Well, the environmentalists aren't going to like glass either for things like gallon milk containers. It's much heavier than plastic and will surely increase the shipping costs and pollution from the trucks carrying it to the stores. And then there is cost and pollution for collecting the empty glass milk containers, shipping them back the recycling facility, and the energy to melt the glass down and reshape it for future use.
My point is that there is no free lunch here and we likely already have the best of the alternatives in place.
I just don't like being told that it is up to me to save the planet and that I have to go out of my way to do so. It's really up to industry and commerce to take care of it. I'll go along with what I see fit, but I can't do their job for them.
My point is that there is no free lunch here and we likely already have the best of the alternatives in place.
I just don't like being told that it is up to me to save the planet and that I have to go out of my way to do so. It's really up to industry and commerce to take care of it. I'll go along with what I see fit, but I can't do their job for them.
"Don't put the onus on me. I'm happy to do what the container says to do.
But if the manufacturer/supplier doesn't know what should be done with the packaging, or doesn't choose to print the instructions, then I don't feel any obligation to do anything other than putting it in the trash."
Don't we all have an obligation to use our own brains and do what we reason to be best, rather than blindly follow vested interests? Surely not a big ask is it? In the UK we used hundreds of millions of free supermarket plactic bags per year, and for decades. In theory they could be recycled, but few were, most being sent to landfill. Some years ago people were made to pay for them, awareness grew, and now hardly any are used. It caused a bit of moaning at first but was worth it in the end. Evolution, in all things. I've thought for some time that all packaging should only be made from unmixed materials, and a reduced range of materials used so aiding recycling. But unless people speak up, tell their leaders it's an issue, (who then change laws) nothing will happen.
Going back to the issue of the food itself, I find watching a video or two (made by third or activist parties) about the processes used in its production always clears up any questions about it's quality (or lack thereof).
But if the manufacturer/supplier doesn't know what should be done with the packaging, or doesn't choose to print the instructions, then I don't feel any obligation to do anything other than putting it in the trash."
Don't we all have an obligation to use our own brains and do what we reason to be best, rather than blindly follow vested interests? Surely not a big ask is it? In the UK we used hundreds of millions of free supermarket plactic bags per year, and for decades. In theory they could be recycled, but few were, most being sent to landfill. Some years ago people were made to pay for them, awareness grew, and now hardly any are used. It caused a bit of moaning at first but was worth it in the end. Evolution, in all things. I've thought for some time that all packaging should only be made from unmixed materials, and a reduced range of materials used so aiding recycling. But unless people speak up, tell their leaders it's an issue, (who then change laws) nothing will happen.
Going back to the issue of the food itself, I find watching a video or two (made by third or activist parties) about the processes used in its production always clears up any questions about it's quality (or lack thereof).
Plastic bags from grocery stores have been banned here as well for many years. You can get a paper bag for 10 cents, but most people bring their own reusable cloth bags instead.
We actually have very little plastic waste now. Most food products we use come in either cardboard boxes or glass containers. One exception is milk that we get in plastic bottles and those do get recycled.
The other exception is the plastic containers Costco uses for cooked chickens, which is the subject that I used to start this tread. The current plastic bag is not a suitable alternative for the chicken packaging. The mess it creates is far beyond what any customer should have to deal with. Costco needs to tell us whether the previous plastic container is recyclable or not, and if not then find one that is.
Maybe as chicken sales go down, as I think they will, Costco will change back to something better than the awful, greasy, flimsy, plastic bags. It's the worst possible way to package and sell a cooked chicken.
We actually have very little plastic waste now. Most food products we use come in either cardboard boxes or glass containers. One exception is milk that we get in plastic bottles and those do get recycled.
The other exception is the plastic containers Costco uses for cooked chickens, which is the subject that I used to start this tread. The current plastic bag is not a suitable alternative for the chicken packaging. The mess it creates is far beyond what any customer should have to deal with. Costco needs to tell us whether the previous plastic container is recyclable or not, and if not then find one that is.
Maybe as chicken sales go down, as I think they will, Costco will change back to something better than the awful, greasy, flimsy, plastic bags. It's the worst possible way to package and sell a cooked chicken.
Probably. There is a real problem in finding truly recyclable alternatives to plastic packaging.
I bung stuff in the recycling bins I have in the UK but I've no confidence that a significant portion is actually recycled.
I see a lot of stuff that's theoretically recyclable but has to be taken to a specialist. That's a car journey so kinda self defeating...
Ultimately we also have to find ways to use less plastic and try to reserve it for things where it's irreplaceable. There are a lot of those, starting with my house wiring.
Exactly,,,local journo found that all our carefully washed glass containers put out in approved recycling bin was going straight to landfill because....colours were mixed !!
One container for glassware, no advisory that only A/B/C colour is allowed...what were they thinking ?
Well the council were not thinking, just wanted our rates money and wouldn't provide any info because "commercial sensitivity" can't tell because contracts with third party collection agencies.
So from the organisation that instituted compulsory user pays glass recycling we find they were only in it for the money..OURS! and weren't even bothering to do what they demanded we do.
However, without casting aspersions, I find it the norm that people will 'save the planet' unless it directly impacts them and their 'go to favourite' consumer items. Costco people I see you.
One container for glassware, no advisory that only A/B/C colour is allowed...what were they thinking ?
Well the council were not thinking, just wanted our rates money and wouldn't provide any info because "commercial sensitivity" can't tell because contracts with third party collection agencies.
So from the organisation that instituted compulsory user pays glass recycling we find they were only in it for the money..OURS! and weren't even bothering to do what they demanded we do.
However, without casting aspersions, I find it the norm that people will 'save the planet' unless it directly impacts them and their 'go to favourite' consumer items. Costco people I see you.
I am surprised that no picture has been taken, or plastic analysis has been done on this alleged "Costco Chicken Fiasco" box or bag.
Thus must reserve judgement or opinion on this food retailer.
What I can tell you is my own city of Portsmouth has by recent survey, one of the worst recycling schemes in Britain.
They charge you for rubble and soil recycling at £2 a bag. They don't take aluminium food containers.
Objects accepted for recycling in the green bins are very limited:
95% of general household rubbish is incinerated at the local centre, which provides electric power enough for 20,000 households. Excellent!
I don't know whether this makes CO2 and pollution though, but the smoke blows towards Chichester, so we don't care.
Myself and some other workers in the Naval dockyard were amazed one morning to watch the rubbish lorry throw the contents of the workplace recycling bins and general waste (but not toxic waste) all into the same lorry.
Whisper it quietly, but it ALL gets burnt! I got friendly with a worker at the incinerator who told me they chuck EVERYTHING into the incinerator. Batteries, electrical appliances, bottles of weedkiller, you name it!
I hope the stuff in the domestic green bins is recycled, but really don't know. For sure a lot people in my house throw almost anything in the green bins. They even wrap unsuitable items in brown bags to sneak them in past my vigilance. This is just this weeks reject items in my special idiots bin:
Cardboard takeaway food containers like pizza boxes are unrecyclable because the grease and food waste wrecks the process.
We have a bottle bank nearby for glass.
Those little Yakult yoghurt containers are made of some weird tough type 4 or 5 plastic. Half-full pill containers are not wanted by our council, Portsmouth only takes Type 1 or 2 polyethylene.
Plasticised cardboard milk and juice cartons are impossible. As are metallised Pringles tubes. Black rigid plastic food containers are also generally considered unrecyclable,
Here's a quiz for you. What is recyclable here in Portsmouth, UK?
FWIW, the sausages came in a hard brown plastic and cellophane container which I already consigned to general waste for incineration.
(BTW Just add onion gravy and it is all quite yummy. Bangers and mash. A classic British dish which makes us the envy of the World.)
Thus must reserve judgement or opinion on this food retailer.
What I can tell you is my own city of Portsmouth has by recent survey, one of the worst recycling schemes in Britain.
They charge you for rubble and soil recycling at £2 a bag. They don't take aluminium food containers.
Objects accepted for recycling in the green bins are very limited:
95% of general household rubbish is incinerated at the local centre, which provides electric power enough for 20,000 households. Excellent!
I don't know whether this makes CO2 and pollution though, but the smoke blows towards Chichester, so we don't care.
Myself and some other workers in the Naval dockyard were amazed one morning to watch the rubbish lorry throw the contents of the workplace recycling bins and general waste (but not toxic waste) all into the same lorry.
Whisper it quietly, but it ALL gets burnt! I got friendly with a worker at the incinerator who told me they chuck EVERYTHING into the incinerator. Batteries, electrical appliances, bottles of weedkiller, you name it!
I hope the stuff in the domestic green bins is recycled, but really don't know. For sure a lot people in my house throw almost anything in the green bins. They even wrap unsuitable items in brown bags to sneak them in past my vigilance. This is just this weeks reject items in my special idiots bin:
Cardboard takeaway food containers like pizza boxes are unrecyclable because the grease and food waste wrecks the process.
We have a bottle bank nearby for glass.
Those little Yakult yoghurt containers are made of some weird tough type 4 or 5 plastic. Half-full pill containers are not wanted by our council, Portsmouth only takes Type 1 or 2 polyethylene.
Plasticised cardboard milk and juice cartons are impossible. As are metallised Pringles tubes. Black rigid plastic food containers are also generally considered unrecyclable,
Here's a quiz for you. What is recyclable here in Portsmouth, UK?
FWIW, the sausages came in a hard brown plastic and cellophane container which I already consigned to general waste for incineration.
(BTW Just add onion gravy and it is all quite yummy. Bangers and mash. A classic British dish which makes us the envy of the World.)