Recycling Tips
Packing materials come in various types. Plastic is the most common packaging material and, at the same time, one of the most difficult to dispose of. The factors common to all plastics are that they are light, strong and cheap to manufacture. It is for these reasons that they are used so much, as an alternative to cardboard and glass packaging materials. Almost 10% of our rubbish consists of different types of plastic. They are a problem in landfills as they are bulky, they contaminate and degrade slowly.
Metals are appropriate for packaging foods (canned foods). For drinks, such as soft drinks and beers, aluminium is often used. Tin plate is a solid, heavy steel covered with tin to protect it against rust. It is used to package canned foods. It can be separated by magnets and should be recycled in all cases. Aluminium is attractive, light and strong at the same time, but requires a lot of raw materials and energy to make it. For this reason recycling must be done. The majority of cans of soft drinks, lids, aluminium foil, etc. are made from aluminium.
Brick carton is a light, strong and air-tight packaging material. Ideal for transporting and storage. Its complex composition makes it difficult to reycle. It is becoming the main packaging material used for basic foodstuffs.
Complex packaging material, made up of several layers of plastic, paper and aluminium is difficult to recycle.
Cardboard is appropriate for packaging materials and wrapping, preferable to “white cork”. Its use may prove to be unnecessary when used for products which are already packaged sufficiently. In all cases, this packaging material is easy to recycle and reuse. It is used in the form of boxes, sheets and corrugated cardboard.
Recycling Tips:
Reduce - Reuse - Recylce
- Don’t use plastic bags to hold your recyclables – simply put your recyclables straight in the appropriate recycling bin.
- When recycling plastic bottles, make sure they are empty and remove all lids.
- Ensure that paper and cardboard is not spoiled with food, metals, glass or plastics before you recycle
- Recycle your newspapers.
- Printer Cartridges, Corks, Cans, Mobile Phones and Plastic Bags can all be recycled.
- Avoid using single use plastic shopping bags
Other things to consider to help reduce your impact on the environment.
- Buy products that have minimal packaging
- Buy products that have recycled material in their packaging
- Buy Recycled products such as toilet paper and printing paper
- Avoid toys and household items with batteries
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Great tips to help save the planet.
Keep it up.