[Aussie_Tim]

Aussies gone mad on bins...

Ok, where I live the local council is giving us a 3rd bin for every household.

1) Recycling: All recyclable material such as paper, cardboard, tin, and certain plastics. Gets reused - simple.
2) Organics: All organic material such as food scraps, grass clippings and pet excrement can be used as compost for local parks, reserves and even sold to generate revenue. (hey anything can become an industry nowadays)
3) Waste material such as disposable nappies/diapers, non recyclable plastics and used medical supplies (syringes/wound dressings etc.)

We've been given the green light for the organics bin. We're getting them within a few weeks and I think its great, cuts down on landfill and saves the council having to pay for compost using the money for drastically under-staffed hospitals in particular.

Is there anyone else here who has this in their part of the world? Do you think its a good idea?

[Mac]

We have the glass/plastic recycle bins here... i think it is good
1. creates jobs
2. reusable resources
3. helps FORCE some consciousness on people about their impact (although little)

PLUS the recycled plastic can be used to make more bins!

Too bad someone stole one of my bins.. im down to just one!

[garret]

we already have 3 bins where i am

red top for general household non recyc waste

yellow top for paper/glass/plastc/metal recyc

green top for garden and compost waste (which i never use as my gardener takes all the cuttings away with him) so it sits idly in one corner of the garden - more often than not it is filled with grey water for various projects



up until a few years ago you had to seperate your recyc into paper and glass/metal/plastic, so we would dutifully seperate them out and then 1 truck would come and empty both bins into the same truck, and no it wasnt a split load truck

[LaRemnant]

I have mixed feelings as far laws being passed to generate enforced public behavior en mass, but with this, I actually wholeheartedly support. I think it should be mandatory that we practice reusing our waste, and recycle it for whatever else we might need. This makes people more aware of things, and is just good all around in quite a few ways...

It is a lot like natural capitalism... The wave of the future.

[crashdive123]

I'm not a fan of government mandated recycling. I would much rather see education programs, causing people to do it because of the benefits rather than the fear of non-compliance.

[Celticwarrior]

Down where my son is they started a voluntary Recycle program. They gave out a single bin, where all recyclables on a list could be tossed. (cans, bottles, paper, etc.) The company sorts it at their location apparently. The use of the bin pays for itself, as the city sends you a record of how much you have accumulated and what that amount will buy from a catalog of gift cards to various stores. Interesting concept and I wonder if that will catch on. Applying to peoples' greed, rather than their sense of community or environmental consciousness should be a good incentive.

[ColcordMama]

We've recently been supplied with a second one for recyclables and I'm all for it. But if they wanted us to use a third for compostables, no way Jose. I have my own compost heap and my kitchen organics (although not pet ****! ) goes in there so I can use the resulting compost to improve my veggie garden.

[scorch]

I have 3 also

-red for paper,paperish
-gray for plastics and cans
-green for organic trash

I like crashs idea more than it being mandatory.

[carolina168181]

Currently, just one bin for the paper,glass,and plastic. The city is promoting compost bins at 60.00 a pop,I built mine for 20.00.The city will chip and compost the tree limbs,leaves they pick up -so that's good.

[George]

Originally Posted by garret

we already have 3 bins where i am

red top for general household non recyc waste

yellow top for paper/glass/plastc/metal recyc

green top for garden and compost waste (which i never use as my gardener takes all the cuttings away with him) so it sits idly in one corner of the garden - more often than not it is filled with grey water for various projects

...

Same here in NSW, sometimes I feel guilty as I don't put out Yellow bin every fortnight, I just don't buy so many bottles, jars, boxes. Mine goes out every 6 weeks or less often.

As to Green, I put it out only once or twice a year with diseased plants that I don’t want in my compost bin.
Sadly/luckily burning in the backyard was banned, so I cannot burn diseased plants to get rid of nasties.
(depending on if you want to burn something or you curse smoke from somebody elses backyard fire).