Garbage Disposals.../Sluggy

[Guest guest]

My recyclers have sent literature stating that food can contaminate

the recyclable items, etc so you are absolutely right. Back home in

NJ, they refused pizza boxes b/c the cardboard had been contaminated

by the pizza grease and cheeses. Same with egg cartons.

terri

 

RealSimple , " Sluggy " <arcure wrote:

>

>

> -

> Leslie O'Brien

> RealSimple

> Saturday, September 29, 2007 5:57 PM

> RE: [RealSimple] Garbage Disposals...

>

>

> The thing about pushing food items down the disposal is that it

ultimately

> ends up in our drains and oceans. We live in a small condo and

don't have

> the means to compost. What I do is keep a small trash can by the

sink with

> biodegradable bags. I try to put the food items that would normally

go down

> the drain (as much as possible) into those, which then go into the

recycle

> bin. They may end up in the landfill, but the bags decompose along

with the

> food waste and it doesn't go into the ocean. Leslie

> **************

> It's commendable of you for trying to recycle your food scraps but

you may

> be defeating yourselves with how you are doing it. You need to

know what

> and how the recyclables they collect are processed. Unless whoever

is

> taking your recycling(municipal or private contracted recycling

hauler)has

> a set up for collecting separately & recycling this matter you put

in the

> bin, you may be contaminating the other recyclables in the bin. If

you put

> the bags of food waste in w/glass or metal, the recycling company

is either

> not going to process a bin of glass that's got other waste in the

> bin(imagine if you are a recycling worker & has to pick through

smelly,

> ickier bags of food matter to get the glass or metal, etc. out), or

they are

> going to clean the glass before processing using high powered water

> pressure, therefore, your food scraps are causing the company to

use extra

> water instead of you w/your kitchen disposal. If your food matter

isn't

> recycled as such by the garbage company, it might be better to put

it into

> the regular garbage so it ends up in the landfill.

> If you don't have the desire, space or need for composting, try

finding

> someone in your area who will take the raw matter and use it. Is

there a

> freecycle or something where you live? If so, put a post on there

offering

> free compostable material to any gardeners. If there is a

gardening group

> or a community garden where you live? They would prolly jump at

the chance

> for free composting matter!

> Just something to chew on....

> sluggy

>