• Question: What do I need to know about Recycling?

    Asked by anon-336586 on 12 Oct 2022.
    • Photo: Dan Day

      Dan Day answered on 12 Oct 2022:

      Recycling can be quite difficult for plastics because there are so many different types which is why they need to be sorted before they can be properly recycled. Always check packaging before you dispose of it to check the best way to do so

    • Photo: Justin Perry

      Justin Perry answered on 12 Oct 2022:

      One of my scientific roles that I have as part of my job is to look at sustainability across the plastics industry. Recycling is a very good thing to do BUT it is not actually the answer to making our use of the world’s resources sustainable. We *also* have to reduce the amount of plastic we use by moving away from a “throw away” culture.

      What I mean by this:
      (1)Whilst it is good to recycle a plastic bottle you bought a drink in, it is actually much better to have your own plastic drinks bottle that you fill yourself and use for months/years.
      (2) Those paper drinks straws you get a McDonalds are rubbish now aren’t they? The answer to getting a better straw is not to create a way to recycle a nice plastic alternative. Instead we should use one straw many times (washing it after every use obviously!), and you can buy stainless steel drinks straws which can do this very well (I have a box of these in my office at uni, and give them away to students to make this point!).

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