What Can We Do About This Recycling Madness?

Posted on | August 19, 2008 |

I work in the mailing department of a printers. Most of our work is packed in plastic film and as we are always trying to be ever more environmentally friendly, we use a biodegradable film. This film is more expensive than the conventional type, but as we are now fully accredited with the FSC, this cost is probably justified.

There are films on the market that are recyclable, and some that are both. The best solution would be to use the recyclable/biodegradable version as it would not matter how the recipient disposed of the film as if it went into landfill it would degrade in around six months and if it was sent for recycling, well, you know the rest!

The only drawback to us using any form of recyclable film is that there doesn’t seem to be anywhere that the average person in the street can actually recycle it! Purely recyclable film that is simply thrown away won’t degrade for many years, the “dual” film, it would seem can only be put into landfill, or so it would seem!

A straw poll of local authorities has shown us that there are no facilities available in many areas to recycle plastic film, or any form of thin plastic, like carrier bags, etc. Many authorities would post a warning on your recycling bin if you was to throw such items into it and some would even fine you! So it would seem that we are forced to simply throw this stuff away for it to end up in landfill, rather than make any effort to develop a countrywide solution to the recycling of plastic bags and film.

As we become more environmentally aware, shouldn’t we be demanding better support from local or national government in order for us to make the absolute most of the planets resources?