Can I recycle cable insulation?

[westward10]

I suppose if you take it unstripped the sheath/insulation becomes a byproduct and they have found a productive way to dispose of it, on its own they are not interested in processing it.

 

[Zerax]

Call me a sceptic... but... I don't think much of our carefully separated plastic/cardboard/paper etc. is ever recycled. Did I read somewhere that a council has told people not to bother as most will go to landfill anyway ? I think glass is just about the only thing anyone wants ?

 

[telectrix]

our local waste disposal site boasts that 70% - 80% of all waste received is recycled.

 

[Zerax]

our local waste disposal site boasts that 70% - 80% of all waste received is recycled.

Call me a sceptic... but... it depends how you measure it. I'm a very firm believer in the old adage "There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies, and statistics."

 

[Midwest]

Our commercial wasted is recycled, anything that isn't is burnt and the energy is captured.

 

[DPG]

Call me a sceptic... but... it depends how you measure it. I'm a very firm believer in the old adage "There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies, and statistics."

You'll find a lot, if not most, areas recycle waste. Our waste that would previously have gone to landfill is converted to a format suitable for using by Ferrybridge power station, where they have shut down the coal burning side now. This method also saves the council money, as it costs much more to send the waste to land fill.

You'd be surprised how much waste is now recycled.

 

[Lister1987]

Problem is that it's never truly recycled, you can argue that it results in fewer pollutants compared with making plastic from scratch but it's not truly carbon neutral recycled.

 

[DPG]

Nothing can be fully 'carbon neutral ' recycled though. Any process takes energy. But the material is not buried in the land to be re-mined - it is ready for re-use after recycling.

 

[Zerax]

You'll find a lot, if not most, areas recycle waste. Our waste that would previously have gone to landfill is converted to a format suitable for using by Ferrybridge power station...

Not sure I'd count 'burning it' as recycling... but I guess as long as it's done cleanly and doesn't go to landfill... it's a good thing.

My issue with the whole recycling topic is that when most people think of recycling, they imagine that it's processed into something that has a practical use. I fear that the reality is substantially different.

 

[DPG]

Not sure I'd count 'burning it' as recycling... but I guess as long as it's done cleanly and doesn't go to landfill... it's a good thing.

My issue with the whole recycling topic is that when most people think of recycling, they imagine that it's processed into something that has a practical use. I fear that the reality is substantially different.

Look at the recycling of plastic bottles and tin cans. 20 years ago these would have been buried in the ground like everything else was. Not now.