"mich" wrote in message
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"David Hearn" wrote in message
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"Huge" wrote in message
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"mich" writes:

It is not a tub or bin system like in other places I have been.

So, how do people cope?

Simple. Don't bother. The vast majority of recycling schemes are bunk.
The
materials are either sold at a loss, imposing a cost on chargepayers,
in
which case it wasn't worth recycling, or in some cases put in landfill
anyway.

Local Authorities are required to significantly reduce the amount put
into
landfills. If people refuse to recycle, even when systems are in place,
that's bad. Even if it costs the taxpayer more money, its still
necessary
as they have to recycle more and landfill less. Besides, if local
authorities don't reduce landfill, they'll lose funding from the
Government,
which means taxes go up even more...

So much for the discussion about the importance or not of the ecological
issue but the reality is no one will recycle anything when it has to sit
reeking around a kitchen for weeks on end now will they?

If I put the bags out they get wet, rifled by foxes and cats and
encourage
mice whilst sitting around , not to mention I get wet putting stuff in
them.
In the kitchen they create smell and are a mess and are simply under foot.

So philosophical issues aside , what is the practical solution?

I can see your problem and I'm not sure what we would have done if we didn't
have space outside. The way we have it (in Guildford) is that we get weekly
(was fortnightly) collections and we've provided with a Green Box
(realistically its just a free plastic crate with an optional lid for £1).
We put tins, jars and newspaper/mags (not cardboard or general paper) into
it, but into separate old Tesco bags. Makes it easy for the people putting
it into the Kerbsider truck if they're already separated.

We rinse/clean all tins and jars. I think this is a requirement by GBC.
This should mean that animals won't bother with them as they don't smell or
contain any food. Also makes them not smell in the house.

I would possibly suggest you invest in a largish (2' by 1.5' or so) plastic
crate with a lid and possibly a smaller box inside. Bung everything into
the small box inside and then (when its dry) take the contents outside and
separate into the separate bags the council have provided but keep in a box.
This keeps the bags dry (I hate plastic bags when they're wet, they drip on
you and things!) and also avoids any possibly problems with animals (which
should be reduced if they've been cleaned). The box makes it all the more
neater than 2 or 3 separate bags hanging outside.

The council should make it as easy as possible for people to recycle. GBC
have done a great job (weekly collections, free crate (though optional lid
£1) etc) and they're improving it this year with a 2nd(!!) box for
cardboard/paper.

Okay, we have to rinse the tins/jars - but that isn't much work really. But
its reduced the number of waste bags we put out each week. The only thing
we'd like them to take is plastic - but currently that's very expensive to
do because of the size to weight ratio (plastic is quite light, and has high
bulk which means the can't collect too much in their trucks) - so we have to
take that ourselves to their recycling station.

That's the only advice I can really give. I've no idea whether you've got
much space outside though.

Hope that helps

David