Suspension sinks on Sundays! C5 X7 that works hard + 206 GTi HDi (and 406 Coupe and 306 HDi). - MattBLancs

[Huskyxantia]

I used to be really fussy with the recycling till I was told by one of the collection chaps , I won't bother mate they only burn it were it goes all your doing is making there job easy . I still separate what's needed to be but always wonder if the chap was telling the truth

[CitroJim]

I know our non-recyclables get incinerated to generate electricity after it's been cleared of anything metallic whereas recyclable stuff does at least go to our local massive recycling centre for initial processing - what happen then is anybody's guess.

Green waste goes to a massive council compost heap which we understand is used to help our parkland grow in a lush way and to power some of the dustcarts.

All very good but I do sometimes wonder about the overall economies of it all. Every week three separate dustcarts visit us. They allegedly run on green waste and poo but even then, to run such a massive fleet must cost a small fortune...

The one big benefit though is that MK is a very clean and tidy city.

[myglaren]

Sunderland City Council publish reports on the cost effectiveness of recycling and always make a profit after operational cost are covered. The profit is ploughed back into the waste management system so keeps costs to homes and businesses down.

[MattBLancs]

Interesting, I'll have a dig.

Latest published figures states (in 2023) we managed 45.6% recycled here:
https://southribble.gov.uk/recycling-wa ... nformation

Whereas here (link was missing, it's from the site added below) states

5.5% of 'local authority collected' waste for England was sent to landfill (down -1.8 percentage points from 7.3% in 2022/23).

So there's a large amount (100-45.6 = 54.4%) not recycled but also not sent to landfill.

Interesting!

EDIT missed link:
https://www.lancashire.gov.uk/lancashir ... y-tipping/

[mickthemaverick]

So there's a large amount (100-45.6 = 54.4%) not recycled but also not sent to landfill.

Interesting!

I assume that is the incinerator fuel? Or do they use the heat from that to produce power and hence class it as recycling? For me the conversion from potential to heat to electrical energy is not the same type of recycling as reusing old plastic bottles to make insulation sheets for example.

[MattBLancs]

So there's a large amount (100-45.6 = 54.4%) not recycled but also not sent to landfill.

Interesting!

I assume that is the incinerator fuel? Or do they use the heat from that to produce power and hence class it as recycling? For me the conversion from potential to heat to electrical energy is not the same type of recycling as reusing old plastic bottles to make insulation sheets for example.

I guess so Mick, but will have a dig to see if I can confirm it.

I agree: burn it and generate electricity definitely isn't recycling to my eyes.

[bobins]

Several years ago I visited our local authority's materials recycling facility - the place where they deal with the stuff in the recycling bins - and asked about what they do with the stuff that can't be recycled. At the time they burned it and this was considered less than ideal, but better than landfill. In effect - it was one of the very few options available to deal with the waste. Just about everything can be recycled if you throw enough money at it, but then that crosses the line where you have to increase taxes to pay for it, and most of the public can't process that concept (i.e. having to pay more taxes for it) so it doesn't get done.
If you can get the chance to visit your local authority's Materials Recycling Facility (assuming they allow tours), then it's well worth it as it's a bit of an eye opener as to what goes on and the economics and scale of it.

[MattBLancs]

Funnily enough, only the other day I was looking at this:
https://ecotown.lancashirerenewables.co.uk/

Which is walking distance from us, a potential day out.

I should have looked further down the South Ribble web page, there's a graph which (though lacking a proper X-axis!?) suggests:

• just over 40% = recycled,
• About 35% = landfill,
• Just under 20% = burnt with energy recovered
• Just burnt = 0%

So quite a lot landfill - the difference between the 5.5% "local authority collected" and the 35% figure above must be "stuff taken to the tip" that is put into the Non-recyclable Skip!

Despite my very frequent tip visits, it's very infrequently I put anything in that skip. Last thing was some (UV damaged, brittle) plastic sheeting. Previous they provided a "hard plastic" skip, but that has vanished again, annoyingly

[MattBLancs]

Actually, the good news on those figures is thankfully they aren't claiming burnt+energy recovered as being grouped with recycling.

[bobins]

Funnily enough, only the other day I was looking at this:
https://ecotown.lancashirerenewables.co.uk/

Which is walking distance from us, a potential day out.

Nah, it's not a potential day out, it's a dead cert
Go on - book your visit !

[Gibbo2286]

When I were a lad every house had a fireplace so anything that would burn got burned, the dustcart only had ashes to collect, food was expensive so little of it got binned.In WW2 the authorities put 'pig bins' on street corners to collect waste food to feed the pigs.
Incidentally the dustcarts were battery electric like this:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electricar_DV4

[MattBLancs]

Funnily enough, only the other day I was looking at this:
https://ecotown.lancashirerenewables.co.uk/

Which is walking distance from us, a potential day out.

Nah, it's not a potential day out, it's a dead cert
Go on - book your visit !

Only potential as the website says open to various groups... and Lancashire residents, but then the application page is very much
"and what is the name of your school / scout group?"
I'll have to email them and see how we get a trip as mere residents.

[bobins]

I got a trip on the back of a U3A (or somesuch) visit - there were a spare couple of places available

[MattBLancs]

When I were a lad every house had a fireplace so anything that would burn got burned, the dustcart only had ashes to collect, food was expensive so little of it got binned.In WW2 the authorities put 'pig bins' on street corners to collect waste food to feed the pigs.
Incidentally the dustcarts were battery electric like this:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electricar_DV4

Ha ha, get that wheeled out of it's retirement and charged with "energy from waste" and Bob's your mother's brother!

Yes, we burn some of our waste: shreddings are great fire starters, a good handful of two in base of the fire with kindling above.

Actually, kindling of choice at present is laths (from next door's ceilings - all bagged up)

Then the fire is usually a mixture of logs from the garden (was well overgrown lots of mature bushes. When taken down, anything thicker than what the loppers would cut was saved, cut into eight inch lengths and has been drying out since) and roof slate battens (de nailed and cut into eight inch lengths)

Ash from the fire goes on the garden or into the compost bin (in moderation)

[MattBLancs]

I got a trip on the back of a U3A (or somesuch) visit - there were a spare couple of places available

U3A = "university of the third age", had to look that up, not come across that before!

Yes, will get in touch and see when they might fit us four in.