I think what's depressing is the fact we're still having this type of debate in 2013-why does it take so long for anything to change? We (and I mean Governments) wait till it's almost too late then suddenly there's a knee jerk reaction to some statement in Brussels or some 'think tank suit' somewhere in Whitehall and there are 'targets to meet'. The proper facilities aren't put in place first so that recycling can be done correctly and efficiently. People want to recycle-it should be made easy for us to do it.
Or would that be too simple and sensible?
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Nut C thank you for your response. There are a lot of people on this forum; could we not 'lobby' a bit about this? If other countries can ban them or make them uncomfortably expensive, why can't we? Or are the plastic bag manufacturers so powerful that no government can ban the wretched things?
It's hard to move away from any established state, especially one that makes life easier. A lot of people really don't want to/are not able to think beyond their immediate wants. In our nearest supermarket there are rows and rows of products in plastic containers but only the bottles are recycleable.
All those margerine/yogurt/dips/instant meal containers.............etc can't be recycled in Peterborough.
I have said a lot, every time another landfill planning request comes round I get my word in. Those requests come after gravel extraction and, around here at least, have always been granted. Round here there is a lot of gravel.
Nut C, according to what I was told last Thursday, the EU have banned any new landfill sites for many years now. My friend who I was talking to earlier said there was an horrific landfill near Peterborough. I had understood that no new landfills had been permitted for about the last 6/8 or so years
To be fair not all landfill sites are that bad, we live right next to a decomissied landfill in blaydon/gateshead. Apart from the methane plant you would never know what it used to be, it's now part of the blaydon burn wildlife area, where we have red kites etc.
Here in Ireland we have a plastic bag levy currently 22 cents. It was introduced at 15 cents in 2002
"It had an immediate effect on consumer behaviour with a decrease in plastic bag usage from an estimated 328 bags per capita to 21 bags per capita overnight."
In Northern Ireland the Assembly has just introduced a 5p bag tax this month.
Ideally you remember to bring your reusable bags with you when you shop, or grab a box. The disposable carriers are rarely necessary just handy.
Posts
Quite agree with you Artjak - sadly its a massive world wide problem.
I think what's depressing is the fact we're still having this type of debate in 2013-why does it take so long for anything to change? We (and I mean Governments) wait till it's almost too late then suddenly there's a knee jerk reaction to some statement in Brussels or some 'think tank suit' somewhere in Whitehall and there are 'targets to meet'. The proper facilities aren't put in place first so that recycling can be done correctly and efficiently. People want to recycle-it should be made easy for us to do it.
Or would that be too simple and sensible?
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Have just had a long talk with a friend who is also a keen gardener and cares about these things and we came to the conclusion that;
plastic bags in supermarkets should cost 50p
Items like cheese should only be wrapped in greaseproof paper, not cling film
meat should be wrapped in something like cellulose(?) or grease proof (I think cellulose - I may have the word wrong - is made from trees)
therefore should be bio-degradable?
In France, I believe they have banned plastic bags or made them v. expensive, also Wales. We wish our government would do the same.
I agree artjak, the solution must be in not using all that packaging not in finding a place to put it.
In the sticks near Peterborough
Nut C thank you for your response. There are a lot of people on this forum; could we not 'lobby' a bit about this? If other countries can ban them or make them uncomfortably expensive, why can't we? Or are the plastic bag manufacturers so powerful that no government can ban the wretched things?
It's hard to move away from any established state, especially one that makes life easier. A lot of people really don't want to/are not able to think beyond their immediate wants. In our nearest supermarket there are rows and rows of products in plastic containers but only the bottles are recycleable.
All those margerine/yogurt/dips/instant meal containers.............etc can't be recycled in Peterborough.
I have said a lot, every time another landfill planning request comes round I get my word in. Those requests come after gravel extraction and, around here at least, have always been granted. Round here there is a lot of gravel.
In the sticks near Peterborough
Nut C, according to what I was told last Thursday, the EU have banned any new landfill sites for many years now. My friend who I was talking to earlier said there was an horrific landfill near Peterborough. I had understood that no new landfills had been permitted for about the last 6/8 or so years
To be fair not all landfill sites are that bad, we live right next to a decomissied landfill in blaydon/gateshead. Apart from the methane plant you would never know what it used to be, it's now part of the blaydon burn wildlife area, where we have red kites etc.
Here in Ireland we have a plastic bag levy currently 22 cents. It was introduced at 15 cents in 2002
"It had an immediate effect on consumer behaviour with a decrease in plastic bag usage from an estimated 328 bags per capita to 21 bags per capita overnight."
In Northern Ireland the Assembly has just introduced a 5p bag tax this month.
Ideally you remember to bring your reusable bags with you when you shop, or grab a box. The disposable carriers are rarely necessary just handy.
Mostly from
http://www.environ.ie/en/Environment/Waste/PlasticBags/
i live in south staffs and our local Aldi charges for plastic bags it certainly helps you to remember to take your own,