Recycling fail

[Jeepnik]

So for a long time the trash collectors didn't want FOG (fats, oils, and grease) in either the trash or recycle. Then the sanitation district didn't want it run down the garbage disposer because it clogs up the sewer lines and inhibits the process at their plants.
Apparently, the sanitation district has more clout (and it's county owned whereas the trash is a private contractor) as we can now put FOG in the recycle. But this led to recycle cans that now stink like the garbage cans of old. You know the small metal cans food scraps were put into for separate disposal before garbage disposals became common place.

To combat the odoriferous cans the trash company now comes by every few weeks and washes the cans.

 

[GasGuzzler]

My silly city dosent allow ANY composting!

How could they enforce that? And why?

My wife tells me we are not supposed to put meat in our composter and I can't for the life of me figure out why, other than she is a vegetarian... heck we composted meat for centuries.... in one form or another... there's plenty of meat composting over in the mid east right now....

My wife and I took a one-day course at the local college on composting. It was made very clear to not put any animal byproducts, including carnivorous feces, in the compost. There are many reasons but the first is that attracts too many negatives such as scavengers and maggots. Also, it doesn't help with the composition of the soil you (well me for sure) are making. I compost to use the extremely rich soil in my garden, not to keep stuff out of the landfill. And soil with dead animal parts or carnivore poop in it doesn't work as well. Aged and dried cow manure is a great element to mix into garden soil but it came from a herbivore. Ever heard of buying dog crap to put in your garden? Well, there's a reason.

 

[Jeepnik]

Animal poop isn't good fertilizer? Better tell that to companies like Kellogg. They've been using human poop for decades.

After human waste is processed relatively clean water is pumped to the ocean. The remaining solids are then layer out in long rows to finish drying. They have a special machine the turns the material to facilitate drying and decomposition.

When the solid is ready it's trucked to an adjacent bagging plant owned by Kellogg. Then sold as "Nitro Hummus". With a great big warning on the bag no to use it on fruits and vegetables.

For twenty years I worked in a refinery that was next door to a large sanitation plant. I watched this process take place. More importantly I grew up a short distance from the sanitation plant and it was taking place then. So we're talking over 70 years.

 

[irishjack]

After reading all the crap some people have to go through for trash pickup, I'm glad I live where I do in central Utah. We have one large can into which we put everything, paper, glass etc. If we have too much trash to fit in the can we just put it on the ground next to the can and they will pick it up after they empty the can.

 

[Yaworski]

My wife tells me we are not supposed to put meat in our composter and I can't for the life of me figure out why,

Something to do with upsetting the pH and bacteria colonies. I still do it.

I don't formally compost. I just put all of my food waste into a compost bucket on my counter and when it's full, I take the bag and chuck it over the hill in my back yard. I suppose I should get some worms and chuck them over the hill too.

Grass, leaves, branches, old 2x4s, and food waste all go over the hill.

 

[vito]

For some it would not matter to them if they found out that much of what they "recycle" ends up with the real trash in the landfill, because it is the appearance of virtue that they value, more than virtue itself. Going through the effort to separate items into the different bins for recycling and proudly having those blue bins waiting for pickup tells the community what a good citizen you are. I am convinced that if a local government officially informed their citizens that everything that is put at the curb goes into the same landfill, many would still want to separate trash from "recyclables" since it makes them feel good to do so.

 

[JiminMaine]

I live in a small town, pop. 2200. We don't have town trash pickup. We have a recycling center where you can drop off "recyclable" materials (any color glass, cans paper and cardboard) go into the "Single stream" recyclable dumpster. You can also drop off used electronics and waste oil at the same place. Then we have a transfer station where they have separate dumpsters for scrap metal, demolition materials, tires (have to stop at town office and pay a fee first) and one for mixed trash (must be in a $1.85/bag town trash bag bought at town office). I only fill one 30 gal. bag every three to four weeks. Every spring they have a day where you can bring in old furniture/mattresses for free, the rest of the year you have to break it down so it will go into one of the other dumpster, or just dump it on the side of the road which way too many people do.

I have a garbage bucket in the kitchen for food scrape that get dumped in the woods for the critters.

Since I am retired and all those places are on the way to my gun club/range it isn't a big deal for me to drop things off as I go shooting. The transfer station is also next door to the towns gravel pit which is also a nice place to shoot.

There are also three private trash companies that will pick up at your house for a fee. Some days I see all three trash trucks go by my house within a half an hour. The drivers must wave at each other as they meet.

 

[Yaworski]

I like the idea of the "official town trashbag" and having my trash fee based on how much I throw away. I put out one bag a week and my neighbor puts out about six each week. I feel like I'm getting ripped off.

 

[Jack Ryan]

I sort my trash in to three bins, burn, won't burn, and sell. The big metal recycling place will buy aluminum cans and about any other metal. The campfire ring will burn anything paper or plastic. Only what is left after that goes to the dumpster area for the landfill. If I get a LOT of cardboard and a dumpster run is due I'll take that and put it in their card board bin.

This has cut down my dumpster runs to about once a month or more where I used to go every single week. Plus I usually get about $10 for a full garbage can of pop cans.

 

[hike]

I think you need to use a paper bag. Same with leaves.

Trash bags are no good for recycling.

They make clear "plastic-looking" bags just for recycling paper. Our local Kroger sells them but Amazon has them cheaper. The bags are recyclable. I use these bags BUT the OP highlights the farce/scam that recycling is.