When I wrote the previous ‘old texta’ post I was totally unaware that primary school children, who collected their books this week, were also going to receive  a brand new packet of…you guessed it…textas! I just couldn’t believe it. Just what we need. More bl#@$dy textas!

There are roughly 300 000 kids enrolled in primary schools in Victoria alone. What if they all got a pack of textas with their books.

With ten in a pack that’s 3 million plastic textas. 2.5 million will be lost before the end of the first week of school and I dare say, the vast majority will all end up in landfill.  That’s a lot of plastic in the ground.

There’s a lot of waste (or should I say unnecessary doubling up of material) when it comes to school children’s book lists. I never realised it until now, and to be honest, I’m not thrilled about it.

wm

In every single household where kids reside, there is a draw somewhere full of old textas that don’t work anymore. We are talking about semi trailer loads full of old textas. What are textas made from? What can we do with them once they don’t work anymore? I’m not into promoting gambling on this site however, I would be willing to bet $100 that somewhere between 90 and 100% of old textas end up in landfill. The tiny percentage that avoids the hole, they become pea shooters…then they end up in the ground!

I’ll find out what they are made of and report back.

By the way, I’ve only been talking about the plastic outer casing. Heaven only knows what else is going on inside??

over&over

wm

I apologise for this absolutely crap photograph however you just wouldn’t believe what I discovered. The inside tray of the tim tam packet (above) is made from PET plastic. The exact same material as a plastic drinking bottle (below), and by far, one of the easiest plastics to recycle. It bares the recycling code 1 (PET).

I just couldn’t believe it. Here I was thinking that the inside of the tim tam pack was a horrible piece of junk, but no. It can sit very comfortably inside the recycling bin. What is most interesting is just how very different these two products feel (the drink bottle and the tim tam inner). They feel like chalk and cheese but they are actually the very same thing.

Not all plastic is bad, but some is definitely better than others. What I’m trying to understand is… if a Plastic such as PET can be so versatile, why do we produce any products out of plastic that is not so good.

While we’re on the topic, the actual tim tam packet ie the outer wrapper, has no plastic recycling code. I am unsure as to what type of plastic this wrapper is made from. I will endeavour to find out. I dare say that most biscuit packets would be made from this type plastic. I wonder if it is as easily recycled as the inner??

Have a little think for one moment how many biscuit packets would be thrown away every day around the world…Then take a breath…and try to stay calm.

If you would like to learn more about plastic and the environment here is a good place to start:

Plastic and Chemicals Association http://www.pacia.org.au/

Hi all, I’m back from my country adventure. There were a few things that caught my eye and got the thoughts thinking.

This photograph was taken in Echuca adjacent the paddle steamer wharf. Can someone please tell me why we would be wanting to collect ASH (burnt timber)? What on earth can it be used for?

One things for sure, there’s plenty of it! A paddle steamer can chew through around two tone of timber each day!

always more to come

wasteman

 
Just an observation…

But can somebody please tell me why we need to have a print of winnie the pooh on a disposable nappy? I mean I know it looks cute and all – but…

Remember it might be a simple little insignificant print to the consumer, but to the manufacturer, it means 44 gallon drums full of ink.

Wasteman is going up country for one week.

Should I find something whilst I’m away that has to be told immediately, I’ll find a computer somewhere.

Otherwise, I’ll see you in a week.

reduce

reuse

reggae

wasteman