Recycling Madness

[Del.Monte]

I usually visit my council "so called" recycling centre in Enniscorthy once a month and while it has never been much use except for disposing of items as you're not allowed to take anything away with you - so much for "reuse". However, things had further disimproved on my latest visit as it is now no longer possible to leave books for recycling as books - they have to be chucked into a compactor along with the plastic waste! When I queried it I was told that it was probably destined for incineration. It seems Enniscorthy is not alone in this: https://dublininquirer.com/2023/03/15/m ... t-recycled

Is it any wonder the planet is fecked with this sort of carry on?

[Mirabeau]

So they're just burning plastic but seeing as it's not fossil fuels it's a win?!
Crazy

[Apelles]

"Is it any wonder the planet is fecked with this sort of carry on?"
The 'recycling centre is ridiculous where I live too. I sat there fuming one time as I watched a van full with a massive trailer load of builders waste ,i.e. plasterboard, masonry rubble, fibreglass insulation, and lord knows what else get purposely dumped into a 'green' skip that's meant for recycling paper and plastics etc. When I questioned the chap who worked there why he had done it, he laughed and said "sure it all ends up in the same place."
As someone who seems to spend a large amount of my time, organising and separating stuff for recycling, witnessing that and similar incidents is hugely frustrating. What is the point of recycling and wasting our time trying to do the right thing?
We also used to be allowed to route around and take away anything we thought might be useful.
One time, I took home five vacuum cleaners, as I wanted one for the workshop. Of the five, I thought I might at least get one that'll work . . . After changing a couple of fuses and cleaning out some blocked hoses and filters, I couldn't believe that all five of them were working perfectly. I kept the best one, gave one away, and brought the rest back on my next visit. Also in the past, when I used to be able to raid through the stuff, I'd gotten a smart TV with nothing more wrong than an internal fuse gone, pumps and seals to fix the washing machine and dishwasher, a Technics sound system, no end of excellent computers and parts, bicycles, tools, loads of perfectly good stuff that others simply didn't know how to, or couldn't be arsed to fix.
And i wasn't the only one doing it, i used to meet several like minded people who'd be doing the same thing there.
It's kinda crazy the waste that goes on, it's an awful shame the whole thing couldn't be organised better so less went to landfill and people were encouraged to properly recognise what is, and isn't reuseable.

[Hairy-Joe]

The Bandon "Civic Amenity Site" (recycling center in other words) is a bit more sensible. The unwritten rule is that if you think something is salvageable, it gets put outside the bin. That way, you can pick it if you want.

I got a grand 50m extension lead on a reel for free. I took it so that I could have a go at fixing it and to try to salvage the cable to make my own. One fuse later, it was working.

I've taken baskets from freezers for storage in the shed, gas bottles (one was about 1/4 full judging by the weight - free gas!) and rolls of packing foam (always handy for the camper). The best was there was an old shop being cleared out and the shelves, etc were dumped. The metal shelves were gone (only bent/broken ones left) but all the Tayto display baskets were left. It was a 9 bay unit. Well, that came home immediately and is now in the garage full of crap, but it's sorted and easy to reach crap.....

[Del.Monte]

^^ All Civic Amenity sites should be operated this way. There's a scrap bin at the Enniscorthy site and I would like to know whether the owner pays the council or do they pay the owner.

[BrianD3]

Members of the public are saving items from recycling centres? That is great but I'm very surprised to hear that it happens. For several reasons - loss of revenue (scrap value of metal etc), fears of liability if someone injures themselves with an item that they took home, chaos from people rooting through stuff.

[Apelles]

^^ All Civic Amenity sites should be operated this way. There's a scrap bin at the Enniscorthy site and I would like to know whether the owner pays the council or do they pay the owner.

Do you mean the scrap metal bin Del? There's no doubt someone's making money off that. I have a 'hippie' friend who was way ahead of his time when it comes to all things environmental. For the last 25 years he's made a living from collecting aluminium cans from everywhere around the country he can think of. (I give him all our empty cans). He'll even go and collect them after concerts too. He squashes them into cubes with a hydraulic press, then brings them someplace where he's paid by weight for them. He does the same with any other metals he's given for free, but no, he's not a travelling fellow, just someone who's passionate about saving the environment.

[Del.Monte]

Yes, a scrap bin that fits on a lorry is at the centre. I would like to know the financial arrangements regarding it. There's always been lots of money to be made from scrap but no doubt the council are managing to lose on the operation.

[marhay70]

I know that a well known metal recycler in Ballycarney has two large skips in the recycling centre in Gorey. What the financial arrangements are between them and the Council are, I don't know. Another thing about Gorey is that the WEEE recycing area is at the far end of the yard from the automated barrier, so if you roll up with a fridge or a cooker, and there is no staff member around, which is 99% of the time, you have to pay to raise the barrier. So much for free recycling.

[Jack The Stripper]

I know that a well known metal recycler in Ballycarney has two large skips in the recycling centre in Gorey. What the financial arrangements are between them and the Council are, I don't know. Another thing about Gorey is that the WEEE recycing area is at the far end of the yard from the automated barrier, so if you roll up with a fridge or a cooker, and there is no staff member around, which is 99% of the time, you have to pay to raise the barrier. So much for free recycling.

Don’t pay, you already paid the weee charge. Christ on a bike.

[marhay70]

Don’t pay, you already paid the weee charge. Christ on a bike.

You'd like to think it was that easy. There are CCTV cameras that record reg plates of anybody leaving stuff at the gates who is then issued with an automatic fine in the post, and while you may eventually prove your innocence and even get your 2 euro back, it's not worth the hassle.

[Del.Monte]

I know that a well known metal recycler in Ballycarney has two large skips in the recycling centre in Gorey. What the financial arrangements are between them and the Council are, I don't know. Another thing about Gorey is that the WEEE recycing area is at the far end of the yard from the automated barrier, so if you roll up with a fridge or a cooker, and there is no staff member around, which is 99% of the time, you have to pay to raise the barrier. So much for free recycling.

Are you allowed to take useful things from the Gorey recycling centre?

[marhay70]

Well, I 've never tried myself but I did give a wheelbarrow body to a guy in there and nobody tried to stop him, but as I say there's rarely any staff around.

[Apelles]

Well, I 've never tried myself but I did give a wheelbarrow body to a guy in there and nobody tried to stop him, but as I say there's rarely any staff around.

Giving someone a 'wheelbarrow' has a whole different meaning here in the naughty midlands than it does in Gorey apparently.

[marhay70]

Giving someone a 'wheelbarrow' has a whole different meaning here in the naughty midlands than it does in Gorey apparently.

Do tell.

[Apelles]

Do tell.

Okay, but be careful with how you use the information in this link, it requires a fair bit of flexibility. 🫣
https://www.news24.com/life/relationshi ... w-20080813

[marhay70]

Okay, but be careful with how you use the information in this link, it requires a fair bit of flexibility. 🫣
https://www.news24.com/life/relationshi ... w-20080813

Interesting, I've heard it called by a few other names as well, none of which I'm likely to be using in the near future unfortunately.

[CelticRambler]

Severe shortage of women willing to participate in "agricultural activities" around here too, despite us being a farming region.