Thursday 25th November 2008
Co-mingled collections significantly reduce glass recycling
The Campaign for Real Recycling today commented on the findings of a recent HSE/WISH report which claims that co-mingled domestic recycling collections result in lower glass collection noise (as reported in letsrecycle 24Nov08).
Mal Williams, CRR Chair and community sector representative on the WISH committee, said: “We’re prepared to believe that glass noise can be a problem in certain circumstances. Recent modifications of stillage vehicles, prompted by HSE research findings, have improved the situation. But to suggest that co-mingled collection is the answer is absurd. We suspect this conclusion about noise is simply an excuse to mitigate the practice of co-mingling as its cost and quality disbenefits become clearer.”
Andy Moore, campaign coordinator, said: “Single stream co-mingled collections are more expensive than those which sort at the kerbside. They produce lower quality materials, which are now having trouble finding markets. Co-mingling means wasting good materials put out by householders, with indicative figures from WRAP research suggesting that up to 60% of MRF reject material originates from target recyclables. Cullet glass output from MRFs can be up to 40% non-glass. The sad truth is that no bottles are being remade anywhere from single stream MRF output material. MRF output cullet goes into roadfill. This practice is material downcycling and a waste of embodied carbon. It is telling that no EU countries other than the UK and Ireland will allow glass into roadfill and even Ireland has set a PRN of €4/t for roadfilled glass as against €20/t for remelt.”
Andrew Perkins of Aylesford Newsprint added: “Collecting glass co-mingled isn’t just a problem for glass reprocessors. Fragmented glass as a contaminant also causes expensive and unnecessary abrasion damage to the screens in paper mills. I really can’t see how a particular solution to a problem in one area should be allowed to create multiple problems in other areas.”
Information for Editors:
1. The Campaign for Real Recycling wants central government and local authorities to act urgently to improve the quality of materials collected for recycling in the UK. Real recycling is about maximising the economic, environmental and social benefits of recycling for everyone, from the local council tax payer to the global re-processing industry. Our concern is that collection systems that gather a range of different materials in one bag or bin and then compact them could permanently undermine the environmental and financial benefits of recycling. Our campaign aims to influence local authority policy and practice, and build consensus within the UK of the economic and environmental importance of highly separated collections.
2. Campaign for Real Recycling supporters:
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