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Topic: Woman is cleared of failing to recycle household waste (Read 1022 times) |
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pickler
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I'm a spitting llama!
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Woman is cleared of failing to recycle household waste
« on: 2006-07-11 13:25:21 » |
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I still haven't managed to stop myself from letting out a little giggle whenever I hear about this case.
I wasn't sure wether to post under the "Society & Culture" section or the "Humour & Satire" section.
What does this tidbit of news say about the direction of the peoples of the UK and EU in general?
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article: Woman is cleared of failing to recycle household waste
source: The Independent
date: 2006-07-11
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Hermit
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Prime example of a practically perfect person
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Re:Woman is cleared of failing to recycle household waste
« Reply #1 on: 2006-07-11 14:36:39 » |
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Clearly the UK has more trouble finding dumping sites than the US where recycling is more than just slightly challenging; at least for the assorted engineers, scientists and management specialists I know who have tried to figure out how the rules work here in Iowa.
For example, I have a very well educated, heavily recycling oriented, European friend who became ever more frustrated at the increasing size of "rejected" recycling material heaps on his sidewalk (UK: pavement) as he doggedly spent over a month attempting to recycle stuff here in the US - before finally giving up - as the rules as to what is acceptable for recycling, what forms they can be in, and how they are to be organized are so obtuse that it is much easier to just dump everything into black bags for burial...
A link I noticed while reading the article, now posted as
Quote from: Hermit on 2006-07-11 14:21:24 | Magic mushrooms can induce mystical effects, study finds |
is possibly even more amusing.
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With or without religion, you would have good people doing good things and evil people doing evil things. But for good people to do evil things, that takes religion. - Steven Weinberg, 1999
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pickler
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I'm a spitting llama!
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Re:Woman is cleared of failing to recycle household waste
« Reply #2 on: 2006-07-14 01:42:42 » |
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(maybe I should have clarified the reasons for my amusement at that article)
Quote:| [Hermit] Clearly the UK has more trouble finding dumping sites than the US where recycling is more than just slightly challenging; at least for the assorted engineers, scientists and management specialists I know who have tried to figure out how the rules work here in Iowa. |
There is no doubt that recycling as a concept is good and a necessity. In addition to other affordable1 schemes for energy efficiency and conservation that every household or building complex can implament in concurrence (rainwater storage, organic composting, solar PV panelling for the home and garden, solar water heating systems, wind turbines).
I do not sympathise with Donna Challice. She had received six warnings to resolve any issues hindering her from recycling productively.
Surely, if faced by such repetitive warnings any practical person would ensure that their bins are secured to ensure "passers by" are not tempted to use them as general refuse bins. Alternatively, ensure the bin is cleared of non-recyclable refuse prior to collection on the day.
The frustration arises from a combination of different sources:
- The media response to previous reports. whining, excuse mongering and an automatic reflex of blaming the county council.
- The case against Donna failed due to a lack of sufficient evidence. Another example of my council tax going to waste. A £130 for a temporary non-industrial camera and digital video recorder setup for a fortnight would have saved the council thousands of pounds wasted through the courts. (the council have limited rights to setup cameras in public places such as the street, but they are capable of doing so none the less!)
- The reasons quoted for initiating the court proceedings were "failing to achieve departmental recycling quotas". This was later changed to "cost of cleaning recycling contamination". These sorts of careless blunders are what makes the city/county councils targets for criticism.
- Not relating to this specific case, the inability for any one council department to provide a specific direct reply to an enquiry without having to verify it with at least one other council department.
Quote:| [Hermit]For example, I have a very well educated, heavily recycling oriented, European friend who became ever more frustrated at the increasing size of "rejected" recycling material heaps on his sidewalk (UK: pavement) as he doggedly spent over a month attempting to recycle stuff here in the US - before finally giving up - as the rules as to what is acceptable for recycling, what forms they can be in, and how they are to be organized are so obtuse that it is much easier to just dump everything into black bags for burial... |
Yet again Hermit, you hit the nail on the head.
The specific implamentation of the recycling services scheme here in the UK is a source of many problems.
The relative immaturity of the UK's recycling capability and the lack of inter and intra county recycling scheme integration (compared to other countries such as Switzerland or Austria ) is a source of frustration to many people. It all looks good on paper, until you attempt to find more details concerning which specific items may or may not be recycled.
I recently (within the last 2 years) faced a similar annoyance after being sent a warning not to place the plastic packaging plates (amongst others) in the recycling bags (the sort of packaging that eggs, fruits, some vegtables & TV dinners are packaged in). These plastic plates are clearly marked with the recycling symbol, in addition to previously being able to recycle these plates in other counties I had visited or resided in.
On requesting further documentation detailing what my local county are capable of recycling, I was sent a collection of leaflets, none of which answered my queries, all of which glossy semi-laminated paper hence non-recyclable (yet again more proof that "recycling" is simply an add-on buzz-word for quota fulfilment by the county council rather than a well integrated daily mindset ).
.....
(editing out many phone conversations, letters sent and received)
....
After speaking to a friend who worked in the county council IT department, I was finally directed to this web reference detailing the processing stages of our local Materials Recovery Facility (it even has a pretty picture). This made it clear to me why they can recycle plastic bottles yet not the plates, even though they were both made of the same type of plastic material. I'm sure there are many other sources for this information now, at the time the web page was undergoing a redesign and this had sufficed in answering my question.
To summarise this micro-saga:
- The quality of recycling services varies tremendously from one county to another.
- Nearly all of my refuse in the non-recyclable bags could have been recycled in a county with a better recycling capability.
- It's all a big chaotic mess. A mess which I hope will eventually find order and generally work better. Enabling the public to make recycling a successful habit rather than a failing chore of hypocrisy.
Oh, by the way have a look at this recent development: TV standby buttons will be outlawed
1affordable in comparison to the long term price of utility, service bills (not forgetting the environmental price)
Kindest regards
Pickler
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