When recycling tins bottles etc - the council say wash them first. How much energy and water does this waste?

Question

How much extra does this cost the average recycling household who wash all their waste cartons before putting into their recycling bins?

Answer 1

I don't wash them.  If it's very dirty I swill it in cold water to take the worst off, and leave the rest there.  They wash it there, when they've sorted it all.

Answer 2

Exactly, wash them after your dishes (in the same water) and no extra energy or water is wasted.  :)

Answer 3

None if they rinse them as they do the pots.

Answer 4

It shouldn't cost any more.

I always wash out recyclables when I do the washing up.

Answer 5

Nothing, I wash them with my dishes.

Answer 6

Think its a waste to wash up tins.  It's a step too far in recycling.  Bottles, paper and tins yes - but not to wash them up and use heat.  If a tin, piece of paper or item of glass is very dirty it goes to landfill.  We should be reasonable with recycling not just react blindly.

Answer 7

I keep them near the sink and wash them with dirty water.

Answer 8

It wastes a lot of energy and water. Recycled cans get put into a furnace hot enough to melt them. Say good by to any uncleaned material on the cans. Tell your idiot beaurocrats to shut the h**l up!!

Answer 9

Use washing up water or water from boiling potatoes etc.

Not all bottles need washing, depends what's been in them