Reducing the use of Plastics

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Reducing the use of Plastics
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Jam Lady

Joined: 28 Dec 2006
Posts: 2585
Location: New Jersey, USA

Posted: Sat Mar 24, 18 12:09 pm Post subject:
Buzzy, the sugar would have hardened and then been grated when wanted.

buzzy

Joined: 04 Jan 2011
Posts: 3708
Location: In a small wood on the edge of the Huntingdonshire Wolds

Posted: Sat Mar 24, 18 1:27 pm Post subject:
Not in our house. I do not remember the brown sugar ever going hard enough to need grating. I think, but am not certain, that we put the sugar in a airtight tin once we got home. Henry

Nicky cigreen

Joined: 25 Jun 2007
Posts: 9891
Location: Devon, uk

Posted: Sat Mar 24, 18 6:04 pm Post subject:

gz wrote:

JL I'd thought that the windows in envelopes were now recyclable? cellophane from wood?

we have been asked to put window envelopes in the paper recycling for years now, in my area. No idea how they process them though.

Mistress Rose

Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 16090

Posted: Sun Mar 25, 18 7:09 am Post subject:
You could store it in an airtight tin. You can also bring it back by putting in a bowl with a damp tea towel over it. It is possible to make some plastics from renewable resources, but whether they do or not I have no idea.

Nicky cigreen

Joined: 25 Jun 2007
Posts: 9891
Location: Devon, uk

Posted: Sun Mar 25, 18 12:01 pm Post subject:

Mistress Rose wrote:

It is possible to make some plastics from renewable resources, but whether they do or not I have no idea.

there is a recycled toilet paper you can buy that comes in a biodegradable plasticy wrapper that is make from corn. I just have to question if we should be growing crops to make bog roll wrappers....

buzzy

Joined: 04 Jan 2011
Posts: 3708
Location: In a small wood on the edge of the Huntingdonshire Wolds

Posted: Sun Mar 25, 18 12:28 pm Post subject:

Nicky Colour it green wrote:

Mistress Rose wrote:

It is possible to make some plastics from renewable resources, but whether they do or not I have no idea.

there is a recycled toilet paper you can buy that comes in a biodegradable plasticy wrapper that is make from corn. I just have to question if we should be growing crops to make bog roll wrappers....

Depends partly on which part of the corn plant is used. If it's the leaves and stalks, that's good. If it's the corn grain itself, that's shakier ground. Perhaps the low quality grains that won't be sold for food are used?

A recent parcel was packed with what appeared to be polystyrene 'worms' but the information inside the package said they were made from corn and could be composted. I put one in water and it dissolved rapidly.

Henry

Slim

Joined: 05 Mar 2006
Posts: 6630
Location: New England (In the US of A)

Posted: Sun Mar 25, 18 3:20 pm Post subject:

buzzy wrote:

A recent parcel was packed with what appeared to be polystyrene 'worms' but the information inside the package said they were made from corn and could be composted. I put one in water and it dissolved rapidly.

Henry

You can touch those to your tongue, and then stick them together. It's great fun to build with.

Fee

Joined: 21 Mar 2005
Posts: 15922
Location: Earth

Posted: Sun Mar 25, 18 5:23 pm Post subject:

Slim wrote:

buzzy wrote:

You can touch those to your tongue, and then stick them together. It's great fun to build with.

Oooh, that does sound like fun!

buzzy

Joined: 04 Jan 2011
Posts: 3708
Location: In a small wood on the edge of the Huntingdonshire Wolds

Posted: Sun Mar 25, 18 8:37 pm Post subject:

Fee wrote:

Slim wrote:

buzzy wrote:

You can touch those to your tongue, and then stick them together. It's great fun to build with.

Oooh, that does sound like fun!

If you'd like a boxfull, pm me your mailing address and I'll send you some!

Henry

wellington womble

Joined: 08 Nov 2004
Posts: 15051
Location: East Midlands

Posted: Mon Mar 26, 18 1:23 am Post subject:
Packaging materials are some of our main 'toys' here. Parcels are eagerly awaiting!

Mistress Rose

Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 16090

Posted: Mon Mar 26, 18 6:29 am Post subject:

Have just checked and it is made of cornstarch, not the leaves or stems. If you get this, compost it by making sure it has light and moisture otherwise it won't decompose quickly according to the web site I found.

Natural packing materials have advantages, but can also cause a biosecurity risk. Wood based materials such as shavings have to conform to various standards to be permissible, and in places like Australia, they may be banned completely, so as well to check. A nasty pest was introduced into the UK via some non-permissible wood packing. The result was that the Forestry Commission cut all affected trees within several hundred metres of the infestation and incinerated them in special containers. The area was then monitored for several years, and I am glad to say it was then declared free. It is worrying that things like emerald ash borer could get into the UK that way, among others.

Hairyloon

Joined: 20 Nov 2008
Posts: 15433
Location: Today I are mostly being in Yorkshire.

Posted: Mon Mar 26, 18 10:34 am Post subject: Re: Reducing the use of Plastics

gz wrote:

Some are not made from oil. Are they just as bad?

Only because I have taken an interest in 3d printing, I have discovered Poly Lactic Acid (PLA).
This is made of natural material and biodegrades. I don't know how fast it degrades: not too fast I think, but I'm told it does break down in the environment.
Otherwise it seems just like typical plastic: I'm puzzled why it is not more widely used.

gz

Joined: 23 Jan 2009
Posts: 8978
Location: Ayrshire, Scotland

Posted: Mon Mar 26, 18 1:10 pm Post subject:
https://www.tinyplantcompany.co.uk/ A garden company going plastic free

Fee

Joined: 21 Mar 2005
Posts: 15922
Location: Earth

Posted: Mon Mar 26, 18 8:07 pm Post subject:

buzzy wrote:

Fee wrote:

Slim wrote:

buzzy wrote:

You can touch those to your tongue, and then stick them together. It's great fun to build with.

Oooh, that does sound like fun!

If you'd like a boxfull, pm me your mailing address and I'll send you some!

Henry

I think HT might throttle me if I said yes just now, given we're reducing as much as we can for moving house

But thank you

Slim

Joined: 05 Mar 2006
Posts: 6630
Location: New England (In the US of A)

Posted: Mon Mar 26, 18 8:09 pm Post subject:
But they're also for packaging items for moving house! I don't think you can say no.

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