The uk is a throwaway society?

[BoldonLad]

Just a thought. I do a lot of cycling in (relatively) densely populated Kent / London outskirts and the roads can be badly rubbish strewn. But in much less densely populated Normandy over the channel I don't see the same problem.

Normandy 110 people per square kilometre

Kent 448 people per square kilometre

Singapore 8358 people per share kilometre

I wonder which is most litter free?

To be clear, I am not saying that population density is not relevant, merely that littering is, perhaps, due to a variety of factors, of which, population density may be one.

 

[BoldonLad]

Just spotted this on BBC https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-64205460

Single use cutlery, plates etc to be banned, but, no date.

 

[raleighnut]

@raleighnut, you do realise that even the faintest mention (sniff?) of white dogshit causes absolute nostalgia mayhem, don't you ?????

Of course, when I was a kid we used to reckon it was Poodle leavings (white dog,white poo)

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Just spotted this on BBC https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-64205460

Single use cutlery, plates etc to be banned, but, no date.

Banned once you’ve used them

 

[Dogtrousers]

Just spotted this on BBC https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-64205460

Single use cutlery, plates etc to be banned, but, no date.

The government have obviously been reading this thread.

 

[Alex321]

Takes a huge stretch of the imagination to draw that conclusion. The OP mentions one other country - saying that France have "started to address" the problem. No mention of any other countries.

I don't see that it takes any stretch of the imagination at all, given the thread title.

 

[Alex321]

What we could do is try to learn from those places where it is less of a problem. What are they doing right? Why is it less of a problem in, say Denmark and Germany? Is it because they have a better approach to waste disposal that we could adopt? Is it simply to do with population density?

While population density probably plays a part - along with population wealth, I doubt that is the main driver.

I don't know about Denmark, but the Germans tend to be sticklers for following the rules. They may have parts of motorways with no speed limits, but where they are in place, they get followed rigorously by a far higher proportion of drivers than here. I suspect it is similar to the rules regarding littering and disposal of rubbish.

Another idea I once watched on a report the BBC did was a Town in Scandinavia. All household waste was put in given coloured bags they recycle most things a lot more than we do. Collected at road side it's sorted at one central location out of town by machines. People know it matters and understands to use the right bags and buy into it no complaining they know recycling benefits everyone.

That is exactly the way it works here, in some authorities (including the Vale of Glamorgan where I live).

We get an Orange bag for carboard, a white one for paper, a blue one for hard plastics & metals, and a grey box for glass. Plus of course the food waste caddy. We do then also get blag bag collection for waste which doesn't fit any of those categories (max two bags per household, per fortnight).

All the bags are made of hard wearing plastic "canvas", and last for years. Each gets emptied into the appropriate section of the collection truck.

The local tip is on same site and anything reparable, still usable is sorted and put into a warehouse the same stuff together. he rest is in turn recycled. The site also has a shopping centre full of independent 2rd and retro shops only. They get to take what ever they want from the warehouse to do up ect and sell in the shops.

Idea is people drive out to the tip anyway so they can go shopping for a replacement item at the same time. One site for both recycling and sustainable shopping with systems that are practical and joined up. Less waste , less environmental cost , employment for local people and more local money stays local.

That seems a good idea, that is not done anywhere here AFAIK.

 

[rualexander]

Just spotted this on BBC https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-64205460

Single use cutlery, plates etc to be banned, but, no date.

Single use plastic cutlery, plates etc.
There will still be wooden, bamboo, cardboard, etc versions available.

 

[ColinJ]

Companies could do much more to fix things here, and we haven't made them. We are made to feel bad that our actions are ruining the planet but the fact is almost all pollution comes from a relatively small number of massive companies. They're the ones who need to step up here.

Companies definitely could do more. I discovered recently that the labels on my jars of peanut butter are made of plastic - WTF - what possible excuse is there for that? What is wrong with a paper label!

 

[tom73]

While population density probably plays a part - along with population wealth, I doubt that is the main driver.

I don't know about Denmark, but the Germans tend to be sticklers for following the rules. They may have parts of motorways with no speed limits, but where they are in place, they get followed rigorously by a far higher proportion of drivers than here. I suspect it is similar to the rules regarding littering and disposal of rubbish.



That is exactly the way it works here, in some authorities (including the Vale of Glamorgan where I live).

We get an Orange bag for carboard, a white one for paper, a blue one for hard plastics & metals, and a grey box for glass. Plus of course the food waste caddy. We do then also get blag bag collection for waste which doesn't fit any of those categories (max two bags per household, per fortnight).

All the bags are made of hard wearing plastic "canvas", and last for years. Each gets emptied into the appropriate section of the collection truck.



That seems a good idea, that is not done anywhere here AFAIK.

Wales has much better recycling wastage rate and recycling overall. Much to do with kerbside sorting. The example I used by keeping things separate from home to centre and automating the sorting. It just made high volume , range of what they take practical and affordable.

The rest is just having joined up thinking something which I don’t think. Anywhere is even close to even willing to think different about.

 

[gbb]

UK population in 1970 was just under 56 million, so only a 10 million increase since then.
You'd need to go back to 1930 for a population of 46 milmillion

You're right. Weird because I looked up 2 sites and both came within a million of 45. No problem, obviously incorrect info out there.

 

[Johnno260]

There is fly tipping, takeaway waste, and junk everywhere near me.

My kids like going out litter picking, and it makes almost zero difference, 2 days later stuffs everywhere again.

 

[presta]

Just spotted this on BBC https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-64205460

Single use cutlery, plates etc to be banned, but, no date.

I used to have a plastic knife that got reused for years, it was one that I took with me when I was touring in case I needed to make my sandwiches somwhere with no kitchen. It's gone now, so I must have left it behind somewhere along the way.

 

[Stephenite]

Just spotted this on BBC https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-64205460

Single use cutlery, plates etc to be banned, but, no date.

EU and EFTA countries did this in the first half of 2021 I believe.

 

[ColinJ]

I discovered recently that the labels on my jars of peanut butter are made of plastic - WTF - what possible excuse is there for that? What is wrong with a paper label!

Oh, FFS - what is this bloody addiction to putting plastic everywhere!!!!

I just went to rip up a completed crossword puzzle book for recycling, and was having trouble ripping up the cover. On closer inspection, I found that it had a printed plastic overlay!