Forum topic: The blue wheelie bin - no more plastic bags

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)?