polystyrene fish boxes

[AntarcticPilot]

Correction: polystyrene is recyclable. Having at times in my working life been responsible for producing vacuum formed polystyrene clamshell packs and, more recently, expanded polystyrene insulated packaging, we only used recycled material.

Well, our local authority won't accept it as a recyclable material. Are you sure that your recycled material has been recycled from polystyrene source material?

 

[Another One]

Well, our local authority won't accept it as a recyclable material. Are you sure that your recycled material has been recycled from polystyrene source material?

Neither will our local authority BUT they will accept yogurt cups - made predominantly from polystyrene.

 

[Another One]

And yes, I am certain that the recycled polystyrene we use is from previously used , recycled stock.

 

[AntarcticPilot]

Neither will our local authority BUT they will accept yogurt cups - made predominantly from polystyrene.

I wonder if the problem is it being foamed? For, as you say, our LA will accept non-expanded cups etc.

 

[Another One]

I wonder if the problem is it being foamed? For, as you say, our LA will accept non-expanded cups etc.

AntarcticPilot I bow to your vastly superior knowledge of all things yachty and have learnt much from your comments but please trust me, speaking from 45 years experience in manufacturing packaging, that there is very little of material used in packaging that cannot be recycled.
Going back to the issue of eps fish boxes, surely the problem is littering not packaging?

 

[LONG_KEELER]

SOME fishermen.......

Fisherman ! You give us all hope. I'm sure there are lots more like you that fish the sea. Please keep posting.

 

[Irish Rover]

Today's catch included 2 separate pieces of net floating on the surface one about 5 square metres and the other a bit smaller.

 

[AntarcticPilot]

AntarcticPilot I bow to your vastly superior knowledge of all things yachty and have learnt much from your comments but please trust me, speaking from 45 years experience in manufacturing packaging, that there is very little of material used in packaging that cannot be recycled.
Going back to the issue of eps fish boxes, surely the problem is littering not packaging?

You flatter me - I'm no fount of all knowledge! I know about maps and navigation, and I've been around for a while. But I'm merely quoting what it says on my blue recycling bin - no polystyrene.

Surely the issue isn't "Can it be recycled" - as you say, it is possible to recycle almost anything. The question is "Can it be recycled at less cost than new material?" If it can, it will be, but barring legislative action, if it can't, it won't. Someone in the recycling business once pointed out to me that a stream of waste can be thought of as a kind of ore. If it's cheaper to extract something from that ore than from other sources, then recycling works, but not otherwise.

I should mention that I'm a fully paid up environmentalist - it went with my job. When you've spent your career watching glaciers retreat and temperatures rise, it tends to have that effect. But I'm not sentimental about it, and recognise things either have to make economic sense or be the target for legislation before anything will happen.

 

[Irish Rover]

Today's catch included 2 separate pieces of net floating on the surface one about 5 square metres and the other a bit smaller.

We also had the pleasure of seeing a loggerhead turtle - which makes the discarded nets all the more worrying.

 

[rotrax]

Slight thread drift..

California has a law that prevents restaurants from providing a plastic straw unless asked for, so most places now provide paper straws that are useless and often don't even last the meal before needing replacement.

W.

In 1970 First Mate and I rode our BMW R50S motorbike with camping gear from Sutton in Surrey to Wroclaw in Poland to see the World Speedway Final.

In deepest darkest rural Poland we bought some proper Lemonade at a roadside stall. Made at the stall with fresh lemons, water and sugar.It came in a tall earthenware mug with a straw.

And I mean a straw. A straw from perhaps Barley, cut off between the joints, straight from the fields. Worked perfectly. Did get clogged with lemon bits from time to time, but a discreet blow instead of a suck fixed that.

Eco friendly - I should think so!

 

[PilotWolf]

In 1970 First Mate and I rode our BMW R50S motorbike with camping gear from Sutton in Surrey to Wroclaw in Poland to see the World Speedway Final.

In deepest darkest rural Poland we bought some proper Lemonade at a roadside stall. Made at the stall with fresh lemons, water and sugar.It came in a tall earthenware mug with a straw.

And I mean a straw. A straw from perhaps Barley, cut off between the joints, straight from the fields. Worked perfectly. Did get clogged with lemon bits from time to time, but a discreet blow instead of a suck fixed that.

Eco friendly - I should think so!

I wonder how eco friendly paper straws are though? The ones we had at my last job lasted maybe an hour in soda. That’s a lot more actual waste than a plastic one that would last 12 hrs.

We got given some metal ones by Greenpeace. The problem is the bend end always wants to drop down because of the weight. Also cleaning could be a concern commercial I’d think.

W.

 

[PilotWolf]

I don't know about the UK - I'm in California.

The reality is they charge you $0.10 for a reusable bag that you never (in my case), remember to reuse.

There is probably 20/30 around the house. There is a company here that recycles them or repurpose them to needy places - we keep meaning to send them all off...

W.

I collected them all
(I think), that we had scattered around from cupboards, etc. I have a large bin back jammed full and over flowing!

 

[Birdseye]

Well, our local authority won't accept it as a recyclable material. Are you sure that your recycled material has been recycled from polystyrene source material?

Our LA wouldnt allow gas oil in the waste oil disposal tank on the grounds that it wasnt oil.

Anyway, drifitng the topic a bit, I like the hard plastic fish crates . They make excellent garden plantpots for the outside tomatoes and cucumbers

 

[cherod]

I can't speak for the Clyde but here on the Aegean I'd have no doubt that recreational boaters are responsible for most of the rubbish we see floating in the sea or littering the beaches. Actually commercial fishing is prohibited for 5 months in the summer and yet I see more rubbish in the summer rather than the winter and I boat 12 months of the year. Over fishing is a problem everywhere but it's hardly up to individual fishermen to give up their livelihoods - some concerted international action will need to be taken at inter-governmental level to compensate fishermen for decommissioning their vessels. Along the Aegean coast all fishing is effectively inshore fishing because of the closeness of Turkey and Greece and there's no doubt stocks have been decimated but still I can't blame the fishermen who's only other choice is to starve.

They dont starve here , they live in big houses , druve big cars and do big polution all ably assisted by cheap foreign crew ,

 

[PilotWolf]

Deleted.

 

[cherod]

Fisherman ! You give us all hope. I'm sure there are lots more like you that fish the sea. Please keep posting.

He doesnt give me any hope , they are in general an environmental nightmate

 

[cherod]

Our LA wouldnt allow gas oil in the waste oil disposal tank on the grounds that it wasnt oil.

Anyway, drifitng the topic a bit, I like the hard plastic fish crates . They make excellent garden plantpots for the outside tomatoes and cucumbers

And make excellent storage for paint tins , tools etc onboard .

 

[PilotWolf]

He doesnt give me any hope , they are in general an environmental nightmate

So you never eat any fish product?

Take any supplements?

PW

 

[cherod]

So you never eat any fish product?

Take any supplements?

PW

?????

 

[fisherman]

i imagine very few of us have the luxury of a job/business that causes no environmental damage, directly or otherwise.