Topic: Recycling household things on the allotment?

[reddyreddy]

I would love to hear any suggestions you may have for recycling various items of household waste on your allotments. I have lots of 4 pint plastic milk cartons for example, any suggestions how they could be used? I already save loo roll insides for seeds in spring and use small water bottles when I find them for covering bamboo poles so I can cover with net etc but any other ideas would be great, I hate throwing plastic out even to recycling, would rather find a use for it.

[sambucus]

Recycled plastic milk bottles are turned into water butts, seed trays and pots, fleeces and numerous other things which are useful on an allotment so why do you not consider recycling them as useful?
http://www.danthegardener.co.uk/plastic.htm

[lushy86]

 sambucus, reddyreddy didn't say recycling wasn't useful but it is much better to re-use whatever you can first! This saves on all the processes necessary for recycling and also saves having to buy more stuff for the allotment.

[dtw]

Milk bottles can be cut up into plant labels.
One could be carefully cut into a compost scoop.

[macmac]

I try to give things a "2nd life" before they hit the recycling bin,plastic milk cartons cut down to square containers for bags of soup/stock in the freezer,they stack like little bricks and are more stable when thawing.The top bits make good scoops and funnels.
I use old bath mats as kneelers.All corrugated cardboard goes in the compost,if the pieces are big enough they help suppress weeds.The tubes from denture cleaning tablets make great cane covers though I'm vane enough to only use them at home as countless attempts to remove the print on them has failed :(

[reddyreddy]

Good tips, from those without the attitude, thanks! I do recycle, absolutely everything I can actually and our familly of 4 only produces half a black bin bag per week as all else recycles I prefer to use things, especially plastic things, at least twice before heading off to the recycling plant.

[Digeroo]

We have one of the most complicated waste collections in the country but it is still rather a long way to dispose of plastic bottles, and they don't take yoghurt pots, or plastic containers.

We have a small bin for food waste, a green bin (costs extra) for garden waste, a blue bag for cardboard, a black box (or three) for cans, paper and bottles, and the rest goes in a black wheelie bin.  We also have a bin for composting.  Other plastic I save up and deposit in the recycling in the next county.

I reuse yoghurt pots and find various uses for plastic trays, good for seed drying and storing.  I use milk bottles full of water in cloches in the early spring to take in extra heat during the day and give it out at night. 

I use cardboard packaging to earth up my celery.

[Duke Ellington]

I have seen the four pint plastic milk bottles used as bricks on the allotment for keeping netting in place. Obviously you have to fill the bottles with water or sand first  :P Seems like a good idea as real bricks can sometimes rip netting!!

Duke

[cornykev]

We had that problem with yogurt pots, but as from this week our council now accepts yogurt pots, marge tubs, ice cream containers etc.
But I keep the ice cream containers and use them for picking berries, sowing leeks and also  for collecting kitchen waste.
I use the 2L pop bottles, buried slightly in the ground, between certain plants and filled with water, so it waters the roots of several plants.
Sweet tins for storing saved seed and other bits and bobs.
 ;D ;D ;D

[lushy86]

Our council won't take yog pots or meat/veg trays.  I use them for raising seedlings, just put some holes in the bottom.

Macmac how to you seal the milk cartons for the freezer that sounds like a brilliant idea  :)

Lushy x

[Duke Ellington]

I am guessing that mac mac uses polybag in the cut down milk containers. I think its a great idea too :)

Duke :)

[Doris_Pinks]

Primary schools love yoghurt pots around here, they use em for paint pots for the kids!

[macmac]

I am guessing that mac mac uses polybag in the cut down milk containers. I think its a great idea too :)

Duke :)

yes your right  :)  (messy otherwise) :P

[cjb02]

4pint milk cartons. I cut the tops of and use the bottom part as a plant pot.

the top part can also be used as a funnel. although once you have 1 funnel, it is unlikely you will need many more.

anything papers/cardboardy, gets shredded and goes in the compost bin, all food waste goes in to the compost bin.

if you can get an old settee cushion, they are good for kneeling on to save the old knees and keep you a bit dryer too.

[nilly71]

I use the 2L pop bottles, buried slightly in the ground, between certain plants and filled with water, so it waters the roots of several plants.

I do the same with 6pint plastic milk bottles for the squashes, i've tried stuffing them with comfry leaves then watering to see if it makes any difference(it's the first time growing them, so i can't tell ;D )

Neil

[BrianK]

OK   HUGE difference here.

Re cycle.  Energy  wasted on   carbon emmisions in transportation sorting carbon emmisions on industrial remanufacturing  ... and to be honest at this stage probably not a huge bonus is made from recycling compared to burning for energy manufacture.


RE USE   RE USE

Think of what the outcome is before you buy.  

[cornykev]

I forgot about my settee cushions, even though I was using one yesterday, I only have one problem with them, they are so comfortable on the knee's, you stay down there for ages then the rest of your body aches afterwards.    ;D ;D ;D

[daxzen]

i found this and it works for me

dax

• Reduce, Reuse, Recycle (in that order).
• Grow a garden and eat what it produces.
• Avoid imported resources where possible.
• Use labour and skill in preference to materials and technology.
• Design, build, and purchase for durability and repairability.
• Use resources for their greatest potential use (e.g. electricity for tools and lighting, food scraps for animal feed).
• Use renewable resources wherever possible even if local environmental costs appear higher (e.g. wood rather than electricity for fuel and timber rather than steel for construction).
• Use non-renewable and embodied energies primarily to establish sustainable systems (e.g. passive solar housing, food gardens, water storage, and forests).
• When using high technology (e.g. computers) avoid using state of the art equipment.
• Avoid debt and long-distance commuting.
• Reduce taxation by earning less.
• Develop a home-based lifestyle, be domestically responsible.

Original article available here

www.permacultureactivist.net/Holmgren/holmgren.htm

[Lizann]

I use the hinged plastic trays you buy muffins in as mini propogators, they are the perfect size for four wee pots and a good size for sitting on the window sill.

[reddyreddy]

some really great ideas here, favourite is using water filled plastic bottles as bricks. I wholeheartedly agree with reduce, reuse, recycle, the best way.