markjames68 Posted January 6, 2010 Share Posted January 6, 2010 Hi chaps, whilst not being the most fastidious recycler in the world , I've had a thought and thought I would solicit the opinions of friends here, I have just had a clear out of my workshop to welcome in the new year and as usual have all the sprues collected from all the kits I have built this year, stored in a box, two of the kits being airfix middies(24th) various 32nd and 48 plus vacform offcuts, basically quite a lot, my thought being with the ever rising cost of oil( plastic) could the companys offer a sprue return policy or similar for points earned against future kits or something, I'm sure logistically it might be tricky and might be worth it if amounts were worthwile but I had a load this year , and it seemed a shame to chuck it in the normal recycle bin when it's exactly the correct plastic for injenction molded kits,,,,,, mad I know just wondered if others had ever thought the same regards mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hawkeye's Hobbies Posted January 6, 2010 Share Posted January 6, 2010 I too have thought about ways to recycle the waste from our hobby but the truth of the matter is it would take a lot of empty sprues to even make a dent. More energy is wasted to haul it to a recycling center than the it saves. Doesn't make sense to spend a dollar and a half in gas to recoup a penny or two. If you are a huge plastic fabrication company that produces tons of scrap each year that would be a different kettle of fish. About the only real possibility is tossing the empty glass paint jars into the recycling bin with those from the kitchen and the boxes with the paper. Oh and don't worry about cleaning those jars out, especially if they are enamel. You spend more carbon doing so than you return to the system. Most of the plastics we consume are not recycled. Until we find a way to make it more cost effective it will continue to be so. Ever wonder why they charge more for goods made from recycled products? Is it a marketing strategy they use because we are willing to pay more for doing something good? Or is it that it does cost more to use recycled materials and the only reason it is being done is to give the public a perception that it makes a difference. Iron and steel seem to be the most economic material to recycle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Posted January 6, 2010 Share Posted January 6, 2010 I was quite surprised at how many plastics aren't currently recycled in the UK. The manufacturers keep on pumping out packaging and goods that don't last and aren't recyclable, while everyone wrings their hands that we're destroying the earth, and it's Joe Public, not businesses that end up taxed to the hilt every time we fart. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonymousFO98 Posted January 6, 2010 Share Posted January 6, 2010 scriti politi... Used to diligently take plastics to the dumpit site till i was told that Barnsley don't actually recycle the plastics it isn't about saving energy imho, but not taking up landscape for landfill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thx6667 Posted January 6, 2010 Share Posted January 6, 2010 I mentioned this to Ron Freitag of Humbrol back in 1994 and he said that the type of styrene used wasn't recyclable, I don't know what the situation is these days (I can ask), but most of packaging is recyclable now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyT Posted January 6, 2010 Share Posted January 6, 2010 (edited) I am all for plastics going in landfill, I believe it is laying down a resource for future Generations, the technology to recycle plastics fully is just not there. In the future as oil dwindles I can forsee "mining" of all the landfills to recycle the plastics laid down by past generations..... Edited January 6, 2010 by TonyT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bentwaters81tfw Posted January 6, 2010 Share Posted January 6, 2010 (edited) If you look at plastic food container with the recycling symbol embossed on the bottom, they are graded 1 through 6. 1,2 & 3 are recyclable. 4,5 & 6 are not at present. My local council expect all plastics placed in the recycle bin to be washed....so they can throw them in the landfill. Why waste your hot water on washing landfill? It's only costing you more money. Edited January 6, 2010 by bentwaters81tfw Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
richellis Posted January 7, 2010 Share Posted January 7, 2010 I dump all my sprue in my recycle bin. Dont care what the council do with it! Ive done my bit! Maybe if we all put sprue in the recycle bin, then they would have to find a way of recycling it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pigsty Posted January 7, 2010 Share Posted January 7, 2010 I am all for plastics going in landfill, I believe it is laying down a resource for future Generations, the technology to recycle plastics fully is just not there. In the future as oil dwindles I can forsee "mining" of all the landfills to recycle the plastics laid down by past generations..... Have you been reading Judge Dredd? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
richellis Posted January 7, 2010 Share Posted January 7, 2010 I did think if we posted sprue back, say to airfix, and we got vouchers for money off kits, ie an amount off per gram of sprue returned Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boonie Posted January 7, 2010 Share Posted January 7, 2010 I did think if we posted sprue back, say to airfix, and we got vouchers for money off kits, ie an amount off per gram of sprue returned I recycle my sprue by creating my own filler, liquid poly in a jar with cut up bits of sprue added. You can make it thick or thin and it works really well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markjames68 Posted January 7, 2010 Author Share Posted January 7, 2010 I did think if we posted sprue back, say to airfix, and we got vouchers for money off kits, ie an amount off per gram of sprue returned This was exactly my thought purely from the fact that I weighed wot I had and it came to 3 lbs ( lot of big airfixs) , I recycle my own in terms if using bits for stretching , and filling etc but still left with loads!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew Jones Posted January 7, 2010 Share Posted January 7, 2010 What about having a recycling bin in your local model shop, you could dump your sprues in and perhaps they could collect when delivering new stock? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyT Posted January 7, 2010 Share Posted January 7, 2010 (edited) Have you been reading Judge Dredd? Is that Mikes twin Brother? The manufacturers keep on pumping out packaging and goods that don't last and aren't recyclable, while everyone wrings their hands that we're destroying the earth, and it's Joe Public, not businesses that end up taxed to the hilt every time we fart. That annoys me, they talk all this crap about levying charges on us if we do not recycle, dump to much rubbish in our bins etc........ total nonsense and the wrong end of the stick, they need to fine the companies producing it per item, you bang a fine on them if they are shown to be packing stuff in superlous packaging and make it big...... the stuff would reduce over night........ giving Joe Public a fine for the amount of packaging they dump is the wrong way about it, you have already chopped the trees down, burnt the oil and turned some of it into plastic already, better to stop the manufacture of the stuff in the first place before they cut down the tree and burn the oil. do that and there will be no need to recycle or tax your bins.... Edited January 7, 2010 by TonyT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Panzer Vor!!! Posted January 7, 2010 Share Posted January 7, 2010 i just chop mine up use them for stirring paint etc etc, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdriaN (MLT) Posted January 7, 2010 Share Posted January 7, 2010 I somtimes re-use my spruce and make some art out of it! One question, what do you guys do with old thinner? dump it in the sink? :/ What do you do with old paint tubs? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mentalguru Posted January 7, 2010 Share Posted January 7, 2010 I was quite surprised at how many plastics aren't currently recycled in the UK. The manufacturers keep on pumping out packaging and goods that don't last and aren't recyclable, while everyone wrings their hands that we're destroying the earth, and it's Joe Public, not businesses that end up taxed to the hilt every time we fart. Bit political there Mikey- and moaney However- I agree- recycling is just another con. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sinnerboy Posted January 7, 2010 Share Posted January 7, 2010 However- I agree- recycling is just another con. yep...one of many! this global warming causes lots of snow dunnit? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Osher Posted January 7, 2010 Share Posted January 7, 2010 However- I agree- recycling is just another con.An environmentalist on the radio said something that didn't go down a treat for the ultra-PC BBC: that most recycling is tosh, as it costs more to recycle than to obtain virgin, and the that's produced is low-grade anyway. He went on that whilst some is useful and good, much of it is assuage middle-class environmental angst.This is not new: during WWII most items taking for melting (park railings, pots and pan, etc) were not used productively, but it was done to make people feel like part of the solution, not the problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murdo Posted January 7, 2010 Share Posted January 7, 2010 I somtimes re-use my spruce and make some art out of it! One question, what do you guys do with old thinner? dump it in the sink? :/ What do you do with old paint tubs? As I only use Acrylics I thin them with water. The acrylic paint tubs get washed and re-used almost continually. I'm just too lazy to carry a new one upstairs. Of course, if I actually managed to build more than one model per year... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pigsty Posted January 8, 2010 Share Posted January 8, 2010 An environmentalist on the radio said something that didn't go down a treat for the ultra-PC BBC: that most recycling is tosh, as it costs more to recycle than to obtain virgin, and the that's produced is low-grade anyway. He went on that whilst some is useful and good, much of it is assuage middle-class environmental angst.This is not new: during WWII most items taking for melting (park railings, pots and pan, etc) were not used productively, but it was done to make people feel like part of the solution, not the problem. However, if you don't recycle, where do put your waste? Cost and quality aren't the only considerations. Stuff that's not re-used has to be either dumped or incinerated. So I trust that anyone complaining about recycling will whole-heartedly support any proposals for a new tip or an incinerator in their area, since they will be happily contributing to its workload. (And, as we're running out of holes in the ground, it's much more likely to be an incinerator.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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