Am I being ripped off here ????

Question

My council does not collect plastic or cardboard in the recycling. Instead we are told we have to take it to the local recycling centre (NOTE - we are not getting any reduction in our council tax for the fact we are having to do this ourselves.)

I then jump in my car and go to the recycle centre (NOTE - this is an EXTRA car trip that I would not have normally made AND I am of course am having to pay for the petrol)

I then drop these items off at the recycle centre and go home (Note - they then take the plastic / card to a depot, where it is my understanding that THEY get money for every ton they bring - they do not of course pay anything back to me)

So, am I being totally ripped off here ? Why am I having to do the job of others and paying for the privilage ?

Answer 1

When you buy the items in the cardboard YOU really are morally responsible for it.  Stop buying things you have to throw away.  Just a thought.  Just a thought.

Answer 2

That not the best way for a council to encourage recycling,mine picks up anything that can be recycled every 2 weeks,get a petition going or something you pay council tax for council services they should provide you with decent recycling scheme.

Answer 3

The penny is beginning to drop!

Answer 4

If you added up all the energy expended in taking a few plastic bottles to the recycling centre, it makes nonsense of the policy. At the same time, yes, you are being ripped off.

Answer 5

Hello,

(ANS) YES! I take your point entirely, yes! it does indeed sound a totally ludicrous  stupid system to me too. Yes! sounds like a rip off to me, sounds like the council just want to make extra money out of a poorly run recycling policy.

**Sometimes when you come up against this type of scheme it makes you wonder who the council are working for and being paid by? YES! I would be completely livid too. You have my heart felt sympathy on this one.

**The councils system is a non sense!! environmentally sound, green? I DON'T think so!! it sounds like they are making it as hard as possible to recycle plastic & cardboard?

Ivan

Answer 6

Name and shame the council.   Look for recycling points for this at your local supermarket- this will save you a trip to the recycling centre.  If they haven't implemented this then suggest they do- our local tescos car park has recycling points for 3 types of glass, cardboard, and clothes (but not plastic)

Answer 7

welcome to rip off Britan...............

Answer 8

i feel the same as you but i do it because i dont want the stuff to go to landfill.

but as we pay a fortune in council tax i think we should get a much better service!

because i recycle so much i only put 1 bag of rubbish out about every 3/4 weeks, and i often think i should get some money back from my council tax because i am not using the service i pay for weekly!

i usually store mine up and then make one trip with a car full and i am lucky in the fact that the recycling centre is only a couple of miles!

Answer 9

There must be plenty of others who feel the same way.  You should get together and get your council to start a collection.

Answer 10

if the council don`t collect then put all your rubbish in the bin that they do collect if they complain then tell them to collect separately

Answer 11

Hi,

I live in England and we have a collection of some sort every week.

One week it is household and garden waste, then the next it is paper and tins/plastic and glass.

I however save the plastic myself (as the box they give isn't big enough for glass, tin and plastic).  I then drop the plastic off when I go to Asda (walmart) as they have a recycle centre.  I do this when I go to do my shopping so that I don't do extra trips.  I also take things here that my council don't collect like aerosols, juice cartons and carrier bags.

It makes me cross that I go to alot of trouble to recycle, but still have to pay the same taxes as those who don't.

Our government never rewards just penalises!!!!

Hope this may have helped you in some way!

Answer 12

Isn't the real issue the amount of packaging that we all get lumbered with? The sooner we can persuade manufacturers not to put a cupcake in a foil pot, in a plastic tray, in a box, wrapped in cellophane (brought home in a carrier bag) the better! Penalising us in this way does make us think, and it's our pressure on the manufacturers that will ultimately bring about the change we need.

Don't think of it as a rip-off (because it is) at that level! Think of it as something to help change the world we live in.

Answer 13

It's the UK, aren't you used to it by now.  Recycling here is a JOKE.  Canada, now theres a place with a recycling program.  I could hardly believe it, when I was there visiting friends.  Me and my mate took a truck load of bottles to the "bottle depot" and he walked out witht the equivelent of 50 quid.  Granted there were alot of bottles.  Paid for the beers and steaks for the BBQ that night.  And he tells me it's always been that way for at least 25 years.

Answer 14

The money they get for the plastic and cardboard isn't much at all. If it were £10 per tonne, and you contributed 2 kg, that'd be 2p you've contributed. A tonne of plastic bottles is one helluva lot of bottles.

Do it for the sake of the planet, not your wallet.

Better still, petition the council into starting a recycling collection service.