Paper bags?

ashmit

Hoping someone can help!

I've decided I want to stop using cling film (wasteful and especially after the recent studies about plastics causing genital abnormalities in babies - see here - and having reread the rest of the list may give up on ever going out or using toiletries again!). Foil doesn't seem to be as bad, but there is nowhere around here where foil can be recycled (if anyone in the newcastle region knows different please let me know!!). And anyway, paper will decompose easier than foil. But I can't find anywhere to buy paper bags for sandwiches etc (I have sandwich boxes but my sandwiches are messy and I don't trust the lids!!).

Any ideas?

Thanks in advance

Bogof_Babe

Are you sure you can't recycle your tinfoil? We put ours in the "cans and plastics" skip at Sainsburys.

In your situation, I'd probably use my sandwich boxes with a rubber band around them. You get good, strong, thick rubber bands around bunches of broccoli in - you guessed it - Sainsbury . Or look on the pavement after the postman has been round.

Sorry I can't help re. paper etc., but if you think of the rain forest situation, I believe we should avoid using paper anyway, wherever we can.

arkonite_babe

You can recycle foil in Newcastle!! See THIS for details.

HTH

ashmit

Yep, sure we can't in our box scheme anyway http://www.northtyneside.gov.uk/recycling/boxit.htm

Food & drinks cans – Please rinse clean

Yes please: You do not need to remove the labels.

No thanks: Take away trays, tin foil, any other metal objects.

and there are no places linked that take foil in north tyneside - although i could check out newcastle council too.

I do reduce paper use whereever possible - have started making envelopes out of scrap paper and plan to make friends and family phone note pads again out of scrap paper for christmas - am nicking scrap paper from the recycling bin from work!!! Also take some to my voluntary job - saving paper all round.

Good idea about the rubber band - had actually thought of that in the past but forgotten!

edited to add: arkonite_babe, you're a star. I'll start collecting it and get in touch with the Sunderland people.

Magentasue

Thank you for reminding me about this! I've used greasproof paper bags from Tescos for years but they've been discontinued. Have just Googled and found these on EBay
http://stores.ebay.co.uk/Express-Tableware-and-Packaging_Paper-square-bags_W0QQcolZ4QQdirZ1QQftidZ2QQtZkm

arkonite_babe

ashmit wrote:

edited to add: arkonite_babe, you're a star. I'll start collecting it and get in touch with the Sunderland people.

No problem, it's what we are here for! Thanks!

Becles

Woolies sell a 2 part lunch box for £1.99. A sandwich just fits tightly in one section, so you don't need to wrap it in anything. There's an ice pack in the middle and another section to put other foods in.

My boys use them for school, so they get bumped about on the walk to school but their sandwiches stay intact!

Queenie

Matalan sell "Klip-It" plastics which are really good. (Microwaveable, freezeable and dishwasher safe)

Curry_Queen

If you really want to wrap your sandwiches up in something, how about greaseproof paper? You can pick up the big catering sized rolls for a couple of quid at poundshops and the like and just tear off what you need. The seem to last forever too!

apprentice_tycoon

I echo curry_queen, if you wrap the sandwich as if it was a parcel then tuck the side flaps under it, pack it in tightly with a cloth napkin (unless you want to use kitchen towel) and it will stay tidy.

Yorkielass

If you have no joy with finding a foil recycling place near you you could always try and find a charity somewhere which takes it - it hardly weighs anything so doubt it would cost much to post.

Here in York there are little yellow bins in supermarket car parks where you can put clean tin foil in and it goes to the North York Moors Railway - presume they collect it to sell for funds.

There's a list here on the York City Council website - an A-Z of recycling, which says Oxfam recycle foil so might be worth contacting them too:

http://www.york.gov.uk/waste/recycling_atoz.html