Please join us at the Plume of Feathers on Monday 3rd March for the next get together.
RECYCLING - We have changed the photo from that of the first stage of processing of combined recycling from residents Blue Top bins, because it was not very pretty. Here is one of a camelia bush instead.
However, the new recycling rules now apply and here is an explanation of how the mixed recycleables are handled.
Bags are dumped into the first machine, burst open, and are then sent up a conveyor belt to go through a series of automated processes to seperate out paper, plastic, glass, steel and aluminium.
Recycled materials are bundled and then sold on to be re-used, providing an income stream as well as 'being green'. Current prices for recycled aluminium are about £900 per ton, making it one of the most valuable recycleables.
Recycling targets are assigned by central government with heavy, daily, fines levied on councils who fail to meet their target. The 2008 target for Greenwich is 20%, which we are meeting but it is set to rise steeply to 40% over the next 2 years.
From January 2008 residents are being asked to seperate their waste into 3 categories:
BLUE top bins - for
(but not 'green'/florescent' lightbulbs,tetrapak juice cartons, styrofoam, or batteries - which can be recycled at the Nathan Way amenity site along with lots of other items)
GREEN bins will now be used for compostable waste which is to be anaerobically composted at high temprature. The methane gas that will be produced will be captured and used to create electricity to run the plant with excess being potentially used for powering council vehicles or buses or sold back to the national grid. Put cooked and uncooked food waste, plate scrapings, any grass, plant or vegetable matter into your green bins. If it breathed or grew the green bin is for you!
Black Sacks which, unlike the above will be collected fortnightly, are to contain everyting else - nappies, used paper towels, cotton wool, ploystyrene, styrofoam, tetrapak juice cartons - if you dont recycle them at the amenity site.
Note - old rags, clothes, shoes etc can go in this black bag but they wont be recycled which would be a shame really, as much of this is quite useful. Amenity sites at the teletubby Sainsbury's by Bugsby Way, Majestic Wines in West Greewich, Nathan Way in Woolwich provide a useful 'green' alternative.