Waste management stream
There are different types of waste or waste streams. To manage your waste efficiently, you should look at recycling as much of it as possible.
The following waste streams can be recycled:
- glass
- biodegradable / organic / green waste
- paper
- plastic
- electronic and electrical equipment
Glass reuse and recycling
The energy saved from recycling one glass bottle is enough to power a light bulb for four hours. Source: www.recycle-more.co.uk
There are two main types of glass: flat glass used to make windows and glass used to make containers. There are very few facilities for the collection and reprocessing of flat glass - but bottles and containers can be reused, recycled and reprocessed into alternative products.
Glass as a container is still heavier and less sturdy than plastic containers. Increasingly, it is luxury items that remain packaged in glass such as perfume and alcohol.
Glass containers such as drinks bottles, perfume bottles and jars equate for approximately 8% - 10% of the average UK household's rubbish. Most of these can now be recycled through household recycling schemes across London. Alternatively, there are over 2,500 recycling sites where glass, paper and card can be recycled. For more details visit www.capitalwastefacts.co.uk
Glass can be reprocessed back into bottles, if it is separated into different colours and of a high quality. It can be turned into other products too, including glass aggregate for road maintenance, wine glasses and tiles.
Biodegradeable / organic / green waste
As much as 20-30 % of household waste is estimated to be made up of kitchen scraps, vegetable peelings and garden trimmings or grass clippings. These materials are suitable for composting because they are biodegradable. They will decompose over time releasing gases and liquids.
Contact your local council to find out what recycling services they offer. Or if you're based in London see www.capitalwastefacts.co.uk
The average household throws away 8.5kg of paper every week and most types of paper, such as newspapers, magazines, catalogues, white phone books and so on, can be recycled.
With the introduction of the Mayors Waste Strategy 2000, a 25 % reduction in biodegradable waste going to landfill by 2005 target means that 2.2 million tonnes of paper and cardboard needs to be diverted per year.
Paper
Every tonne of paper recycled saves 17 trees. Source: www.recycle-now.co.uk
The main types of paper that can be recycled are office white and coloured paper, newspapers, magazines, telephone directories, cardboard and junk mail.
There are also different grades of paper and cardboard collected mainly from agricultural and industrial sources. There are actually about 50 different grades of paper.
Plastic
17.5 billion plastic bags are handed out by supermarkets every year. The Times 8 August 2006
Plastic has become an increasingly popular packaging material given its lightweight, durable, moisture resistant properties. However, it is these properties and the varying different types of plastic that make it difficult to dispose of in an environmentally efficient manner.
Plastics are notoriously complicated to collect, store and transport after use, given that they are very lightweight and bulky in volume. This means they are very expensive and not always economically efficient to recycle.
Once collected for recycling, there are numerous separation techniques for the different types of plastic that are used in toasters, drinks bottles, shampoo bottles and yoghurt pots, window frames and toys. Processes include manual sorting by eye, chemical scanning, density separation and electrostatic separation.
We are working with Closed Loop Recycling to open a plastic reprocessing facility in London. Click here to find out more about recycling infrastructure.
Waste electronic and electrical equipment (WEEE)
Electronics recycling is an emerging industry. As the production and use of electrical products continues to increase dramatically in business and consumer sectors, so does the challenge of disposal and recovery.
The pace of technology development means that people are continually updating their electronic equipment including mobile phones, televisions and upgrading computers for faster and smaller models. The government has introduced legislation to strive to address this.
Legislation
The Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) directive affects businesses producing and handling electrical and waste electrical products. The Restriction on Hazardous Substances Directive (RoHS) directive affects businesses that specify and produce WEEE.
With the emphasis on producer responsibility, manufacturers are responsible for the cost of meeting these obligations.
See the results of our market research into the impact of WEEE legislation on London. Click here to see our market research reports
Links
