Recycling shouldn’t be wishful thinking

Recycling shouldn’t be wishful thinking

This World Environment Day (June 5th), LifestyleGarden® asks that you read labels carefully and recycle responsibly rather than getting caught up in the habit of ‘wishcycling’, where you dump something in the recycling bin and hope for the best. With regular reports in the press about this worrying trend, LifestyleGarden® is urging the public to act responsibly and avoid putting further pressure on the UK’s recycling infrastructure and contaminating other materials within the system. With a few simple changes, you can make a difference, keeping waste out of landfill and our oceans.

Read labels
We get it, recycling labels can be pretty confusing. Unless you’re ‘au fait’ with all the terms and symbols, it’s not always an easy code to decipher. However, there are resources out there to help you understand what the labels mean and how to handle your rubbish. Plastic symbols are probably the most puzzling of all but there is logic behind what the numbers mean, as the digit simply tells you what type of plastic material it is and you can then look up whether that can be recycled locally.
Other recycling symbols are explained here. If you don’t want to have to keep referring to websites, print these help sheets out and keep them near your bin, so you can check quickly.

Be pro-active
You’ve translated the labels but now you have to work out if your local council actually recycles the materials you’ve got. Not all boroughs are the same, so you need to find out what your local authority will accept in your recycling bin. Luckily, we’ve made that job really easy for you. Just type your postcode in here, select which bin you’re enquiring about, and all will be revealed.

There are still a number of items that aren’t accepted in any kerbside collections, which is where you need to be a bit more pro-active because there are organisations and recycling centres out there that can help. In fact, most local supermarkets now offer collection for flexible plastics, like carrier bags and compost bags, which are not typically taken in household recycling. They are also required to offer collection points for batteries. Recycle Now has very helpfully put together a list of locations for all other items. Just type in your postcode and what you want to recycle on the website and you’ll be given details of several facilities closest to your home. You can also find this information on our website to help when looking to recycle your furniture.

Wishcycling can damage equipment at sorting facilities and can contaminate other recyclable items, so think carefully before you add to your kerbside collection. Some of the most common items put into household recycling bins that shouldn’t be are crisp packets, toothpaste tubes, plastic bags, dirty takeaway boxes (including cardboard pizza boxes which can be recycled but only if they’re not too greasy) and juice cartons. Some of these items are too contaminated to be recycled but others can be processed easily at other local recycling centres, so check Recycle Now if you’re unsure.

Remember recycling etiquette
You don’t need to spend hours washing everything with soap and water but it does make things more likely to be recycled if you have given things a quick rinse before you put them in the bin. That way leftover food residue won’t ruin your other recycling. This handy A-Z of recycling tells you what can be recycled and how to do it properly, from rinsing and replacing lids, to leaving labels on or ensuring you have removed all remnants of plastic film.

Also, please do recycle your food waste and garden waste in the relevant bins – making sure no plastic or glass accidentally finds its way in there – because this green waste plays an important role in making composts, as we move away from the use of peat. Of course, you could get your own compost bin in the garden and make your own organic compost at home. It’s much cheaper than buying bags of the stuff, means you won’t have to worry about recycling the plastic bags the shop-bought compost comes in, plus you know exactly what went into it! It’s a win/win and you can even get compact models if you’re short of space.

Buy recycled and recyclable
Let’s keep that circular economy turning but making responsible purchasing decisions. With so many options available now, it really isn’t that difficult. Companies will want to flag up the fact that their product or packaging contains recycled material or that it can be recycled again once used, so just keep an eye out for that messaging on packaging or promotional material and it’s just a quick decision to go for that item instead of one that will end up in landfill.

For example, Colgate Smile For Good toothpaste comes in a recyclable tube, so think twice about picking up one you know will end up in a rubbish bin; whilst supermarkets offer shopping bags made from recycled plastic bottles – a far better choice that one made from virgin materials and that might end up in landfill. Even gift giving can be done more responsibly if you opt for cards and wrapping paper that aren’t covered in glitter, coated in shiny plastic or foiled, that can render them non-recyclable. A host of attractive recycled and recyclable cards and wrapping paper are widely available in place of other less environmentally-friendly options, which you can take up a notch with adhesive plant-based or paper tapes instead of plastic versions.

Don’t buy into fads with unethical ‘fast furniture’. Our stylish and sustainable Nassau collection – endorsed by Eden Project – utilises game-changing recycled plastics to help clear the world’s oceans and waterways of waste, whilst providing durable and long-lasting furniture that you can enjoy for years to come. It’s still chic and modern but it won’t last just 5 minutes and end up in landfill! Social Plastic® – in partnership with Plastic Bank – is manufactured from recycled ocean waste and plastic pollution in developing countries, whilst DuraOcean® is manufactured using recycled ropes from the maritime industry. Both materials are 100% recyclable at the end of the furniture’s life. We are particularly proud of the difference Nassau DuraOcean® and Nassau powered by Social Plastic® makes to our planet, as we get ready to mark both World Environment Day (June 5th) and World Ocean Day (June 8th) this month.

Use less
The biggest problem of all is the inability to curb the people’s use of plastic. According to the UN, more than 400million tonnes of plastic is produced worldwide every year, half of which is designed to be used just once! Of that enormous amount, less than 10% is recycled.

Yes, big firms should be doing more to reduce plastic in their products and packaging and but, sadly, we’re not there yet. In the meantime, it’s up to you to cut down.

Buy your fruit and veg loose rather than packed in plastic bags and punnets; get yourself a re-usable water bottle and carry it with you; opt for glass bottles of sparkling water rather than plastic; steer clear of cling film, when you can use alternatives like compostable food wrap or beeswax wrap; explore refillable soap and cleaning products for your home, such as Faith in Nature, Smol, Ecover and Method; and, if you have a coffee machine at home or work, choose compostable or recyclable aluminium coffee pods rather than plastic.

Rugged Hank

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Education Technology Day must be extended to prisons

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Typically thought of as being an easy to clean area of the home, hard floors have risen in popularity in recent decades. Globally, hard floors are the most common floor type,2 and research released today by Dyson has uncovered poor cleaning habits that mean hard floors are likely to be harbouring an array of hidden nasties. This comes as 32% of Brits – equating to 21.6 million people in the UK – will use the same dirty mop head for six months or more before replacing it. What’s more, one in 20 also admit to keeping the same mop for a year or longer, and one in 10 think it is acceptable to use the same mop 100 times, spreading dirt around their floors every time they use it. Cross contamination is a primary issue for most common and traditional mopping methods with germs and bacteria further being unknowingly spread around homes as Brits use dirty water to clean floors.3 45% only change the water to new water between rooms, whereas 41% wait even longer until it looks dirty. This could mean that floors are being washed with dirty water, adding more dirt rather than taking it away. Surprisingly, almost one in 10 (9%) even admit to not changing the dirty water at all when mopping. Over a quarter (28%) admit to mopping their floors once a fortnight or less while over half (53%) admit they don’t regularly clean behind appliances and leave dirt to build up for as long as six months at a time. image002.jpg On how to achieve a perfect barefoot clean feel after mopping, Geli Lee, Dyson Engineer and Home Cleaning Expert offers their top tips for eliminating dirt around the home: 1. Create a cleaning schedule to stay on top of dirt build-up. In the last year, there has been a 15% global reduction in the number of people who maintain regular cleaning schedules. 47% of the British public admitted to only being motivated to clean when they spot visible dirt or dust.4 Regular floor cleaning with a wet hard floor cleaner like the Dyson WashG1™ removes more stubborn dirt than vacuuming alone. It is important to have a debris free surface, clear any clutter from the floor or other surfaces. Choose the right machine: Different vacuums are designed for different floor types and home sizes. Some machines will be engineered with hard floors in mind and will struggle on thick pile carpets, for example. Choosing the right machine for your home will make a big difference to the ease and speed with which you’re able to clean your home. Clean your floors ‘little and often’. Washing your floors frequently in areas that receive more foot fall will help to stop dirt building up and getting trodden into your floor. Using a dedicated wet floor cleaner on hard flooring such as the Dyson WashG1 is helpful for this, as the versatile format means it vacuums and washes the floor simultaneously. Cleaning schedules have also become less regimented. In recent years only 41% of people claim to have a regular cleaning schedule, and 60% admit to cleaning reactively; being motivated to clean only when there is visible dirt or dust5. It’s perhaps not surprising, that a fifth of people are still concerned their floors are dirty after they’ve mopped them (22%) and one in four6 feel extremely worried about indoor dust at home. Geli Lee, Dyson Engineer and Home Cleaning Expert reveals why it is important to change the way we mop: “Cleaning your hard floors properly and regularly is important for maintaining a healthy environment around your home. Without a proper cleaning routine, dirt may unknowingly build up and spread around your home. It is evident from our research that current mopping habits mean British households aren’t cleaning their floors as effectively as they should. “From ignoring problem areas where dust and debris build up, cross contamination with dirty water to not replacing mop heads or inconsistent cleaning, current mopping behaviours may be making floors dirtier as opposed to cleaner. Moving away from traditional methods, wet floor cleaners like the Dyson WashG1 simplify the floor cleaning experience and provide a modern efficient and hygienic solution” To help take the guesswork out of mopping, the brand new WashG1 is Dyson’s first dedicated wet floor cleaner that tackles wet and dry debris in one go. Engineered for hygienic cleaning and maintenance, the WashG1 is revolutionising wet floor cleaning, removing the need for multi-products and multi-steps to achieve a barefoot clean feel around the home. To put the product to the test, Dyson have cleaned one of London’s most iconic landmarks The Victoria and Albert Museum. From cleaning the grand marble floors housing the most prestigious exhibits, to cleaning up leftover food in the Gamble Room Cafe, the WashG1 had a dirt busting tour of the museum leaving it spotless. Images can be found here. The WashG1 introduces Dyson’s engineering expertise to cleaning hard floors. With a 1 litre clean-water tank to cover flooring up to 290m2, the Dyson WashG1 uses a combination of hydration, absorption, and extraction technologies to remove wet and dry spills and stains simultaneously. The Dyson WashG1 is available to purchase now from Dyson.co.uk, retailing at £599.99.

Typically thought of as being an easy to clean area of the home, hard floors have risen in popularity in recent decades. Globally, hard floors are the most common floor type,2 and research released today by Dyson has uncovered poor cleaning habits that mean hard floors are likely to be harbouring an array of hidden nasties. This comes as 32% of Brits – equating to 21.6 million people in the UK – will use the same dirty mop head for six months or more before replacing it. What’s more, one in 20 also admit to keeping the same mop for a year or longer, and one in 10 think it is acceptable to use the same mop 100 times, spreading dirt around their floors every time they use it. Cross contamination is a primary issue for most common and traditional mopping methods with germs and bacteria further being unknowingly spread around homes as Brits use dirty water to clean floors.3 45% only change the water to new water between rooms, whereas 41% wait even longer until it looks dirty. This could mean that floors are being washed with dirty water, adding more dirt rather than taking it away. Surprisingly, almost one in 10 (9%) even admit to not changing the dirty water at all when mopping. Over a quarter (28%) admit to mopping their floors once a fortnight or less while over half (53%) admit they don’t regularly clean behind appliances and leave dirt to build up for as long as six months at a time. image002.jpg On how to achieve a perfect barefoot clean feel after mopping, Geli Lee, Dyson Engineer and Home Cleaning Expert offers their top tips for eliminating dirt around the home: 1. Create a cleaning schedule to stay on top of dirt build-up. In the last year, there has been a 15% global reduction in the number of people who maintain regular cleaning schedules. 47% of the British public admitted to only being motivated to clean when they spot visible dirt or dust.4 Regular floor cleaning with a wet hard floor cleaner like the Dyson WashG1™ removes more stubborn dirt than vacuuming alone. It is important to have a debris free surface, clear any clutter from the floor or other surfaces. Choose the right machine: Different vacuums are designed for different floor types and home sizes. Some machines will be engineered with hard floors in mind and will struggle on thick pile carpets, for example. Choosing the right machine for your home will make a big difference to the ease and speed with which you’re able to clean your home. Clean your floors ‘little and often’. Washing your floors frequently in areas that receive more foot fall will help to stop dirt building up and getting trodden into your floor. Using a dedicated wet floor cleaner on hard flooring such as the Dyson WashG1 is helpful for this, as the versatile format means it vacuums and washes the floor simultaneously. Cleaning schedules have also become less regimented. In recent years only 41% of people claim to have a regular cleaning schedule, and 60% admit to cleaning reactively; being motivated to clean only when there is visible dirt or dust5. It’s perhaps not surprising, that a fifth of people are still concerned their floors are dirty after they’ve mopped them (22%) and one in four6 feel extremely worried about indoor dust at home. Geli Lee, Dyson Engineer and Home Cleaning Expert reveals why it is important to change the way we mop: “Cleaning your hard floors properly and regularly is important for maintaining a healthy environment around your home. Without a proper cleaning routine, dirt may unknowingly build up and spread around your home. It is evident from our research that current mopping habits mean British households aren’t cleaning their floors as effectively as they should. “From ignoring problem areas where dust and debris build up, cross contamination with dirty water to not replacing mop heads or inconsistent cleaning, current mopping behaviours may be making floors dirtier as opposed to cleaner. Moving away from traditional methods, wet floor cleaners like the Dyson WashG1 simplify the floor cleaning experience and provide a modern efficient and hygienic solution” To help take the guesswork out of mopping, the brand new WashG1 is Dyson’s first dedicated wet floor cleaner that tackles wet and dry debris in one go. Engineered for hygienic cleaning and maintenance, the WashG1 is revolutionising wet floor cleaning, removing the need for multi-products and multi-steps to achieve a barefoot clean feel around the home. To put the product to the test, Dyson have cleaned one of London’s most iconic landmarks The Victoria and Albert Museum. From cleaning the grand marble floors housing the most prestigious exhibits, to cleaning up leftover food in the Gamble Room Cafe, the WashG1 had a dirt busting tour of the museum leaving it spotless. Images can be found here. The WashG1 introduces Dyson’s engineering expertise to cleaning hard floors. With a 1 litre clean-water tank to cover flooring up to 290m2, the Dyson WashG1 uses a combination of hydration, absorption, and extraction technologies to remove wet and dry spills and stains simultaneously. The Dyson WashG1 is available to purchase now from Dyson.co.uk, retailing at £599.99.

Housing shortfall calls for public-private collaboration

Housing shortfall calls for public-private collaboration