The Plastic SpoonThe instructions on the side of our black recycling boxes, and the advice in leaflets is that Redbridge Council accept “Plastic Bottles”. Now, there are several different types of plastic, see graphic below, and most plastic products these days have one of those symbols etched into it somewhere.
So, I’ve just been up in the bathroom having a look at all the potions, creams, shampoos, mouthwash and other stuff. Then the toilet for the bleach and the Coca-Cola (it comes free with our Chinese takeaways and it’s an excellent toilet cleaner and
“I’m not making it up”). Onto the kitchen for milk, sauces, salad dressing, tonic, sarsaparilla etc. And then the garage for the turps, meths, glues and sealants. (cue joke from Morris).
The milk bottles (and the tops) are number 2 HDPE. As were things like Bex Bissell carpet cleaner, baby lotion and talc. Also some of the products were just labelled PE (which is number2) like Nivea, Dove, Vaseline hand cream and Bleach.
But there were quite a few number 1s PET or PETE. Corsodyl, Listerene, Skin Spa and the spray shower cleaner plus the Turps.
Then we have the Number 5s PP. Nivea, Simple, Olay, and those just labelled PP (which is number 5) Radox and Femfresh.
There was also one plastic bottle labelled as Number 3 V.
We also have "plastic bottles" with no discernible marking at all. Tonic Water, Dry Ginger, and the Coca Cola and Meths although one can be forgiven for confusing the last two. Oh, and the Swarfega.
So, the “plastic bottles” that get put into my recycling box are types 1 PET or PETE, 2 HDPE or just PE, 3 V, 5 PP or just PP and
indeterminate.
There was a Ferraro Rochet plastic box in the garage (with screws in it) which was type 6 PS and a “bottle” shaped container of Evo-Stick wood adhesive that was type 7 OTHER.
But get this. The Clover marge tub is type 5 PP. As are the plastic tubs that my Chinese takeaways come in but you can’t have those because we reuse them. Also the Solvite, Plastic Paint Pots and Filler. Then we have the No More Nails, Silicon Sealant, and PVA adhesive all type 2 HDPE.
The meat trays are mostly indeterminate, the sliced chicken tray is type 1 PET, but not the Ham which is “not currently recyclable”. The Flora has a “recycling symbol” but doesn’t say what sort of plastic it is.
Right. So, if Redbridge accept types 1, 2, 3, 5, and
indeterminate in the shape of “bottles” why can’t you accept exactly the same types of plastic in other shapes and forms?
