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What has confused me about the council's new advice is the instruction not to attempt the recycling of 'meat trays'. I think I know what they mean, which are trays which are made of a material which resembles polystyrene, but much of the meat and fish we buy comes in trays which appear to be standard plastic, exactly the same as the trays commonly used to project soft fruit.

So far we've resolved to carry on as before, although I intend to find out exactly what the situation is.

If in doubt, I look for the triangular recycling symbol, assuming that anything showing this is suitable for the blue bin. I have noticed that some plastic food trays have it and others don't.

Another thing that can't be recycled in the blue-lidded bins is food film, but this does not feature on the new notice, nor in the leaflet recently put through doors in the area. This has changed over the years but this is the current situation.

Not quite as simple as Joan Bayliss suggests! There's unfortunately a difference between what is recyclable and what Enfield actually recycles, plastic bags and food film being just two examples which have been acceptable in the past but currently are not! (Fortunately most supermarkets have a plastic carrier bag recycling bin.) This raises the question: If something can be recycled why isn't Enfield doing it? I raised this years ago with Cllr Charalambous and he took it up, but things keep changing. Why?

My understanding is that the choice of 'stuff' which can be recycled often depends on whether the Council can sell it - or perhaps dispose of it - to an organisation which can make use of it. However sometimes it can be our fault; for example recycling aluminium foil came to an end because too often it was blackened during the cooking process.

Probably even a small proportion of blackened foil in a batch makes recycling difficult.

Worth taking this up with councillors at a ward meeting?

Several questions about recycling in Enfield: Enfield is one of seven Boroughs forming the North London Waste Authority (NLWA), a waste disposal authority. All seven boroughs (waste collecting authorities) are required by statute to pass residual (“black bag” ) waste to the NLWA where it is either burnt at Edmonton or sent to one of many holes in the ground outside London. Recyclates are different and boroughs have the disposal option. Enfield has stood alone and uniquely amongst the seven does not send recyclates to the NLWA, instead it has arranged various term contracts with merchants. The result has been millions of pounds of savings for Enfield’s taxpayers. But recyclates are a commodity, contracts come and go and so therefore does the range of items that can be recycled at relative profit versus burning at any one time. The independent merchant recyclate infrastructure explains why what can be recycled in Enfield may not be when you are on holiday somewhere in the UK. It’s a complex equation and what might appear obvious as the optimal route is often not so, eg some authorities kerb separate glass (which can then be recycled into glass) compared with eg Enfield where it is in the overall mix meaning it is broken at the separating plant and only then good for eg roads. Much analysis and research has failed to conclude one such collecting methodology being better than the other.
So the best route to save us all the maximum money is to follow exactly what it says on the tin (bin) at the time.

I've been chucking my recylables in standard plastic carrier bags every week since this notice and haven't noticed a jot of difference.

Yes, nothing to notice at the collecting end of the process – unless the men refuse to take the blue wheelie – but at the MBT plant, where all recyclables are thrown in and via a series of vibrations, conveyor belts, gaps, magnets, lasers, electro-magnetic arms and the like, separated piles of eg milk cartons emerge, there is no automatic process for separating nor emptying plastic bags. So that means inside what is an already very dusty, dark and very noisy hanger there is an inner box where conveyor belts of partly sorted waste pass through. On either side of these lines are people masked-up, ear-plugged and heavily gloved whose role - and hugely long shift – is simply to pull out and empty where necessary the carrier bags and put them in large bins just behind them. See that in operation and you wouldn’t put a carrier in a blue wheelie again. It really is not an environment or task to wish on anyone.

Wouldn't want anyone to be out of work on my account so I'll carry on as I was.

That's a totally irresponsible attitude - the plastic bags cause serious problems at the recycling centre, as explained by Karl.

What David does is a terrible waste of good plastic bags. We save ours up and take them on day trips to Southend - for use in a modified game of Pooh sticks. We work out which way the current and wind is is going. Then we each throw a bag over one side of the pier and wait to see which one comes out of the other side first. It's usually Waitrose first, Morrisons second, and Yasar Halim taking up the rear.

I don't know what happens to them after that.

Haha brilliant

If it's that big an issue, EBC should be issuing guidance, there's been nothing.

Good explanation Karl!
What then is the alternative I wonder?
Having seen the North East beach after a storm and the amount of plastic bags mixed in with kelp make the disposal of plastic bags a serious environmental problem.
Is there advice that I have missed from Waste Management on disposal of plastic bags at street collection level?

David, I think you may have missed (1) the new sticky label affixed by dustmen (or whatever we should call them nowadays!) to the top of your "blue bin" a couple of months ago and (2) an A5 leaflet entitled "Recycling Right in Enfield with your Blue Lidded bin" delivered (to my house at least!) in November. They both say that plastic bags should NOT be placed in "blue bins".

When I first saw this advice, I queried it in an email to Cllr Daniel Anderson, as it contradicted previous advice from the Council. In his reply, Daniel confirmed that it was a change in policy, for the reason given by Karl.

Certainly didn't get any leaflet but will have a look when I put my bin away tonight.

To clarify, we expected to just drop everything in lose now then? Or in containers that are otherwise recyclable (e.g. boxes)?

David E. imagine yourself at the point where items are sorted into the different categories for subsequent re-use in new products; of course it will take longer if bags have to be emptied, especially if they are tied at the top which they often seem to be.

Karl pointed out what unenviable job the sorting is; I'd add that it makes sense for we tax payers/ beneficiaries of Council services to assist in keeping costs down.

I don't waste my time with envy or concern myself about what other people do for a living. And the any impact on Council budget's will never be felt/benefitted from by average joe tax payer.

I just wanted to know whether I'm to throw in lose or contained somehow....

Part of the reason binmen aren't enforcing these new 'rules' is because, from I've seen, they quite like just having to reach in a grab a couple of bags rather than deal with the whole bin. Makes their run swifter and more efficient....

Please sign the Petition, on Facebook & Twitter

We want Local Authorities to provide the residents with the array of recycling bin bags!


www.change.org/p/sadiq-khan-we-want-local-authorities-to-provide-the-rubbish-bags-for-residents?recruiter=263491426&utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=facebook&utm_campaign=share_facebook_responsive&utm_term=mob-xs-share_petition-no_msg

I've started taking my shopping home in discarded cardboard boxes/containers now rather than bags therefore these can be a) recycled and b) used to dispose other recyclables into the bin in the absence of plastic bags.