Our municipality changed how garbage collection is being done a couple of months back. We now have to separate out compostables (which we compost) from non-compostables. The non-compostables have to be further separated into the various types – plastic versus paper (which is actually a compostable, but also a recyclable, if we want to get technical :P), and other (glass, metals).
Compostables are collected once a week, but non-compostables are collected every other week.
And here’s the vehicle for the non-compostables…
Ah, see, this is how our system works a bit better. Theoretically. Sort of.
We can’t leave any garbage outside our gate – the dogs, cats, cows, birds will all dig through it and spread the garbage all over the place.
Knowing this, the garbage collectors, in their very very very loud vehicles, will ring our bell to let us know they’re here if Fahim hasn’t already run downstairs with our garbage to hand it over personally. We can hear them a few minutes before they arrive, and they go by fairly slowly, so it’s very practical to hand over garbage/recyclables to the garbage men personally, and many people do this.
At the same time, while some recyclables can theoretically be cashed in, in practice, it’s very difficult to do. Stores will take one bottle for every new bottle of whatever you’re buying. Different brand? You’re out of luck. But only if they feel like it and the sun’s purple and the moon is circling alpha centauri or something. So rooting through garbage for cashable recyclables is also not at all practical.
I tried to separate recyclables in China, but it was futile. People just pick through the garbage searching for recyclables to cash in–doesn’t matter where you put them.
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I’m interested in knowing more about your recycling program so could you please send me the details of how you got started? I’m interested in implementing one along side an existing one or to set up a new one. I would really appreciate any information that you could provide. Thanks!
You would have to contact the municipality directly for more information.