The Recycle for Cornwall campaign has been developed to raise public awareness of recycling and to provide consumers with a compelling reason to recycle.
1. Why can I only recycle my plastic bottles in Cornwall - what about all the other plastics?
Plastic bottles are made from one of only three polymer types and are very easily identified, both by members of the public and those sorting the collected bottles. The three Polymer types used are
PET - fizzy drink and squash bottles,
HDPE - milk bottles and detergent bottles
PVC - large squash bottles, (the use of PVC in such application is in decline).
Items such as margarine tubs and rigid food containers are made from a very wide range of polymer, many of which are blends. These are much more difficult to identify and separate efficiently. It is also more difficult to secure an outlet for the material as mixed plastics are not in high demand. Yoghurt pots are not generally accepted in plastics recycling schemes as they are in fact made from polystyrene. This has an entirely different make up to the Polymers used in bottles and there are currently limited outlets for the material.
In addition the quality of these materials is often compromised as a result of food contamination, making it necessary for householders to thoroughly wash the cartons before depositing for recycling. In areas where yoghurt pots and rigid food container have been collected, the value of the material has been diminished by a lack of thorough cleaning.
2. What about Flower Pots?
The majority of flower pots are made from polypropylene (PP) although some are made from Polystyrene. As in the case of rigid food containers and yoghurt pots, there are few outlets for collected material and a higher level of contamination.
For further information on plastics recycling visit www.recoup.org
3. Why can't I include plastic bottle tops with my plastic bottles for recycling?
Plastic bottle tops are often made from a different plastic to the bottle it was with. These plastics are not currently accepted for recycling in Cornwall. Additionally bottle tops can cause problems when the plastic bottles are baled for storing and transporting. If a bottle has its top still on it may not squash down and can create damaging air pockets in bales.
