reducing the use of plastic

[Thelma Sanders]

I think because the plastic used for the trays is recycled, they colour it black so it doesn't look awful. Anyone remember those grey/multicoloured mugs they made when they first started recycling?

[Snadger]

Simple answer would be for the government to say no more black trays or plant pots. I think all other colours are recyclable, though I may be wrong?
'
Good idea methinks to use up 'once used' plastic beads in either roads or concrete buildings which need longevity.

[toomanytommytoes]

There was a programme on TV a few months ago where they visited a plastic recycling plant and all of the black plastic wasn't being recycled because the infra red system they use can't sort it properly. They're now looking to use different black pigments which can be actually be detected. All plastic is recyclable, it's more about profitability.

The black pots we have are the heavy duty type and should last forever. More flimsy pots we use until they're completely done. Polystyrene has no place in our garden. Netting is good quality and patched when necessary; the cheap stuff from Home Bargains disintegrated after one summer and I'm still picking bits out of that bed.

One of the biggest contributors to ocean microplastic is tyre wear...

[Aberdeenplotter]

My rant. Folks who use plastic tyres

[Bumblingbroccoli]

You all knock the spots off me, but I never buy plant pots as I have so many and am a sucker for a nice plant which us invariably sold in plastic pots at garden centres. Ditto plug plant trays and modules. All get reused until they disintegrate.

Old dishwasher cutlery holder is now shed caddy for labels, scissors , secateyrs etc. Ditto cracked freezer drawers have been recycled as shed storage when fridge was replaced. And fizzy water bottles make great watering holes for tomatoes and other hungry plants.

If we buy plums ir grapes, we reuse containers for sowing peas and beans.

Main problem is flimsy food packaging. Can't see how to recycle it... and plastic lids

[toomanytommytoes]

Main problem is flimsy food packaging. Can't see how to recycle it... and plastic lids

I think we will see more initiatives to get this stuff recycled as companies feel more pressure from the public. Walkers recently partnered with Terracycle to recycle all crisp packets. They sent me an e-mail this week about new Pringles can and water filter recycling schemes.

https://www.terracycle.co.uk/en-GB/brigades

Sainsburys used to sell apples in bags that you could put into their in-store recycling bin, but now it's all crinkly plastic instead.

[Thelma Sanders]

They are getting better, but at the moment the nearest recycling centre for those is 32miles away

[veggiechicken]

Plastic Free January 2019 - https://www.vsointernational.org/sup...Ia9XDhMW826gn4

[Chestnut]

Plastic Free January 2019 - https://www.vsointernational.org/sup...Ia9XDhMW826gn4

Thanks VC. Some really great ideas there

Having spent the last 24hrs really noticing the amount of single use plastic I use, it’s staggering!
Yesterday alone over 30 pieces of single use packaging passed through my hands - some like shampoo bottle will last several weeks, others like plastic wrapping round a magazine were thrown away instantly.

Perhaps, in the interests of keeping my resolution for at least a day, I had better go with ‘minimum plastic’ rather than ‘zero plastic’, as even glass bottles and jars hide bits of plastic in their lids...

[Snadger]

Plastic Free January 2019 - https://www.vsointernational.org/sup...Ia9XDhMW826gn4

I didn't' realise tea bags and chewing gum were made from plastic?

[toomanytommytoes]

I didn't' realise tea bags and chewing gum were made from plastic?

Unfortunately the big companies been using polypropylene for heat sealing the tea bags for years. We don't compost the bags any more, just the leaves, as we have hundreds of their plastic skeletons littering the beds. PG Tips have announced they intend to make their bags fully biodegradable at some point.

Most chewing gum contains synthetic rubber in the gum base.

[bramble]

Last week myself and daughter went to Belfast for a days Christmad shopping.
We bought a lot of stuff between us.
All the stores gave us our purchases in plastic bags.
Same stores in Dublin use paper bags...
What is the difference?..

[Chestnut]

I think the paper/plastic bags thing is down to which is more expensive once local plastic bag taxes are taken into account.
Or maybe, plastic bags being more resilient to rain, how much it rains?

[kitty12345]

Clipper tea have announced plastic free tea bags in production
https://www.clipper-teas.com/frequen...ed-questions/#

[Snadger]

Certain things have made good use of plastic so it does have a place n modern society. Its the packaging that's the big issue and this could surely be controlled by government intervention?

You do want to have longevity with such things as plastic roof slates, its use in roads and concrete so plastic isn't the substance of the Devil.


We just need to be more aware of its downsides in certain areas and take steps to rectify problems.