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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To not scrub recycling out and soak the labels off FFS

33 replies

RainbowsFriend · 09/04/2013 21:22

We are temporarily homeless, and living with the "inlaws".

I am very grateful (especially for the help with childcare when I have all-fucking-day sickness as pregnant with #2) and thank them for any meals cooked/hospitality etc.

But I really CANNOT be arsed to do more than swill out plastic bottles and cans etc that are going straight into the recycling bin in the garage.

Apparently in this house the labels must be soaked off and recycled separately, and the cans/bottles etc must be thoroughly cleaned.

WHY? Confused. I only swill them out so they dont go manky in the bin and attract pests, but they don't need to be squeaky clean as they get cleaned again when recycled. Surely?

I am also of the opinion that windows in modern window envelopes are now recyclable and don't need tearing out (or cutting out with special scissors in this case FFS), but I am willing to be informed that I am wrong on this.

So... recycling experts - who's right?

OP posts:
CloudsAndTrees · 09/04/2013 21:24

I was ready to say YANBU, I couldn't be arsed with all that faff either. But if you are staying in someone else's house you are obliged to fit in with them and do things their way, however pointless it is.

usualsuspect · 09/04/2013 21:25

My Dp would get on well with your inlaws, hes always scrubbing out bottles and cans for the recycling Grin I don't think he scrubs the labels off though.

I leave them piled up for him to do.

ColaConkie · 09/04/2013 21:25

I just throw everything in the recycling bin. Don't bother rinsing the jars out or anything. DH seems to think we will go to jail if found out but I will take the risk.

Original poster
RainbowsFriend · 09/04/2013 21:26

Pants. :(

Yes I know you're right Clouds and it is their house etc.... but could I at least have a AIBU on a technicality that actually it IS pointless, but good manners mean otherwise etc (waffles on ineffectively Grin)?

OP posts:
Original poster
RainbowsFriend · 09/04/2013 21:27

I'm going to have to revert to teenage behaviour I think and always leave a tiny portion of eg squash left in the bottle so avoid it! Grin

OP posts:
LadyBeagleEyes · 09/04/2013 21:28

God no, I couldn't be doing with that.
I suppose because it's not your home you'll have to grin and bear it though.
I hate recycling at the best of times, so I'm like you, everything gets a quick rinse.

HumphreyCobbler · 09/04/2013 21:29

this would drive me insane

everlong · 09/04/2013 21:30

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

pumpkinsweetie · 09/04/2013 21:32

Yanbu, its a pointless task but i would say just do it being that you are living in someone else home.
What a waste of water!

CloudsAndTrees · 09/04/2013 21:32

Oh, if that's what you're after, then YANBU!

Soaking labels off is an especially pointless exercise, in our area everything they collect for recycling goes in the same space in the lorry to be sorted at the recycling place. The recycling place is probably mingingly dirty, meaning that any clean stuff that goes there is just going to get dirty again.

Original poster
RainbowsFriend · 09/04/2013 21:33

What about windows on envelopes - am I right on that (even though I will be polite in their home and do it how they want)? I want a little secret win here! Grin

OP posts:
LineRunner · 09/04/2013 21:33

I am a recycling freak, OP, but strangely I think you are kind of right. It does all get 'handled' at the modern materials recycling facility. Rinsing is good because it helps to avoid big-food-lump contamination, but it doesn't have to be pristine.

To be on the safe side, I would ring the Council and ask to be put through the recyling officer, and you will undoubtedly make a geek's day. Grin

Original poster
RainbowsFriend · 09/04/2013 21:36

Oh I'm not sure I would actually ring someone up about it - they would think I was a nutter surely?! (Although I am the only person in my department at work who actually bothers to take the departmental milk bottles home to recycle them Blush)

OP posts:
IsThatTrue · 09/04/2013 21:37

I clean stuff but only because it gets shoved in the 'recycling cupboard' and would make my house reek if I left them unwashed.

YANBU about the cleaning but as you're staying with them I think you have to suck it up tbh!

Xiaoxiong · 09/04/2013 21:39

Is today recycling day on MN or something? Grin

LineRunner is correct - different councils have different rules but certainly our council's guidelines are that they collect mixed recyclables - no scrubbing of labels necessary. I usually do a cursory rinse if there's lots of food on something, just because we only put recycling out once a fortnight and if there's lots of food it just sits there.

IdreamofFairies · 09/04/2013 21:41

i never washed my stuff out either but recently we had a person in (worked for the council to educate about recycling no idea of her title lol) work and she said if there is any evidence of food waste bean juice for example on the rubbish (they dont count a few drips) they will throw the whole bag in the black bag pile.
i was surprised as i though as someone here said that they washed everything anyway.
must admit the removing of labels and windows seems a bit excessive. i would be tempted to talk to someone in your council see what the protocol is though.

steppemum · 09/04/2013 21:41

While I have a lot of sympathy, I heard a guy on the radio recently who said that plastic recycling centres can cope with labels, but not with them being dirty.

Don't know the whys an wherefores. So we rinse all plastic in hot soapy water, so it is pretty clean

Original poster
RainbowsFriend · 09/04/2013 21:42

Well it is our recycling night here tonight which prompted it! Grin

Thanks for the replies - I will suck it up as I am a guest in their house, but nice to have a little bit inside that knows I AM RIGHT really Grin

OP posts:
starfishmummy · 09/04/2013 21:43

Our council suggest that a quick rinse is all that is needed.

TheBuskersDog · 09/04/2013 21:44

Things get a rinse here to stop the recycling bin getting manky, except peanut butter jars which I chuck straight in the bin because I figure that has to be greener than wasting gallons of water trying to clean them.

Original poster
RainbowsFriend · 09/04/2013 21:44

steppemum - really? [shocked] Hmm maybe I am wrong then :(

Maybe councils need to offer better guidance - the leaflet we get every year just says what can/cant be put in the bins - not how it should be prepared...

OP posts:
BlackeyedSusan · 09/04/2013 21:49

aall the plastic fruit containers get wshed and sent to school so some other mummy/daddy can recycle them Grin milk/squash bottles, glass and tins get rinsed and put in the recycling.

70isaLimitNotaTarget · 09/04/2013 21:49

My dad tears up thin cardboard into small pieces.
Seriously, he cannot put a cereal packet into the recycle (we have as many bags as we want, He has a wheely bin sized recycle bin) unless it is torn into pieces the size of a playing card.

Feel
My
Pain

Original poster
RainbowsFriend · 09/04/2013 21:54

Ha! 70 - Grin - I sympathise....

OP posts:
Apileofballyhoo · 09/04/2013 21:55

I wash anything greasy in hot soapy water and often wonder how 'green' that could be... I did see a documentary where anything 'contaminated' was getting thrown away, and that seemed to be a huge amount, so I am an obsessive rinser, washer, dryer now. DH thinks I am excessive.