Do you clean your recycling before putting in the bin?

[Frosty66612]

Bit of a boring one but do you rinse out tins and yogurt pots etc before putting them in the recycling bin, or do you just put them straight in?

@BatteriesAllGone

I ‘clean’ Nutella jars by filling with water, put lid on, vigorous shake, leave for two or three days. Empty contents, fill and shake again, if required, leave for a bit longer.

Couldn't be arsed with all that - way to busy a life to be fucked with that. And I don't eat that crap anyway.

And it's a load of bollocks that the bits left in the plastics or jars will 'contaminate' the cardboard you leave out. They go in different containers. People do talk such nonsense!!!

@JacquesHammer

Doing a load of washing up. Takes an extra 30 seconds. Go in drying rack.

Goes in dishwasher. Dried for me.

If you class that as effort you must have terribly low standards.

I don't have a dishwasher. So I have to put in considerably more EFFORT than you dear. Which I cannot be fucked to do.

So sue me.

Having a dishwasher with all the extra water and electricity it uses is REALLY bad for the environment.

If you use the dishwasher to wash out your recyclables, wasting all that electric and water, you must have TERRRRIBLY low standards. Shame on you.

*Having a dishwasher with all the extra water and electricity it uses is REALLY bad for the environment.

If you use the dishwasher to wash out your recyclables, wasting all that electric and water, you must have TERRRRIBLY low standards. Shame on you*

I use it once a week love. Nice try though

The reason you should rinse is the same reason why it’s harder to clean off concrete Weetabix after it’s dried - if you quick rinse the baked bean tin then it’s clean enough to go in the bin and the pressure washers at the recycling plant make it spotless. If the baked bean bits have dried on & they’re trying to clean it 2 weeks after you ate it, it uses much more water.

It wastes more water & contaminates recycling not to clean at your end. Please do a quick rinse out!

@JacquesHammer

I only use my dishwasher once a week.

Yeah, of COURSE you do dear.

Nice try luv.

Making use of plastic minimal is really important though.

So I have bags that I take to the supermarket for fruit/veg.

There’s also a newly started scheme in the local area working towards plastic free produce.

Some things for me are unavoidable, but I’m really trying to be as environmentally conscious where it is possible

Yeah, of COURSE you do dear

There’s only me and DD. And sometimes just me. We don’t make much washing up

And it's a load of bollocks that the bits left in the plastics or jars will 'contaminate' the cardboard you leave out. They go in different containers. confused People do talk such nonsense!!!

All our recyclables go in one bin, collected by one truck. It’s mixes recycling.

So yes, your filthy baked bean can could drip on a whole load of clean cardboard.

There should be more standardisation and education on this. And we should all use less packaged goods where possible.

But if people put crockery etc in the dishwasher and store it there for a few days, surely it stinks?

Ugh

And it's a load of bollocks that the bits left in the plastics or jars will 'contaminate' the cardboard you leave out. They go in different containers

We have one bin. We don’t sort, so every bit of recycling goes into one container hence the contamination risk.

Arran I like the vinegar idea! One I use is I save up any kitchen towel or baby wipes I've used to clean the worktops, tables, TV unit etc and use those to get as much grease off as I can from plates. I pour oil into jars I would normally recycle but that feels wrong . Neighbour pours theirs into their garden!

Tampons etc - wrapped and binned. Recently discovered my dog has a fetish for them so have to shove them waaay down in the bin. The thought of binmen going through my bins horrifies me.

But if people put crockery etc in the dishwasher and store it there for a few days, surely it stinks?

Not in the slightest.

As for using it only ONCE a week, when it is full of dirty dishes etc, that is horribly unhygienic.

Not in the slightest!?

🤣

As for using it only ONCE a week, when it is full of dirty dishes etc, that is horribly unhygienic

I don’t eat from it. I think we’re good thanks

I only run the washing machine once a week too.

Send help

@JacquesHammer

We have one bin. We don’t sort, so every bit of recycling goes into one container hence the contamination risk.

What council is THAT then that makes everyone chuck in tins and bottles and plastics, with cardboard??? I have never heard of anyone doing that before...

Well, I guess most of us have higher standards.

What council is THAT then that makes everyone chuck in tins and bottles and plastics, with cardboard??? I have never heard of anyone doing that before

*Anything involving raw chicken and seafood is given an extra blob of soap and hot water just to be on the safe side for all concerned, us, the binmen and the recyclers

I get that. But - the massive contradiction here is that the FSA and other Public Health bodies warn us not to wash chicken or other similar items for fear of contaminating our sinks or surrounding area with splashes.

Yet, here we are, washing raw chicken/fish packaging to put it in the bin...

We are in huge need of clarification and standardisation.*

I think this is one of those diktats that are blindly given out as someone in authority thinks people are too stupid to do things safely.

If you have washing bowl (I use the utility one) with hot soapy water and just plunged the chicken packaging in, while not traipsing chicken juice across the kitchen, then there is no issue with washing chicken packaging. Not everyone is sprying chicken juice all over the shop

But it is easier to issue 'warnings' not to wash

Interesting that Which? has done a piece. I would like to know how much checking round they did with councils.

After Googling around, I can see that some councils state that they own the wheelie bins and food caddies and expect them to be cleaned on a regular basis so that they are clean and fresh. Fair enough in many ways but also quite tricky for some people - particularly those of us who are not allowed to use bin liners in wheelie bins. Which is where washing the rubbish (even some of the non-recyclables) comes into play...

And, on a general note, tho' it pre-supposes the sunk costs of already having one, when used appropriately, dishwashers use less water and fuel than washing by hand

Well, I guess most of us have higher standards

I prefer to be more environmentally conscious and wait for a full load before washing.

@LavendarGreen Nope, dishwashers are better, provided (like washing machines) you are washing a full load, and because the manufacture of the machine should be included too, keeping the machine for a long time (not just replacing for cosmetic reasons).

www.independent.co.uk/environment/why-you-should-use-a-dishwasher-instead-of-cleaning-by-hand-10229612.html

insteading.com/blog/buy-eco-friendly-dishwasher-2014/

www.huffingtonpost.com/eatingwell/hand-washing-dishes-vs-dishwasher_b_1542991.html?

I only have one recycling bin to for cardboard, tins, glass etc. I’m in Derbyshire and it was the same when I lived in Nottingham

@rosewhitetips

As for using a dishwasher only ONCE a week, when it is full of dirty dishes etc, that is horribly unhygienic.

It IS unhygienic. Especially with all those filthy recyclables that @JacquesHammer puts in there, full of crap and bits, all going mouldy and sour and festering in the dishwasher for a week!
BOAK!!!