You're probably recycling wrong - here's how to get it right
When I saw a Waste and Recycling Industry Forum report this week that said nearly a fifth of New Zealand's recycling winds up in landfill due to contamination, I thought, "How hard is it to recycle, you idiots?"
And then someone at work casually mentioned that they had been very good and removed all the lids from their recycling that morning.
Reader, I have not been removing the lids from my recycling.
It's me, hi, I'm the idiot, it's me.
What else might I and my fellow New Zealanders be getting wrong when bin day rolls around?
A recycling education
==================
When I confessed my recycling sins to Parul Sood, general manager of waste solutions at Auckland Council, she was very kind to me, saying that up until a few months ago, I was doing the right thing keeping the lids on my bottles.
But New Zealand's recycling systems moved to a national standard in February, which is when removing lids became a nationwide requirement.
There are a few problems with lids on recyclables, Sood said.
"When you put the lid on the bottle pack, sometimes people leave liquid in it, so it's not completely rinsed out," she said.
"Then in some facilities the lids can fall through the [sorting] machines, too, and they can't be recycled."
Other recycling crimes
==================
Leaving lids on recyclables and failing to properly clean containers out are common recycling issues, but Sood said the bigger issue is people still contaminating their recycling bins with rubbish that should be going to landfill or recycled elsewhere.
She said that just because some items, like batteries or metal, can be recycled in other ways, they have no business being in a curbside recycling bin.
"People need to be really aware that your recycling bin is for packaging that comes out of your kitchen, laundry and your bathroom ... no other material," she said.
"People are even putting electronics [in their recycling bin]. We had a truck come into the facility recently which had caught fire because it had electronics in it."
Bags of soft plastics and clothing are also common culprits, which Sood said can pose extra problems at recycling facilities because they get tangled in machinery.
While there are people manually sifting through items on the conveyor belts at recycling facilities, they are mostly there to remove any offending large pieces.
If too many contaminated items make it through the sorting process, the recyclables can be rejected by the markets that are going to repurpose the materials. And that could ultimately mean large quantities of recycling must be sent to landfill instead.
When it comes to putting items in your recycling bin, Sood said: "If in doubt, leave it out."
"If you're not sure if [something] goes in the recycling bin or not, just put it in the rubbish; that's probably better," she said.
"I think taking a minute to just do the right thing with that packaging is worth it."
Becoming a recycling superstar
==========================
What should you be putting in your recycling bin then?
============================
Glass bottles and jars
Tin, steel, and aluminium cans
Plastic containers (that are grades 1, 2 and 5) from your kitchen, bathroom or laundry. These containers should not be larger than 4 litres.
Newspapers and magazines
Paper and cardboard, including window envelopes, egg cartons and (empty) pizza boxes. Bubble wrap, polystyrene, and plastic packaging should be removed from the cardboard boxes — any tape or labels can stay on.
Items that cannot go in your recycling bin include:
=====================================
Soft plastics (these can instead be dropped off at supermarkets or other retailers that are part of the soft plastics recycling scheme)
Food
Liquid paperboard (such as milk or juice Tetra Pak cartons)
Aerosol cans
Garden or building waste
Nappies or sanitary products
Window or mirror glass
Light bulbs
Electronics or batteries
Before you throw your recyclables in your bin, there are a couple of other things to do.
You need to ensure any items you're recycling are bigger than 50mm x 50mm.
You should also make sure the items are loose in the bin — recyclable items shouldn't be lumped together in a bag.
Finally, don't forget to empty and rinse out your bottles and containers and, of course, make sure you remove those offending lids.
===========================================
www.1news.co.nz...
===========================================
Neighbourhood Challenge: Who Can Crack This One? ⛓️💥❔
What has a head but no brain?
Do you think you know the answer? Simply 'Like' this post if you know the answer and the big reveal will be posted in the comments at 2pm on the day!
Want to stop seeing these in your newsfeed?
Head here and hover on the Following button on the top right of the page (and it will show Unfollow) and then click it. If it is giving you the option to Follow, then you've successfully unfollowed the Riddles page.
Poll: 🗑️ Would you be keen to switch to a fortnightly rubbish collection, or do you prefer things as they are?
Aucklanders, our weekly rubbish collections are staying after councillors voted to scrap a proposed trial of fortnightly pick-ups.
We want to hear from you: would you be keen to switch to a fortnightly rubbish collection, or do you prefer things as they are?
Keen for the details? Read up about the scrapped collection trial here.
-
83% Same!
-
17% Would have liked to try something different
7 tips for buying your Christmas ham
It’s the centerpiece of the Christmas table, so when you’re peering into the supermarket chiller or ordering from the butcher, choosing the perfect ham can feel like a daunting task.
Here are some things to keep in mind when choosing one to bring home with you.
1. What type of ham to buy
You’ve got some decisions to make when it comes to the type of Christmas ham you’re going to buy.
Cooked on the bone (COB) ham is the traditional Christmas ham. If you’re buying a half ham, you’ll have the choice of the shank or fillet end. The shank is the part with the bone sticking out that gives the ham that traditional look. The fillet end is the round part that gives more meat. If you’re deciding whether to get a whole ham or half, consider how quickly you’ll be able to eat it all. You only have about a week to eat an opened ham before it will go off, so it can be a good idea to get two halves. That way you can eat one half during the week of Christmas and save the other for January.
Champagne ham has had the bone removed and only has the hock left on, so it’s easier to carve.
Pressed ham – also known as continental ham – has had the bones removed and has been pressed, so it’s also easy to carve.
2. Check the pork percentage
The label on a packaged ham will say what percentage is actually meat. Hams are injected with brine, to keep them moist, and additives. The brine injection level for manufactured hams is usually between 10% and 35% of the ham's weight. A manufacturer that wants to produce a cheap ham will add more water to bump up the weight.
3. Know how to tell if it’s New Zealand pork
By far, most of the hams bought in New Zealand this Christmas will be from pigs reared overseas. New Zealand imports pork from about 25 countries. It’s frustrating for New Zealand pig farmers because this ham can come from farms that don’t have to meet the same animal welfare standards as we have in this country. As a result, overseas meat is often cheaper.
If buying New Zealand pork is important to you, look for:
words on the packaging like ‘New Zealand pork’ or ‘born and raised in New Zealand’
4. Have a good look at the ham
If you’re going to be glazing your ham, look for one that is covered in a finger-thick layer of fat. This will give you the thickness you need to make good score lines.
New Zealand Pork’s website also advises looking for a ham that has a meaty texture rather than one that looks wet or rubbery. It says the ham’s skin should be smooth with even colouring. “If the knuckle is sunken, it may be overcooked. If the rind is buckled or uneven, it may be a sign of dryness.”
5. Ask a lot of questions
If you’re ordering your pork from a butcher, you probably won’t be able to compare hams like you would at the supermarket. So, make sure you ask lots of questions, now that you know what you’re looking for.
You could ask:
Is the ham made from New Zealand born and farmed pork?
What will be its injection percentage?
What flavours will it have?
You could even ask if there’s a glaze the butcher thinks would work particularly well with those flavours.
6. Know what size you’ll need
If the ham is the only meat on your Christmas menu, New Zealand Pork advises allowing 1kg of ham for five people. Or if you’ve got other meat options, 1kg will feed about six to eight people.
7. Know the best hams in New Zealand
The best hams of the year were awarded at the 100% New Zealand Bacon & Ham Awards earlier in the year so you can check out which ones got medals. Some of them are only available in the city the butcher is based, but a Farmland boneless ham available nationwide won a gold award and Woolworths bone-in and boneless hams picked up bronze.
====================================================
Loading…
