What happens to dirty cans and bottles?
Recycling is a good idea , but my friend was using his can and water bottles as ash tray 🤮🤢
So what happens to dirty plastic
So what happens to dirty plastic
31-35, F
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cherokeepatti · 61-69, F
BiasForAction · M
swirlie · 31-35, F
They actually go to landfill (the dump) when they discover food-stuff in jars and bottles, like peanut butter or jam or sauces. That's why they tell us to rinse all bottles and jars thoroughly of any food waste before throwing it into the recycle box.
As well, any plastic that is black in color is not recyclable, so just throw it into the garbage in the first place.
Any container that's had non-consumable stuff in it, like windshield washer antifreeze, are not recyclable. They all go right into the garbage dump bag!
As well, any plastic that is black in color is not recyclable, so just throw it into the garbage in the first place.
Any container that's had non-consumable stuff in it, like windshield washer antifreeze, are not recyclable. They all go right into the garbage dump bag!
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swirlie · 31-35, F
@ArishMell
[quote]We are told to rinse jars, bottles and cans but I don't know if contamination matters very much. [/quote]
Contamination of food waste does matter apparently which is why they define rinsing as not just splashing water around inside, but actually putting the empty jar or can right inside your dishwasher to clean it thoroughly before throwing it into the recycle bin. I do that with canned salmon or tuna after thoroughly rinsing under the tap, but I mainly put the tin in the dishwasher so it doesn't stink for a week inside the recycle bin.
The biggest problem is with peanut butter containers. If you attempt to put a peanut butter container in the dishwasher, you'll have a hell of a bloody mess all over your clean dishes which also smells of peanut butter, so I strongly do not recommend putting peanut butter jars in the dishwasher, or even cleaning them out with soap and water for that matter.
The peanut oil eventually goes rancid and now everything you've used to clean it out has to be thrown out. My peanut butter jars all go into the garbage bag destined to landfill instead of recycling them.
Plastic water containers that come with a plastic carrying handle are not recyclable unless you first remove the plastic handle by cutting it off with a knife. The handle is not recyclable because it's a different kind of plastic and goes to landfill!
All black plastic, like take-out food tray bottoms or black plastic bags are not recyclable. This is because the electronic eye sensors at the recycle center cannot differentiate between black plastic and the black rubber conveyor belt the recycled material is moving along as everything is being separated. All black plastic therefore, goes into the black garbage bag destined for landfill.
Any plastic container that's had motor oil in it is not recyclable as household recyclables because the oil will absorb right into the plastic itself, thereby rendering it unusable for food container-use during the re-use process. Plastic containers used for ethylene glycol cannot be recycled with household recyclables for the same reason. Plastic water softener salt bags cannot be recycled with household stuff either, nor can plastic fertilizer bags or plastic bags that contained composted garden soil. Those are all considered recyclable industrial waste.
Plastic oil containers and antifreeze containers are recyclable as are the bags just mentioned above, but are only recyclable as 'industrial waste' and must be taken to the industrial waste facility which separate that plastic from household consumables. But who does that? That's why they end up in landfill.
[quote]We are told to rinse jars, bottles and cans but I don't know if contamination matters very much. [/quote]
Contamination of food waste does matter apparently which is why they define rinsing as not just splashing water around inside, but actually putting the empty jar or can right inside your dishwasher to clean it thoroughly before throwing it into the recycle bin. I do that with canned salmon or tuna after thoroughly rinsing under the tap, but I mainly put the tin in the dishwasher so it doesn't stink for a week inside the recycle bin.
The biggest problem is with peanut butter containers. If you attempt to put a peanut butter container in the dishwasher, you'll have a hell of a bloody mess all over your clean dishes which also smells of peanut butter, so I strongly do not recommend putting peanut butter jars in the dishwasher, or even cleaning them out with soap and water for that matter.
The peanut oil eventually goes rancid and now everything you've used to clean it out has to be thrown out. My peanut butter jars all go into the garbage bag destined to landfill instead of recycling them.
Plastic water containers that come with a plastic carrying handle are not recyclable unless you first remove the plastic handle by cutting it off with a knife. The handle is not recyclable because it's a different kind of plastic and goes to landfill!
All black plastic, like take-out food tray bottoms or black plastic bags are not recyclable. This is because the electronic eye sensors at the recycle center cannot differentiate between black plastic and the black rubber conveyor belt the recycled material is moving along as everything is being separated. All black plastic therefore, goes into the black garbage bag destined for landfill.
Any plastic container that's had motor oil in it is not recyclable as household recyclables because the oil will absorb right into the plastic itself, thereby rendering it unusable for food container-use during the re-use process. Plastic containers used for ethylene glycol cannot be recycled with household recyclables for the same reason. Plastic water softener salt bags cannot be recycled with household stuff either, nor can plastic fertilizer bags or plastic bags that contained composted garden soil. Those are all considered recyclable industrial waste.
Plastic oil containers and antifreeze containers are recyclable as are the bags just mentioned above, but are only recyclable as 'industrial waste' and must be taken to the industrial waste facility which separate that plastic from household consumables. But who does that? That's why they end up in landfill.
ArishMell · 70-79, M
@swirlie Thank you for explaining your system.
I don't know how they do process contaminated containers from "here", but evidently either the County Council refuse-collectors or the processors who buy such materials must be sorting them somehow. They might do the same, basically, as you do, but in the depots rather than expecting the household to sort the stuff in detail.
We are not given much in the way of instructions although there are certain things, including old batteries (fire risk!) we are told must not be in any refuse. Many local shops have containers for small batteries; otherwise anything not suitable for the four household refuse bins must be taken to the Council waste-skip yard or collected by a licenced waste dealer.
The four bins (in my area - the system varies from county to county) are one each for general landfill refuse, glass, food waste, and one for paper/card/metal/salvageable plastics all together.
Those yards also take liquids like old oil and paint, and electronic scrap - the latter category comes under regulations made according to the EU's "Waste Electrical & Electronic Equipment Directive".
(We have serious problems with people claiming to remove and dispose of bulky rubbish like old furniture and building materials for a fee, but then fly-tipping it in the countryside. All waste-collectors and scrap-dealers have to be licenced and are controlled by law, further, it is also illegal for the [i]householder[/i] to hire an unlicensed collector.)
I don't know how they do process contaminated containers from "here", but evidently either the County Council refuse-collectors or the processors who buy such materials must be sorting them somehow. They might do the same, basically, as you do, but in the depots rather than expecting the household to sort the stuff in detail.
We are not given much in the way of instructions although there are certain things, including old batteries (fire risk!) we are told must not be in any refuse. Many local shops have containers for small batteries; otherwise anything not suitable for the four household refuse bins must be taken to the Council waste-skip yard or collected by a licenced waste dealer.
The four bins (in my area - the system varies from county to county) are one each for general landfill refuse, glass, food waste, and one for paper/card/metal/salvageable plastics all together.
Those yards also take liquids like old oil and paint, and electronic scrap - the latter category comes under regulations made according to the EU's "Waste Electrical & Electronic Equipment Directive".
(We have serious problems with people claiming to remove and dispose of bulky rubbish like old furniture and building materials for a fee, but then fly-tipping it in the countryside. All waste-collectors and scrap-dealers have to be licenced and are controlled by law, further, it is also illegal for the [i]householder[/i] to hire an unlicensed collector.)