Recycling Receipts/cashpoint receipts

Martyn1981

Nick_C wrote: »

I have 9 years experience in the waste industry, and was involved in commissioning a brand new, state of the art, MRF last year. Shredded paper caused problems! Because we wanted to do everything possible to encourage people to recycle, we accepted shredded paper and dealt with the problems.

Hiya Nick. Apologies for going a little OT, but I tend to ponder lots of stuff, and wonder if you could answer a few questions. Our mixed recycling doesn't take aluminium foil, expanded polystyrene or shredded paper.

I was wondering why, and had some strange thoughts. I wondered if the foil was too much of a nuisance. Valuable material in bulk, but in small pieces or balls, not worth it, and causes problems to machines. Maybe too much food to foil ratio too perhaps?

Expanded polystyrene - does this have no real recycling value, or is it simply too little material for it's volume, in the sense that it would quickly fill a lorry up, but that lorry would only be carrying a few kilos of polystyrene?

Shredded paper, problem to machines as you say, but also, like the polystyrene, is its volume an issue, since a small amount of paper quickly fills a large bag once shredded?

Sorry to be nosey.

Also worth pointing out to people that they should keep an eye on the rules, as they do change. Originally for us, cardboard went in the green (garden waste) bin, but now it goes in the mixed recycling bag.

Mart.

Nick_C

Hey Martyn.

Councils tell you that you can't recycle aluminium foil because its usually heavily contaminated with food. If you clean it, then fold it up tightly and put it in your mixed recycling, it should get recycled. Same with aluminium food trays, just make sure they are very clean. Aluminium cans are picked out using an Eddy Current Separator, and this will treat foil or food trays the same way. By weight, Aluminium is easily the most valuable commodity in mixed recycling.

Expanded polysyrene - virtually all plastics are recyclable, but the market just isn't there. As you say, the density makes EP a real problem. Plus yields from household waste are very low, and it will probably never be economically viable to recycle. I did read of a scheme for business waste where it is heat treated to reduce the volume before being sent for recycling, but this involved business getting a special bit of kit to do the heat treatment. It would work well in shopping centres where businesses could pool their EP. The other problem with plastics is identifying what type of plastic the item is made from. There are 15 common types of plastic in the waste stream. Most councils only accpt plastic bottles, because they are almost always Type 1 or Type 2 (PET or HDPE). MRFs separate them by shining laser beams on them, or near infra red light, and measuring the refractive index. Black plastic is problematic though. For councils that accept other types of plastic (such as yoghurt pots and food trays), the material is likely to go through a standard MRF initially, and anything other than type 1 and 2 plastic bottles goes to a rejected pile. This rejected plastic goes onto a PRF (plastics recovery facility) that is geared up to separate just plastics into their component parts. This sort of recycling is not currently economically viable, but some councils require their contractors to do and the councils pay for it.

Shredded paper, volume is not really an issue. Recycling is often collected in standard dustcarts which compact the waste anyway. Some councils are happy to accept small amounts of shredded paper in their composting, but again it can be problematic. If its garden waste that goes to windrow (open air) composting, then shredded paper can blow around and cause a nuisance. Many "in vessel" composting facilities
will not allow shredded paper (I tried to set this up a year or two ago without success).

Always happy to answer questions about waste and recycling, and dispel some of the urban myths. As you say though, its important to follow your council's rules, as they will depend on the local infrastructure and contractual arrangements.

KevinG

Nick_C wrote: »

I cut out any personal info and flush it down the loo!

This is very unwise. You are highly likely to create a blockage. I don't even flush "wet wipes" down the toilet as even these do not break down properly, only toilet paper does.

Ste_C

A toilet is not a bin. If everyone put normal paper in the toilet the system would block. Toilet paper is designed to break up when it gets wet, normal paper and kitchen roll isn't.

You're putting extra strain on the sewerage system unnecessarily.

Nick_C

I really don't think that a handful of confetti sized pieces of paper is going to block the sewer.

Torry_Quine

I use the charity bags and fill them with shredded paper and put out with the bag of papers for recycling. I put a newspaper over the top to prevent it blowing all over the place. It's never been a problem.

KevinG

Nick_C wrote: »

I really don't think that a handful of confetti sized pieces of paper is going to block the sewer.

No, the post was talking about putting whole bank statements down the toilet. Confetti or whole sheets, it's still a no-no.