crisp packets and sweet wrapper no longer to be recycled!

peachyprice

I guess lots of people in your area have been putting crisp and sweet packets in the recycling (because you were never told not to) and they've just realised it's costing them a fortune to sort and transport them.

greyteam1959

giraffe69 wrote: »

What is "wattling?"

Similar to mithering I think...........

paddyrg

Crisp packets aren't a single plastic, but a laminate of many different materials and adhesives. This makes them moisture proof, light proof, air proof, non contaminating, printable etc. Quite a feat of engineering tbh. Only single plastics can be easily recycled, the problems and costs of delaminating and separating a crisp packet massively outweighs the benefit. The best method would be to buy a big bag and reseal it, or keep portions in Tupperware!

dragonette

I would never have thought crisp packets would be recycled, or plastic bottle labels - v similar to carrier bag type plastic which isn't compatible with other types of plastics. Being compound materials makes more sense.

Plastics that can be recycled have the recycling logo on them....

bap98189

Crisp packets can't be recycled. They are made from aluminium foil glued to a plastic film. Unless you can separate the two layers it is impossible to recycle.

Andy_L

mervyn11 wrote: »

Similar to mithering I think...........

no, its the stuff you use when making a wattle & daub wall

ljonski

What is "wattling?"


http://borderlands.wikia.com/wiki/Wattle_Gobbler

Lip_Stick

Andy_L wrote: »

They don't mean contamination in the biological sense but in terms of contaminating the recycling with something (a type of plastic) that can't be recycled & thus has to be removed before recycling

Apparently someone phoned the council as their bin had not been emptied because of a single crisp packet. The person was told that if the crisp packet had been put on the recycling lorry, that the whole load would have to go to landfill as it's been contaminated.

Personally I think the staff member was talking rubbish. No pun intended.

greyteam1959

So.........why the hell are companies allowed to make a packaging product that cannot be recycled !!!!!!!!!!!!
The whole thing is ridiculous.

paddyrg

mervyn11 wrote: »

So.........why the hell are companies allowed to make a packaging product that cannot be recycled !!!!!!!!!!!!
The whole thing is ridiculous.

Good question. In this case it's down to performance of the packaging - there will be at least 5, possibly 7 layers in a modern, standard crisp packet, each with different protective properties or adhesive qualities. People want crisp, tasty crisps, and so the laminates were developed in response to that need (tough, anti moisture, light, oxygen, oilproof, printable, non-toxic).

If you want recycleable crisp packets you probably need untreated paper (ideally without print), but the crisps may be a bit disappointing by the time you eat them.