Charlottechicken Posted January 7, 2007 Share Posted January 7, 2007 Just found this on AOL news, how disgusting! Britain has been branded the "dustbin of Europe" as figures showed it dumps more household waste into landfill than any other EU country. Analysis by the Local Government Association (LGA) revealed that UK households sent almost 27 million tonnes of rubbish to landfill every year. This is equivalent to almost half a tonne for every home in the country. The figures also show that Britain sends seven million tonnes more rubbish into landfill than any other country in Europe. Germany, which has a population 25 per cent larger than the UK, disposes of less than half the amount of rubbish into the ground. The LGA warned that an area the size of Warwick, which covers 109 square miles, is already taken up by landfill. It estimates that on current trends the country will run out of landfill space in less than nine years. The LGA wants the Government to give local authorities powers to cut council tax for households which throw out less rubbish and to impose a separate charge for waste collection. It is also calling for manufacturers to contribute to the cost of disposing of single-use items such as throwaway nappies, batteries and disposable cameras. Paul Bettison, chairman of the LGA's Environment Board, said: "Britain is the dustbin of Europe with more rubbish being thrown into landfill than any other country on the continent. For decades people have been used to being able to throw their rubbish away without worrying about the consequences. Those days are now over." The LGA - which represents 400 councils in England and Wales - is launching a "War on Waste" campaign to demand radical changes in the production and disposal of rubbish. Figures for 2003/04 show that Italy is the second most wasteful EU country with 20 million tonnes of landfill rubbish, followed by Spain (17 million), France (13 million) and Germany (10 million). I suppose I should be grateful that most of Birminghams rubbish is burnt and turned to energy, especially judging by how much my neighbours throw away. Does anyone know how many full black bin bags make half a tonne, I would like to guesstimate how much I throw out. (and try to half it at least!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 7, 2007 Share Posted January 7, 2007 Does anyone know how many full black bin bags make half a tonne, I would like to guesstimate how much I throw out. (and try to half it at least!) that would depend what they were full of... (you'd have to weigh them over as few weeks - and then take an average...) Phil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted January 7, 2007 Share Posted January 7, 2007 that would depend what they were full of... Phil you mean whether they contained a ton of feathers or a ton of lead? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted January 7, 2007 Share Posted January 7, 2007 Recent news items about the increase in the number of rats has made me rethink my recycling habits. Have been mad keen and have for the past few years always composted all veg and fruit items (never meat or carcasses). However, I have been having a running battle with a massive rat who lives in my compost bin and who puts two fingers up at me if ever I catch sight if him. I see the tunnels he makes in the bin and I also see teeth marks in any largish items I have put in the bin...so reluctantly anything that I can't put in my wormery or bokashi bins for later burial will now go in my black bin.....Admittedly there won't be much but I am determined to starve him into submission. I am trying to smother him with chicken poo at the mo. We have a weekly bin collection in Sheffield but I only put mine out every fortnight as I rarely fill it, being a manic recycler....so I feel that I am still on the winning side. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlottechicken Posted January 7, 2007 Author Share Posted January 7, 2007 I see the tunnels he makes in the bin and I also see teeth marks in any largish items I have put in the bin...so reluctantly anything that I can't put in my wormery or bokashi bins for later burial will now go in my black bin.....Admittedly there won't be much but I am determined to starve him into submission. I am trying to smother him with chicken poo at the mo. I hate to say it Egluntine, he/she probably enjoys the chicken poo I was horrified when I first saw one of my pet rats eating their own droppings, I am sure they won't be that bothered if it's not their own Just put down some rat poison. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted January 7, 2007 Share Posted January 7, 2007 Ooo...er! Didn't realise that! Will get some poison tomorrow!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlottechicken Posted January 7, 2007 Author Share Posted January 7, 2007 Ooo...er! Didn't realise that! Will get some poison tomorrow!! You can actually buy a rodent scarer that gives off a high pitched noise, they don't like it so don't come near, as they have highly sensitive hearing (and really bad eyesight!). My mum has one in her shed and there has been no rat activity since she put it in there. If you have had any musical cards this Christmas, you can rip out the workings and pop them in a tin, position where you want the rats to stay away, and it will drive them mad (and away, temporarily). Mind you, you will have to be tolerent to the strains of "We wish you a Merry Christmas" in February, March, April, etc! I have just weighed my bin bag, I make up a bag fortnightly at the most and it is only ever half full or less. It weighs 4 lb at a quick calculation that's roughly 7 and a half stone or 47 kilos per year (at one bag per fortnight). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christian Posted January 7, 2007 Share Posted January 7, 2007 you mean whether they contained a ton of feathers or a ton of lead? Which is heavier? Coming from German parents, I have seen how good they are at recycling. They have been doing it for YEARS. Every household HAS to separate their waste, plastic, metals, compostables etc. The 'bin police' check every week and you get fined if you dont. My Parents have lived here for years, but have recently bought a holiday home in Germany. Everything goes in the 'yellow sack' apart from food waste which should be recycled. If they have any other waste they have to buy special bin bags from the council (1.20 EACH) and put those out on rubbish day!! Cant find a picture of the symbol, but you know the one 'Der Grune Punkt' (the green dot) with an circular arrow on it. Any item with that on, goes in the yellow sack! Not like here, when coke bottles are ok, but not lids etc Most bottles bought in shops are glass, and you pay a returnable deposit, like in the 'olden days' was it corona fizzy pop? 10p a bottle?? Plastic bottles also have a deposit on them. Most shops have a machine where you drop off the bottles and get a receipt which they take off your shopping bill. It sounds like a faff, but its just a way of life in Germany, something you get used to! Sorry for the appauling way this is written, its been a long day! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Linda Posted January 7, 2007 Share Posted January 7, 2007 It actually reads very well, Christian, and it's very interesting to hear about how other countries deal with waste so efficiently. If they can do it, there's no reason why we shouldn't be able to. People just need to change their mindset and make this a priority. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted January 8, 2007 Share Posted January 8, 2007 You're right Linda. a change of mindset. Unfortunately in this Country, too many people live by the adage of "I pay my rates......" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
One Man Banned Posted January 8, 2007 Share Posted January 8, 2007 Like most of us here we recycle profusely and hardly ever put a binbag into the wheelie bin Am I the only one sad enough that wants to speak to my local council to have a tour of our waste and what happens to the stuff we stick in our 2 recycle boxes each week? I know where the landfill goes to - 10 minutes away in the car to Hempstead Tip. Had a look at it via Google Earth and was AMAZED at how big the site it - then I felt sick that we threw so much rubbish for landfill. I think if councils offered people such a tour it could make them think about what they do with their waste and could be an eye-opener. I for one am not against a charging scheme for what people throw away in their wheelie bin and get a reduction for what gets sent for recycling. Another problem is our Government. Committed to recycling? I think not - they don't make it easy at all for trade waste to be recycled with local councils saying that doorstep collections are subsidised by grants but aren't provided for businesses. Sorry, this turned into a bit of a rant! A xx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlottechicken Posted January 8, 2007 Author Share Posted January 8, 2007 Speaking to two female colleagues at work just before Christmas, I discovered they both throw paper waste in the black bin bags, as separating paper to put the (council provided and very sturdy) paper recycling bag out separately was "too much of a faff". They are both in their 50's with young grandchildren. I bit my tongue hard and all I could think to say was "don't you want your grandchildren to inherit the earth?", before walking away quickly! I know I am a long way off being the perfect recycler (I am trying, thanks in part to some of the ideas on this forum) but I think this proves it is going to take something major to alter the mindset of some. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted January 8, 2007 Share Posted January 8, 2007 News item today about taking the charges for rubbish removal out of council tax and doing it separately so that those who recycle pay less etc Sounds ok to me ...but I do wonder about the elderly, who because of frailty etc might not be able to recycle....anyway it got me thinking... When I was a kid..we had an old fashioned dustbin ...the sort that Top Cat lived in (Lesley will know what I'm on about!)....it was collected once a week and we never had any problems...I mean it was always big enough...so my conclusion is that stuff nowadays is ridiculously over packaged (which we pay for) and until that stops...the problem will not go away. I like the idea of unwrapping everything at the supermarket checkout, and letting them dispose of it. Am I brave enough??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Linda Posted January 8, 2007 Share Posted January 8, 2007 It's quite unbelievable, isn't it Claire. The slightest little task can be just far too much bother for some people. They only need to understand that, even if their contribution to green living seems small and insignificant, it is very worthwhile. We all have the power to make a difference. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Linda Posted January 8, 2007 Share Posted January 8, 2007 When I was a kid..we had an old fashioned dustbin ...the sort that Top Cat lived in (Lesley will know what I'm on about!) I'm sure there are quite a few of us here who know what you're on about!! There was some discussion a while ago about leaving excess packaging at the checkout. Wouldn't that cause a stir! Should we start a campaign?! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted January 9, 2007 Share Posted January 9, 2007 When I was a kid..we had an old fashioned dustbin ...the sort that Top Cat lived in (Lesley will know what I'm on about!) I'm sure there are quite a few of us here who know what you're on about!! Egluntine and I found out last week that we are 'forum twins' - only a few weeks between us! now I have to go to bed singing 'Top Cat' - thanks Egluntine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted January 9, 2007 Share Posted January 9, 2007 We've still got one Egluntine Not for rubbish 'cos the council wouldn't touch it, but I keep potting compost in it. The local council here are really hot on recycling and ran roadshows when they introduced it to educate people about what can be recycled. We have a large blue wheelie bin, which Rosie and I can fill with recycling every fortnight. Our small green rubbish bin never gets more than half full between fortnightly collections. All organic waste gets fed to either the bunnies, chickens worms or compost, the only thing we don't give to either of these is meat products like bones or anyhting that the cats won't eat. I bag these up and put them in the rubbish bin to discourage ratty. I have introduced an environmental policy at work and enforce it like mad, we now recycle all our paper, card, plastic, metal and printer cartridges. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trish Posted January 9, 2007 Share Posted January 9, 2007 Leeds talks the talk but rather half heartedly walks the walk. We do have a green bin into which we can put paper, card, metal cans and some plastics but they are vague as to which plastics and it only gets emptied once a month. It's a start and I'm not complaining but with 5 of us in the house I fill my green bin faster than I fill the black one(non recycalable stuff). I have to resort to using my neighbours bin as he lives on his own and doesn't recycle much anyway. Good job he's my brother in law, otherwise I wonder what the neighbours would think of my frequent trips round his house carrying large parcels. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Linda Posted January 9, 2007 Share Posted January 9, 2007 It could get people talking, couldn't it! Very useful for you to have an overflow bin. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted January 10, 2007 Share Posted January 10, 2007 It's not just me then Trish! I pop up the road and fetch Phil's garden bin when mine's full. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
