Recycling (Soft Plastics) @ participating Coles & Woolies (Batteries @ ALDI)

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  Nugs on 15/02/2017 - 06:30

  +3

  good tip

  • 

    Baysew on 15/02/2017 - 10:50

    +2

    good pun

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  ihbh on 15/02/2017 - 08:47

  +1

  Yep, we recycle these religiously.

  We hang a plastic bag and fill it with plastic bags of all kinds, then tie it up and on the next shopping trip drop it off. If it gets dirty, use a clean plastic bag as a glove when you dump it all in the recycling bin.

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  compingqueen on 15/02/2017 - 09:06

  +4

  I worked at Coles for 10 years and, as the only environmentally conscious person working there, it horrified me that they don't actually recycle them. They just empty it with the other trash. I used to painstakingly remove all the rubbish people would put in those bins (juice bottles, apple cores, wrappers) and make sure it got sorted but my job was at the checkouts so I could rarely do that. All other times it just wasn't recycled. I used to get teased because I was passionate about the environment. There are people out there who just don't care about recycling or wastage (like a colleague at my last office job who would open the tap on full blast and leave it on as she cleaned the kitchen area)

  • 

    John Kimble on 15/02/2017 - 09:22

    +3

    Wow that's pretty poor. I'm not as passionate as you probably are about the subject, but I do try where possible and it is highly disturbing if they are not doing what they are marketing they are doing on their website (just on principle).

    https://www.coles.com.au/corporate-responsibility/environmen…

    I wonder if it is across the board or just in some stores?

    Surely something you can report to head office or as last resort, ACA?

    • 

      carwashhair on 15/02/2017 - 11:01

      disturbing if they are not doing what they are marketing they are doing on their website (just on principle).

      I must sound like a real downer, but I really don't think many corporations (especially larger ones) would follow through to any great extent with environmental initiatives like these. Even the Coles link above provides a fair clue as to how these sorts of things are viewed - it's a 'corporate responsibility', something that 'ought' to be done rather than something that is actively/passionately pursued by the organisation.

      To have a recycling program or similar in place allows the company to 'be seen' to be active in meeting these obligations, but as compingqueen points out ("at all other times it just wasn't recycled") it's going to be more cost-effective to simply bin rather than separate. It's less of a monetary cost to the corporation, but they are seen to be doing the 'right' thing, and sadly that seems to count for a lot more.

      A pet example - recycling nespresso capsules. My dear mum empties and cleans each nespresso capsule, puts the grounds in compost and gives me the aluminium pods to take instore. However, the store wants the pods as-is - i.e. grounds and all. That way, they are able to claim "we recycle x tons of capsules a year" - a figure that would be 1/20th as large if counting the aluminium pod weight alone.

      All this said, I use in-store recycling when I can in the good faith that stores do what they say, with the feeling that we don't get anywhere near the full story :(

      • 

        John Kimble on 15/02/2017 - 11:08

        +1

        Yep agree, I rank this low on the "human atrocities scale", but it certainly doesn't help my pessimistic/cynical outlook on life to hear…but I suppose I shouldn't be surprised. Sigh.

    • 

      compingqueen on 15/02/2017 - 13:04

      I would hope that not all stores were like mine and that perhaps there are people who "agree" with recycling. I worked there years ago so I'm hoping the mentality has now changed though I recall learning about recycling at the age of 5 through "Behind the News" on ABC and becoming fascinated with it and I'm in my 30s now so recycling isn't a new idea but it certainly is easier now to recycle.
      Customers don't make it easy with these bins by using them as a trash can. I see that still happen. I wonder if people are committed like I was to removing all foreign objects which would lead to contamination of a load depending on how/if these are sorted at their final destination. It would be a different procedure to a normal recycling plant as this is plastic dedicated.

  • 

    bargainparker on 21/04/2017 - 17:55

    I was wondering about ACA or TT too. They would love to come and have a look when they throw it away.

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  Peter Enis on 15/02/2017 - 10:10

  +3

  I find the battery bins at Aldi are usually full or have other rubbish sticking out of them - plus they don't take anything larger than a D battery - so no good if you have one of those big 6V torch batteries.

  Recently found that Battery World has recycling bins as well - dropped off a couple of kilos of batteries at our local store recently and they have nice big bins too.

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  compingqueen on 15/02/2017 - 13:23

  Regarding general recycling, I just came across this link from which I learnt there's a program for recycling used toothbrushes, toothpaste tubes and dental floss containers https://www.domain.com.au/advice/12-household-items-you-can-…

  • 

    John Kimble on 16/02/2017 - 14:38

    Didn't know about aerosol cans!

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  MeesusEff on 15/02/2017 - 14:10

  For food items, such as icecream wrappers, silver lined chip packets etc, do the wrappings need to be generally clean? Or even general milk plastic bottles?

  • 

    John Kimble on 15/02/2017 - 14:59

    I would think so. They say you can recycle pizza boxes too if there is not too much oil or food scraps on it… They mention it in the domain link posted previously.

    • 

      MeesusEff on 15/02/2017 - 15:13

      yeah. i never knew we could recycle chip packets, but normally they are greasy and crumby so I wasnt sure if they would be processed anyway, will keep that in mind :)

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  itajac on 15/02/2017 - 16:46

  nappies and toilet paper

  Surely not used?

  • 

    John Kimble on 15/02/2017 - 17:05

    +1

    The packaging, not the actual product.

    Plastic film from grocery items such as nappies and toilet paper

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  fryandlaurie on 15/02/2017 - 19:47

  +2

  Apart from redcycle there is also TerraCycle that does many other types of waste collections. Most are free and give you rewards. Return shipping is included too.

  Also, there's a new initiative from some councils where they can organise pick up of hard to recycle items straight from your home. This includes car and consumer batteries, CFLs, paint, oils and gas bottles - Problem Waste

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  Savas on 14/04/2017 - 18:04

  Pleased I found this thread, has a lot of great information.