Quick question about paper recycling - window envelopes

JayJay14

Each council will take different things. My council will not take envelopes at all as the paper needs to be of a high quality for the company that takes it. The next council over from us will take white envelopes but not brown. Your best idea would be to ask your waste department which they take - they should have a leaflet or booklet showing what they take.

dbarcl10

Shredded paper is generally worthless to Councils and can actually cost them money, as the shredded paper gets jammed in the sorting machinery

EricNJanee

Actually, I gather it ought to be OK to sling in window envelopes to many/most recycling collections these days.

Since I'm a new member, I've just learned I can't post links.
So add your own the dots back to the following:

www enviromom com/2008/01/recycling-windo html

www obviously com/recycle/guides/common html

Of course, I can't speak for your council. Knowing the poor levels of organisation and initiative in most councils, there's a good chance that the people who tell you what you can and can't do may not actually have investigated the local facilities - to understand, themselves, which things can be processed and how.

Some like to learn, understand and adapt to the world. Others prefer simply to write, obey and enforce rules - just because life without instructions feels, to them, messy and unpredictable.

Jenna_Appleseed

for me it's tear the windows out (they're made of plastic, they can't make that into paper), and put the envelopes in the green bags with the cardboard and kitchen waste. Same for other envelopes, because they're often the wrong type of paper and the gum causes problems for the machines (council recycling notes "say paper(no envelopes)", shredded paper too.

Jenna_Appleseed

EricNJanee wrote: »

www enviromom com/2008/01/recycling-windo html

www obviously com/recycle/guides/common html

not sure how two old American blogs are relevant to what can be recycled by English councils. eta: and is including staples really ok now?

Superdooper_2

I always tear out the window when putting the envelope into the recycle bin, and put the window into the landfill bin. Found this thread after wondering if I was wasting my time on that separation fiasco.

BUT, there is more to recycling envelopes. I often send out small packets and would use new envelopes. Nowadays, I recycle the incoming envelopes: I slit off the ends to remove the contents. Then reuse the back parts of the envelopes. 2x backs make a full envelope. The DL envelopes anre a bit small to play with but the A5 and A4 ones are worth it. :money:

I do not buy so many A4 envelopes to wrap and send things these days. So there is a bit of saving there, and a warm feeling of helping to save a tree or two/save the planet, etc.

Mids_Costcutter

From what I have read, a certain amount of sorting is carried out at the paper mill and contaminants such as plastic and staples removed. There are now some envelopes that use a corn-based, water-soluble film for the address window but these aren't that common. And how do you know if you have one of those envelopes?

So I guess let's keep removing those plastic windows, ensure less contaminated material goes to the recyclers and thus keep the costs of recycling down!

patman99

Shredded paper can be used for animal bedding if your local Council won't accept it. At least it gets used then composted, so is not sent to landfill.