Any good examples of plastic recycling ?

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Richard
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Any good examples of plastic recycling ?

Post by Richard »

That's to say, do you use them for anything else ie. Milk or other Bottles into plastic scoops, Gardening uses etc. etc.

I'm sure Ilona's got a few things up her sleeve :-D

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manda
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Re: Any good examples of plastic recycling ?

Post by manda »

I do the usual with things - dishwasher powder container scoops were fabulous for all sorts or things...some of the larger honey pots can be turned into chick drinkers which is always handy because I put them all over the place so they can find them easily with their mums....but there's only so much you can do to recycle (how many scoops do you need?!).

I do really try though not to buy plastic as much as I can because it just incenses me ...I end up standing in the store grinding my teeth {rofwl} but it's still quite disheartening that manufacturers seem intent on adding to the plastic problem and there have been no checks on them.

I do use pots for meals for work - if I cook I make a little extra so I can take it with me or pop them in the freezer for later - )grin2( and I refuse to buy containers for that - I have some odd food containers but I don't mind )grin2(

I get milk from my mates farm so I have a reusable container for that....I get quite angry that things are made increasingly difficult for farms to sell milk at the gate when it would cut down a lot on waste if people could just take their container to the farm and top up as they needed....Oh well.

Not very creative really but it's what we do.
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lancashire lass
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Re: Any good examples of plastic recycling ?

Post by lancashire lass »

I find that I have good intentions and then end up hoarding "rubbish". The trays that mushrooms come in are handy - I use them for putting greens and seeds in for the chickens, or for carrying some layers pellets to top up the feeders rather than going back and forth between the run and bins (I have them on the patio so I can see them when I open the back door in case the lids have come off) or for taking a quick poo pick out of the coops down to the compost bin.
Freeranger
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Re: Any good examples of plastic recycling ?

Post by Freeranger »

Plastic containers from eggs, yogurt, mushrooms for seedlings and potting on cuttings. Clear bottles for vertical gardening or cloches.
wildlifemad
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Re: Any good examples of plastic recycling ?

Post by wildlifemad »

We buy our milk in 2 litre bottles. So when they are empty we wash them out & fill with water & use them to hold down fleece or netting on the allotment, we don't quite fill them so when they are on uneven soil they mould to it. They usually last a season but then become brittle so we then put them in the recycle bin. Amazing how many folks on the allotment now use them!!
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Spreckly
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Re: Any good examples of plastic recycling ?

Post by Spreckly »

Trays from tomatoes and similar, we use for cakes at coffee mornings. I have a cupboard full of them! Plastic bottle tops I save up for a friend whose daughter saves them for something.

I like the milk bottle idea for holding netting down.

We don't get carrier bags now, but those sent from the pharmacy for OH's meds, I use for rubbish, so they are used twice.
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Re: Any good examples of plastic recycling ?

Post by Freeranger »

Spreckly, you just reminded me - milk carton tops are collected by charities then sold for recycling en masse. We collect them and take them to our local church. Will try and find out which charity and post again.
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Re: Any good examples of plastic recycling ?

Post by wildlifemad »

The other thing I forgot is that I use the empty bread bags as rubbish bags in the kitchen, we don't have much "landfill rubbish" so these are plenty big enough. I usually make my own bread but have had a lot going on lately to get round to it.
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Mo
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Re: Any good examples of plastic recycling ?

Post by Mo »

Bread bags get hoarded, some for me to use for the freezer but most to give away apples, when I take a big box of apples to dance club the bags soon dwindle.
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Meanqueen
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Re: Any good examples of plastic recycling ?

Post by Meanqueen »

A few ideas.
Shopping bags can be made out of other plastic bags. Layer them making larger sheets, put paper top and bottom, iron to fuse the plastic together, then machine stitch the bag together.
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Make small picture frames with the metal and plastic parts of a large tub of coffee mate. Cut off the top and bottom, with a bread knife. Find picture to fit and place in the plastic lid, clip in the top metal rim to hold in place. Or, make a coaster by clipping in the metal bottom into the plastic lid.
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Fuse together some coloured plastic, cut into shapes, and stitch onto a canvas bag.
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Make plastic flowers for the garden. I save coloured plastic, cut it up with nail scissors into three sizes of flower petals. Make two holes in the centre of each one, thread thin wire through a button then through the petals, twist at the back and twist around a knitting needle, Stick tape over the back to hold it in place.
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Small plastic containers for storing small items, beads. Cut the top off supplement bottles.
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I have a cupboard full of plastics which I use over and over again. I can go in there and usually find the size I am looking for.
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Cotton containers.
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Phew, is that enough!

Ilona
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lancashire lass
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Re: Any good examples of plastic recycling ?

Post by lancashire lass »

)like( some clever ideas MQ - I do like your recycle plastic flowers
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Spreckly
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Re: Any good examples of plastic recycling ?

Post by Spreckly »

Not re-read this thread, so don't know if anyone else has mentioned using cut down plastic milk bottles for storage. I used ours for eggs when we had the girls.
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Re: Any good examples of plastic recycling ?

Post by Zoey »

Wonderful ideas here! A friend once tried weaving a basket using recycled plastic. Her first effort was not great, but she did tell me that she got better over time. This might help
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kitla
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Re: Any good examples of plastic recycling ?

Post by kitla »

I know this is an old thread but I've had a new idea - well new for me anyway, I expect folk on here already do this. I've started keeping plastic bread bags & cerial inner packets to use instead of new plastic bags. So obvious I dont know why I've not done this before!
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Mo
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Re: Any good examples of plastic recycling ?

Post by Mo »

kitla wrote: 08 Jan 2021, 12:12 dont know why I've not done this before!
indeed.
Make sure you wash out all the breadcrumbs and dry them well or the go mouldy or musty.
When they are too tattered for reuse I think Terracycle takes bread bags.
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