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RECYCLING METHODS Opportunities for recycling vary from
locality to locality.
Virtually anything is capable of
being recycled.
Markets often dictate what is
collected.
People will recycle if made
easy for them by having access
to a convenient network of
public place recycling bins.
WHAT IS PUBLIC PLACE
Public place recycling centres
can also be known as
community dropoff centres ,
and operate as a bin or bins
placed at strategic locations
,usually in urban areas such as
shopping centres , service stations,
hotels or sports clubs.
Glass, Metal and Plastic
food & beverage containers are
the most commonly collected items.
Green Waste, clothing , paper ,
vehicle batteries and bric a brac
can often be collected in this
manner, although not all sites
are suitable for all items.
WHAT IS KERBSIDE RECYCLING
Same Items such as public place
can be collected at the kerb
,-usually on a weekly or
fortnightly basis.
Materials are left out in crates
or wheelie bins supplied by the
local government authority.
Financial incentives are often
given to recycle by structuring
different rates for garbage
than recyclables.
WHAT IS TIPFACE OR TIPGATE RECYCLING
Can incorporate a much wider selection
of recyclables ,particularly if
incorporated into a tip scavenging
operation.
Methods of operation can be similar to
public place with large bins regularly
cleared by a recycling company or by
direct sale to members of the public
of all manner of household goods
through a tipshop.
Disadvantages of the tip location is
that it is usually difficult to access
for people with no transport ,and is
some distance away from the point of
sale of their consumer products.
STARTING A CENTRE
Clean Up Launceston hopes to
establish 1 or more public place
recycling depots in Launceston ,
Tasmania. As Launceston is an
area with few recycling opportunities.
The Recycling Companies operate from
Launceston for the benefit of business,
but generally do not offer a service
for the public.
Elsewhere in Tasmania or other States
of Australia good facilities for the
public to recycle are in place and
working well.
When starting a centre potential
operators need to consider
zoning regulations and the effect on
the amenity of the neighbourhood .
Possible noise pollution
Possible offensive odours
Possible visual pollution
Traffic access, for both your
recyclers and your cartage contractors.
Sometimes a local recycling processor
of a particular commodity
(glass, metal or plastic) may be able to
provide receptacles and signage for
the operation.
Check if the recycling companies will
pay for the product, or whether they will
charge YOU to take away the material.
Do some soul searching on your motives,
are you in it for the money - or for the
greater good?
Many public place networks fail because of
expectations that they will achieve a
high monetary return.
While it is important not to get into debt
it need not be imperative to turn a fast
buck, the operation can be run on a cost
recovery basis.
FUNDING THE CENTRE
Funds could be located through the
federal government's Natural
Heritage Trust, Philanthropic Trusts
& Foundations, Private Sponsorships,
User fees, or from users taking
ownership of the project and forming
a cooperative venture.
ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS
By providing an opportunity to
recycle a recycling and green
ethos is developed in the community
which will lead to other
environmental issues being tackled,
which can only be good for our
planet and wellbeing.
There will be a reduction in
greenhouse gas production as it
takes less energy to recycle common
food and beverage containers than
it takes to mine new materials or
produce new containers.
There will be less litter,
as thought will be given on how to
properly dispose of waste material.
There will be more landfill space,
reducing the need for new sites
to be located.
COMMUNITY EDUCATION &
MANAGEMENT OF CONTAMINATION
A community education programme
needs to be put into place to ensure
that contamination of the product
is kept to a minimum.
HOW CAN THE RECYCLABLES
BE CONTAMINATED
Contamination can occur when different
grades or colours are mixed .White,
Green or Brown glass are usually the
only glass collected, other colours
are not accepted by recycling processors
.If a small amount of the wrong colour
glass gets in a batch the whole batch
is affected and likely to be dumped.
Similarly plastic grades go up to 7,
but normally 1,2 & 3 are the only codes
accepted for recycling.
The code which is printed on the container
in an universally recognized recycling
triangle is an industry mark denoting
recyclability OR RECYCLED CONTENT, and
is not meant to be a consumer guide,
although this is often the case.
Consumers can easily reduce the level
of contamination at the depot by :
Removing lids .
Often bottle and jar caps are made
from a different material.
Screw tops from soft drink bottles
are usually aluminium, Crown Seals
from beer bottles are steel, most
of the caps on glass food jars are steel.
A magnet will soon pick out the steel
material.
The plastic lids on food jars or
softdrink bottles are usually non recyclable.
The metal lids are only able to be recycled if placed in the aluminium or steel bins.
The caps on the soft drink bottles cannot be recycled,.
Observing the rules of the particular
public place facility and not leaving
items for recycling if these items are
not the materials able to be collected
by the recycling processors, as these items
will end up as waste, adding to the cost of
the operation and could result in closure
of the facility.
Washing Containers ,particularly take care
with milk bottles, because if they go sour,
not only are they offensive to the people
handling the product, but may not be able
to be recycled, especially if there is a
furry fungal growth inside the milk or
yoghurt container.
Aluminium and Steel must not be mixed,
aluminium is worth more than steel, so
if steel is mixed with aluminium the
consignment is sold at steel rates,
which is the absolute minimum currently.
Be careful that aerosol cans have plastic
caps and nozzles removed.
Paint tins are recyclable, but only dry
containers with lids removed.
check with the operator of the public
place recycling depot re toxic material
such as, pesticides etc as these may
require special handling.
It may be better to seek advice from
Councils or Agriculture Departments, most states now have "DRUMMUSTER" for this material
GETTING YOUR PROJECT UP
In Launceston it is urgent to provide
maximum opportunity to recycle common
household containers.
Clean Up Launceston seeks your input
on how to achieve it's aims.
Various approaches could be tried as a
way of achieving an efficient an
convenient network of public place
recycling.
(1) the confrontationist approach
using graphic demonstration of
wasted resources.
(2) The consultationist method, -
working with State, Federal & Local
governments this method needs to be
2 pronged at the elected
representative level, while at the
same time, working with Parliamentary
Officers and Council Staff.
(3) The Recycling and Packaging Industry
should also be kept informed of your
campaign as it proceeds, because they
could become opponents to your cause
if they feel what you are planning
threatens the viability of their operation.
(4)
Clean Up Launceston as an active campaigne
for public place recycling certainly does
not have all the answers and wishes that
visitors to this site built at TRIPOD
will contribute with their tips on
getting community leaders on side.
email me or create a conversation on my
messageboard see CONTACT PAGE.
CONTACT 
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