Rubbish

[ailbhe]

This is something which would be much easier if we had a car. Or didn't mind landfill. In fact, if we weren't so bloody principled, it would be a doddle.

But.

We have been trying to Freegle plasterboard for Quite Some Time; no-one has managed to collect yet, in spite of interest, largely because I don't have the leisure to check email during office hours as often as the people who refuse to phone me as I ask think I ought to. We also want to Freegle old carpet, hardboard, and leftover timber.

If that doesn't go to Freegle, we can either smash it up and send it to landfill in the grey wheelie bin, or take it to the civic amenity site for proper sorted-waste eco-friendly treatment.

Except that that requires a car.

We don't have a car, see under eco-friendly.

Bulky waste collection is about £40 and may not collect it all. We're not sure.

Also, the trike parking problem of years ago is still unresolved, as far as I'm concerned. I spent Some Time on the phone today trying to sort it out. The council say it's a police matter, the police say they can't do anything.

Oh, and we can't go to the Civic Amenity Site on the bus, because children aren't allowed to walk around inside the site and I can't leave them outside while I take the rubbish in.

Edit: Rob posted a Freegle message and got much better responses than I did. The carpet and several tins of paint are gone, and there's a possible taker for the plasterboard and hardboard on Saturday.

Comments

[myfirstkitchen.livejournal.com]

Plasterboard can't legally be landfilled with regular waste, due to the effects of the gypsum content, so that excludes this option. I think you either need to get a lift to the civic amenity site, where it goes in a special bin, or pay for one of the waste management companies who will recycle it to collect (£30-ish a bag).

[ailbhe]

Luckily someone from Freegle is taking it, but if you hadn't told me, I wouldn't have known - I couldn't find the information anywhere on the Reading Gov website, nor on the site for the Civic Amenity Site which is run by someone else. Both of those just say to put anything the recycling won't accept other than rubble and soil in the landfill bin.

[myfirstkitchen.livejournal.com]

We were warned about it when my mum did some work on her house. It has been illegal to put it in landfill since 2005. The council really should put something about it, if only a link to http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/business/topics/waste/32148.aspx - everyone in the trade will know, but anyone doing stuff themselves needs to be aware.

[ailbhe]

The plasterboard delivered by Wickes should have said it on it, or something, too. I bet we have already put small offcuts (less than A4) in the wheelie bin. I honestly can't remember.