MIXED DRY RECYCLABLES:
ALUMINIUM AND TIN CANS, GLASS BOTTLES AND JARS, PLASTIC BOTTLES AND CARDBOARD (more…)
Recycling helps reduces Climate Change
Recycle Angel follows the theory that using clean recycling as a raw material will reduce the energy needed in the manufacturing process. When energy production is dependent on fossil fuels that reduction reduces the amount of carbon dioxide, affects global warming and helps reduces climate change.
The recycling collection process could be twice as good
The domestic recycling bin collection process wagons, drivers and loaders is well established. In my area the recycling team empties recycling bins every two weeks. In conversation with others many say their bins are less than half full.
The Council can reduce its carbon emissions
I suggest recycling bins could be emptied less frequently. House by house, street by street, area by area and town by town the council could embark on extending the period between collections. Reduced collections will reduce the travel time and fuel consumption of its fleet. It will also result in reduced carbon emissions.
If you would like to help please complete FORM 1, below and send it to me.
HELP MAKE A CHANGE FORM 1
| QUESTIONS | YOUR ANSWERS | |
| YOUR POST CODE | To show the area you live in | |
| HOW MANY RECYCLING BINS DO YOU HAVE IN YOUR HOUSEHOLD/HOME? | Some have more than one bin. | |
| HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE IN YOUR HOUSEHOLD/HOME? | Single households often collect less recycling | |
| DO YOU SHARE YOUR BINS WITH NEIGHBOURS? | Anyone can share if they want to | |
| TO TEST HOW LONG IT TAKES YOU TO FILL YOUR RECYCLING BIN
YOU NEED A START AND END DATE. see below |
||
| START DATE? | Start your test when your bin is empty | |
| END DATE? | End your test when your bin is full | |
| TIME IN WEEKS AND DAYS IT TOOK TO FILL YOUR RECYCLING BIN? | In some places, if your bin is full before the collection is due, excess put in a bin bag and present for collection will be taken. Other areas may be different. | Weeks
Days |
| HOW MANY WEEKS BETWEEN RECYCLING BIN COLLECTIONS WOULD SUIT YOU? | The answer here could be based on the number of weeks it took you to fill your recycling bin. | |
| NOTES: | ||
Thank you.
TO SEE IF THE COUNCIL CAN SAVE MONEY, TIME, FUEL, REDUCE ITS CARBON FOOTPRINT AND HELP REDUCE CLIMATE CHANGE BY REDUCING THE FREQUENCY OF DOMESTIC RECYCLING COLLECTIONS.
AIM
The Council empties recycling bins that are put out, on a fortnightly basis. I have carried out this experiment to see if the Council does not need to empty them as often as it does. And suggest if it reduces the frequency it will reduce its fuel consumption, save money and help reduce climate change. I hope it will be able to use the savings to reduce council tax hikes.
EQUIPMENT
A 4 draw cabinet,
A Council Recycling Bin
A set of kitchen scales
NOTES
Generally recycling bins hold 240 litres. 2 weeks recycling barely covered the bottom of my recycling bin. I estimate it could take 6 weeks to fill my recycling bin with household recycling. I wanted to show how long it takes to fill it and it will not be too heavy for the operatives.
THE PROCESS
Over a few weeks I collected my household aluminium, glass, tin and plastic recycling and sorted it into individual draws.
At times shown in the table below I weighed each material and recorded the results.
NOTE -I have noticed many people do not put cardboard in the bin, it is left beside it instead. I did not include cardboard.
From the data I have derived approximate weights for the periods, 14, 29, 41 up to 54 days and a year.
CONLUSION
My results show the recycling collected is not heavy. I observe my recycling bin could be emptied every 6 weeks.
If the Council emptied all recycling bins every 6 weeks it would reduce its fuel consumption, reduce its carbon footprint, help reduce climate change and save money.
I believe that if you and hundreds of other like minded people do the same experiment and gather the data it should be possible to demonstrate the time between emptying recycling bins can be extended.
EXCEPTIONS
Some customers generate more recycling. They will need an extra bin and possibly bags. In the interest of helping to save the planet I’m sure the Council will sort out any anomalies.
Weight (grams) of recycling collected. Start date 24.04.2022
| Recycling | DATE
Start Date 24.02.2022 |
09.03.2022 | 24.03.2022 | 05.04.2022 | 18.04.2022 | Average grams per year
(365 days) based on longest test period |
Approx grams per 14 days |
| Number of days | 14 | 29 | 41 | 54 | |||
| Aluminium | 205 | 440 | 643 | 5724 | 220 | ||
| Glass | 447 | 904 | 904 | 1763 | 11916 | 457 | |
| Plastic | 332 | 990 | 1388 | 12356 | 474 | ||
| Tins | 396 | 850 | 1228 | 1530 | 10341 | 397 | |
| TOTAL | 40337 | 1548 |
PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF YOU WANT TO DO THE EXPERIMENT.
I am a Guisborough Town Councillor. I’m so pleased that as a Town Council we are working to serve the community by supporting an educational event on prevention of scams and fraud and about to fly the Ukrainian flag.
SAVING DIESEL AND THE PLANET
One Council is hoping to make a significant change to help reduce its impact on the environment. It is planning to convert 2 bin wagons and one other vehicle to dual fuel. That includes hydrogen. It estimates it will save more than 10,000 litres of diesel per year.
The hydrogen will be produced in the greenest possible way using an electrolyser connected to solar panels and grey-water recycling. (Spelled graywater in the USA)
WHY I WROTE RECYCLE ANGEL
I wrote the book, Recycle Angel, because I was fed up of council taxes going up and so little being done to help reduce climate change. I can only hope that council’s saving will be reflected in Council Tax bills.
SAVE MONEY AND THE ENVIRONMENT
Without nit-picking, in England there are over 300 councils. If every council vehicle was converted and they all saved 10,000 litres of diesel per year that could be more than 3,000,000 litres saved. That would help the environment. As we all know the price of diesel is more than one pound per litre so that could be a financial saving of more than three million pounds nationally.
While we wait for councils to convert all vehicles away from fossil fuels such as diesel I would like to see the same service rendered if vehicles are used more sparingly and fuel consumption reduced.
THE GOVERNMENT AIMS TO HELP
The government set its climate change targets, its aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (GHG). It is increasing the numbers of electric vehicle charging points across the country to give motorists confidence they will be able to recharge and not run out of power. Sadly much of the electricity needed is produced in gas burning generators. Gas is a fossil fuel!
Thought for the week:
If higher demand contributes to higher prices is there anything you can do to reduce your contribution?
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