Plastic Bottle Recycling

When I was around 9 years old I used to climb over the wall into the back yard of the local Coop to gather some bottles and then take them into the shop for a refund!

I seem to recall,  that as a 5yr old, I hit upon a magnificent scheme at a local fair whereby I nicked empties from the back of the stall, ran round the front with them, and got a penny for each one.

I had a sharp eye for a profit in those days!

When I walk along one of the roads into our village I see cans and plastic bottles in the ditch, thrown from passing car windows. At present all the main roads and motorways edges are littered with tons of rubbish I can't see this "throw away" attitude changing even if it costs a bit more to purchase bottles and cans. If you're off on holiday at Easter you'll see all the debris clogging our hedges and road sides, it seems worse this year.

Glass bottles always got returned to pubs and shops for a few pence, but the vast amount of modern plastic stuff and cans people are buying now either goes into recycling or just gets dumped. I can't see them returning anything for a few pence.

Brue

I tend to agree that those that can't be bothered now won't be bothered in the future. It will be those of us that are responsible with our recycling now that will be inconvenienced.

David

I wouldn't object to paying a large deposit on plastics to encourage folk to return the bottles.  My only worry is that somewhere down the line someone will take the opportunity of sneaking an overall price Increase.

David

Probably 98% of our tins and 100% of our plastic bottles are recycled. To return them to source seems a pita.

All our tins and bottles are sent for recycling, and as we get through a fair bit of mineral water, it will as you say be a pita. Especially if you are not allowed to crush them before you introduce them to one of those machines they showed on TV. Those folks were certainly putting them in whole. However, if it stops our verges being littered with the things I am all for it. Perhaps a large deposit on coffee cups and MD's packaging should also be considered.

Great for those with young kids though. It will keep them amused on the supermarket visits. Ours used to love feeding bottle (glass) into those in France, when we were on holiday.

if it stops our verges being littered with the things I am all for it.

I doubt that it will make much difference there.

It will I think depend on the size of the deposit. Which I think should start at 20p.

Our Tesco used to have a machine that you could feed glass and aluminium cans. In return it gave you club card points. It seemed to spend much of its time jammed up. So hopefully any machines will be much more reliable. I don't think folk will be amused if they cart a load of uncrushed bottles for recycling only to find it out of action.

It will be interesting to see if the internet shopping supermarkets offer to take them away and refund your deposit.