Using recycled plastic

[Flo]

As it seems that the stuff is not going to be banished, perhaps we could find ways of using it as a recycled product.

I've bought raised bed frames for the allotment made of recycled plastic and they are doing the job perfectly well. The good thing about them is that I can pick them up and move them to another place in the future. And saved a lot of fuss building with wood, pallets, whatever. Wood has to be virgin at some point in the life cycle so reused plastic is good in my books.

I have plastic compost bins made of recycled plastic (most of them seem to be now) which are perfectly good and can be easily moved. And saved a lot of fuss building with wood, pallets, whatever. Wood has to be virgin at some point in the life cycle so reused plastic is good in my books.

But the technology does not seem to have moved on to clothes though there is some attempt at places like the Eco Chic Shop - lovely designs but not really sturdy for long term use. I have a small bag for a hospital visit. Wouldn't stand long term week away travel by train. Am now not sure about picking up a recycled fleece from elsewhere though mostly their products are fine.

[Green Aura]

I have one recycled plastic raised bed - one of these special offers from a gardening magazine. I think otherwise they're quite expensive.

I agree though that they're robust and we've had this one pretty much as long as we've been up here, it's been moved a few times and doesn't seem any the worse for wear. It is now a dedicated bed for blueberries.

I've no idea what the plastic compost "daleks" are - they were what the council provides. But, again, they're good and solid and have stood up to being moved. We've probably had those ten years, or more, as well.

[Weedo]

I agree with Flo - we will never get rid of plastics so need to use them more appropriately. One of the major issues with plastics in the environment is the huge quantity that is not recyclable (cannot be re-used) or not able to be recycled (no facilities / will to collect and recycle).

[Flo]

That's the hard bit. The stuff that could be useful but which can't be disposed of correctly.

Things like biscuit wrappers (make your own did I hear you say), cheese wrapping, break wrappers (was that a make your own I hear you cry), chocolate bar wrappers, sweetie wrappers, seed packets, ice cream cartons, tetra paks ... Think about things for a bit. I'm lazy and buy frozen pastry - no excuse really as I can make it quite well. But brown sugar, dried fruit ... Things that we have become used to buying in the supermarket.

Wonder what life would be like if I stopped buying anything in a plastic type bag. Hmm. Be a game changer of eating.

[Green Aura]

In our bakery we sold bags of biscuits, made of cellophane. They kept fresh for ages. No need for plastic.

[Flo]

We can't recycle cellophane locally either. Maybe I should learn to cook from scratch.

[Green Aura]

Cellophane's compostable - made from cellulose.

[Viper254]

Urgh, it's all got so much more difficult in the last year. COVID is being used an excuse to pedal everything backwards in terms of progress.

I used to get the majority of my fruit/veg at the butchers, armed with my net bags. Now they are wrapping portions of fruit and veg, which spoils it. The stall in town is too hit and miss to be used as a reliable supply.

So now I'm out looking for the "best of the worst" types of options.

Sad to see progress rolled back.

[Flo]

This is where your grow your own comes in handy.

[ina]

There are more and more shops that let you refill your own containers. Just rather difficult for somebody like me without a car - can't constantly carry lots of empty jars etc around! Calls for a lot more planning. And at the moment I can't get to the shop where I usually buy my coffee, and where I can re-use their own bags. One bag will do me all year...

What annoys me particularly is the meat you buy at farmers' markets: it always seems to be in black plastic, which can't be recycled. You'd like to buy direct from the farmer - but then you are (in a way) less environment friendly than you might be. Same as those recycling centres in the neighbouring council area, where you can only get on in a car. I used to take small stuff by bus; no more. You have to buy a car and help to wreck the environment in order to be environment friendly!

[Weedo]

As I have noted previously,(at least in OZ) the food police, while necessary, have a lot to answer for in this regard. I have raised the subject with butchers in the past; here they are required to meet the meat handling standards (2 vol; spiral bound, 320pp - yes I have a read it) does not allow "own container" sales and defines the type of packaging they can use.