the tip). The council gives out a few free tickets after the rates are payed.

I’d love to know what to do with branches at home. I recently took >300 kg to the tip. Admittedly they convert this stuff to mulch, which (I personally think) is a good thing.

Think a combo of bio-char and hungi?

ChrispenEvan said:

i don’t have a rooster and wouldn’t. noisy bastards and they annoy the chooks.

But they help make more hens, which is a good thing.

the microbes will be developed to only eat hdpe.

cheaper to buy the new hens.

AwesomeO said:

roughbarked said:

ChrispenEvan said:

why is it a waste?

The resource you mean? Well, it can be recycled into other products. It requires a lot from the composting process to do anything with it at all. The resource itself is non- renewable and should be treated with as much economy as we can.

In 20 years the boffns will via gene technology invent a microbe that digests plastic and inject it into rubbish dumps to convert the plastics into usable hydrocarbons, unfortunately the microbe escapes and modern civilisation ceases.

Hahahahahaha! Telephone disinfecting personnel and all that!

:)

I’m using a tiny cheap Chinese notebook and it makes keeping up on forums very difficult for me. Hopefully I’ll get better at it but ideally I’d prefer a bigger screen accessibility.

ChrispenEvan said:

a chipper MV. though better to get the tip to do it really. i burn all my waste like that then get the ash for the garden.

I was one of the first in my locale to purchase a chipper. Bloody beast of a thing with bigger branches of hardwood. However, I perservered.

ChrispenEvan said:

cheaper to buy the new hens.

Really?

Things must’ve changed since I last kept chooks. (Admittedly >10 years ago.)

ChrispenEvan said:

i don’t have a rooster and wouldn’t. noisy bastards and they annoy the chooks.

Yep. Not having a rooster has many advantages.

one of the complaints by some green groups is the, as they believe, misguided hope that science will find an answer so we don’t really have to do anything.

personally i don’t see that attitude in the science types i know.

$15 will get a good layer. only need them every few years. got to feed and keep a rooster that long for no production.

ChrispenEvan said:

Again correct but in this instance the resource isn’t there because it couldn’t be mined or economically sifted in the first place.

why does it matter how or why it is there?

Because we could be utilising without ever putting it in there

AwesomeO said:

roughbarked said:

ChrispenEvan said:

why is it a waste?

The resource you mean? Well, it can be recycled into other products. It requires a lot from the composting process to do anything with it at all. The resource itself is non- renewable and should be treated with as much economy as we can.

In 20 years the boffns will via gene technology invent a microbe that digests plastic and inject it into rubbish dumps to convert the plastics into usable hydrocarbons, unfortunately the microbe escapes and modern civilisation ceases.

A theme that has popped up in Sci-Fi quite often.

but it is there and is still going there. wishful thinking that it will end tomorrow is not going to change that.

the grey goo scenario. not going to happen otherwise nature would have already done it.

ChrispenEvan said:

but it is there and is still going there. wishful thinking that it will end tomorrow is not going to change that.

Of this I am aware. Though it doesn’t change the fact that it is a wasteful practice.

and i think we are all aware of that judging by the comments.

ChrispenEvan said:

cheaper to buy the new hens.

Yes. In many ways.

ChrispenEvan said:

and i think we are all aware of that judging by the comments.

True.

As for what to do with the cardboard,

roughbarked said:

Thanks Speedy. No. I am not in favour of putting plastic bags in recycling bins. In fact I’ve avoided plastic bags for decades as much as humanly possible. However the issue is still with us and is being stepped around at every turn. Tonight I’ve been watching Aim High In Creation, it is on SBS. Very interesting indeed.

Okay thanks for clarifying that.

Speedy said:

roughbarked said:

Thanks Speedy. No. I am not in favour of putting plastic bags in recycling bins. In fact I’ve avoided plastic bags for decades as much as humanly possible. However the issue is still with us and is being stepped around at every turn. Tonight I’ve been watching Aim High In Creation, it is on SBS. Very interesting indeed.

Okay thanks for clarifying that.

I’ll have you know that my walnuts are sought after by many. ;)

Having Major Mitchell’s endorsment is of GreatValue to me.