Whats better for the environment, kerbside or “comingled” collections?
Kerbside collections are where householders separate different types of recycling material, such as glass and paper, while “comingled” means that all the material for a home’s recycling goes into one box or bag, and is then sorted at a facility. Wrap says that kerbside collections, when possible, are the best choice for high quality recycled material and cost effectiveness. Some industry experts suggest that comingled collections increase recycling rates, but also increase the amount of contaminated material – cardboard splattered with curry sauce, say – which then ends up in landfill. Where does most of my recycling go? Much of the material that’s sorted for recycling in the UK goes to Asian countries to be recycled into new materials and products. China is the main destination for paper and plastic, taking in much of the 4.7 million tonnes of paper (55% of our paper exports) and half a million tonnes of plastics exported (80% of plastic exports) in 2007. Doesn’t shipping materials ov
