What happens to green waste?

[newgardengirl]

Whenever anyone has a diseased plant they're always told to put it in the green waste/recyling bin, and not to put it in compost otherwise it spreads diseases.

I was just wondering what exactly happens to the green waste after the council have collected it. I was under the impression that they made their own compost and then sold it to compost companies, in which case surely the compost could contain disease. But I'm probably totally wrong.

[Patsy]

I used to wonder about that too but recently saw what they do on the telly. Huge great heaps which are regularly turned with machines and you could see the heat that came off them as they were turning them. I don't reckon much would survive that by the look of it. Good job as we're not allowed to burn stuff round here and have to get rid of diseased stuff and tough perennials somewhere.

[terrier]

I've read up on this subject on several web sites recently and it seems that the way that the councils treat the waste in huge composting bins can generate much more heat than we can in our mini daleks,bins,etc, in theory that should kill off any seeds or bugs and make it useable as garden compost for improving the soil structure. If you'd like to try it first, please let us know how you get on, but I've read some adverse reports from people who already have tried this stuff and I'm not at the moment inclined to add matter to my garder that I don't know what is in it.

[Two_Sheds]

I know a binman. He says the green waste goes in the dump with everything else - - - and I mean everything...blue bin, green bin, black bin, brown bin...all goes in landfill

[Alison]

I know a binman. He says the green waste goes in the dump with everything else - - - and I mean everything...blue bin, green bin, black bin, brown bin...all goes in landfill

That may be the case in some areas but ours doesn't around here, have looked into where it all goes and a friend of mine has actually visited some of the places.

[Waffler]

I think it's disgraceful that the 'recycled' bins just go in landfills in some areas; it takes more effort on the public's part to rinse things and sort things for recycling - it's so disheartening to know it may be doing no good at all!
I've used the compost produced from green waste, available from our local tip. It's cheap, at only £1 a bag (I take back the 80L bags I've emptied of compost from the DIY shops, or I take one of those big plastic garden trugs) but I can't say as I'm terribly impressed. The quality just doesn't seem to be that great, and it's not dark and crumbly like the shop-bought stuff, or the stuff that comes from our own heap (I can't produce enough though, and there are certain things I don't use it for). I would say it's fine for mixing with better quality compost, or for adding to the garden as a general improver, but I wouldn't pot anything up in soley 'tip compost'.

[Two_Sheds]

Recycling is all very well, but we really ought to be reducing what we consume instead. Not exciting or glamorous, or profitable, but there you go. Reduce, reuse, then recycle.

[rustylady]

On a personal level, my green bin wasn't collected this week, and I am not happy!! Most of my soft waste goes on my compost heap, but woody prunings I expect the Council to collect, after all I pay for it through my counci tax.

[Alison]

Recycling is all very well, but we really ought to be reducing what we consume instead. Not exciting or glamorous, or profitable, but there you go. Reduce, reuse, then recycle.

Couldn't agree more, obviously there are some things we can't do anything about and I'm with Rusty Lady re the woody clippings. I make a real point of buying stuff with minimal packaging etc where ever possible even if this means that there are times when I can't have what I originally wanted - probably does me good, not having everything I want . Little by little we're reducing our waste, the latest one if to get a milkman - not had one since I was a kid and it's much better that we can now have our milk bottles reused rather than the plastic ones recycled. Saves me having to go to the plastic bottle bank as often too.

[Snadger]

............... the latest one if to get a milkman - not had one since I was a kid and it's much better that we can now have our milk bottles reused rather than the plastic ones recycled. Saves me having to go to the plastic bottle bank as often too.

Ahhhh, happy days, milkmen clinking bottles in the early hours of the morning.

They're an endangered species now aren't they?

[Alison]

Ahhhh, happy days, milkmen clinking bottles in the early hours of the morning.

They're an endangered species now aren't they?

Apparently they're making a come back - really pleased with ours, especially as he's been delivering for a couple of weeks and not got around to billing us yet

[Hazel at the Hill]

They're an endangered species now aren't they?

Not surprised - for all their undoubted good points, they don't 'alf charge!

Except Alison's, obviously!

[terrier]

Ahhhh, happy days, milkmen clinking bottles in the early hours of the morning.

They're an endangered species now aren't they?

Our milkie retired and the new milkie only delivers every other day, after I've gone to work! He still charges over the odds for the delivered milk even though some of it is several days old and goes off before we can use it. I now just buy fresh milk every day from a local shop or garage. It's cheaper and there's no waste. I wouldn't mind paying more for the delivered pinta but the early morning daily delivery seems a thing of the past,at least in this area.

[Two_Sheds]

Ahhhh, happy days, milkmen clinking bottles in the early hours of the morning.

I used to get a delivery, but the milk turned up about 10am, after I'd left for the day, so was not good. I am always in a dilemma about milk...I love my cafe lattes, but as a vegetarian, milk ain't really ethical - the cow has to have a baby every year to keep producing milk, and what happens to the baby cow? Burgers! So I compromise by not using milk on my cereal.

[Winged one]

You're pretty lucky that you HAVE a green bin - for compost stuff. We have a black bin (landfill) and a green one (paper, certain plastics and tetrapaks). We are in the process of changing to a private collection company, that will take all plastics in the green one, and a seperate small bin for glass. But we don't have, nor are there plans to introduce, composting by the local authority. So any green waste we have not for the garden dalek has to either go in the black bin or else we take it to the recycling centre and pay €12 (roughly £8) for the priviledge.

HAven't had a milkie since I was a tot - apparently there is one locally, every second day, but at 10 or 11 in the morning. Too late for us cos we work and are gone by 7.30am. My grandparent's still have theirs at that hour though, daily. But the glass bottles are a thing of the past (luckily we can recycle the tetrapaks).