Plastic waste and the ban on straws

June 5, 2018 by The Rubbish Removers

On April 19, 2018, just before Earth Day, Commonwealth leaders proposed phasing out single-use plastics. This plan targets plastic drinking straws, which often can’t be recycled. These straws harm oceans, damaging ecosystems and wildlife. In the UK alone, people use and throw away about 23 million straws every day.

Did you know people have used drinking straws for centuries? However, they only became popular during the 1800s Industrial Revolution. Fashion and dining traditions in 19th-century Europe and the US helped boost their popularity. Straws stayed popular, especially after Joseph Friedman invented the bendy straw in 1937. Over the last 50 years, many new designs emerged. Plastic straws became common in the 1960s because they were cheap and easy to make. Although plastic straws can be reused, most people don’t. Today, this creates huge amounts of non-biodegradable waste that harms our environment. Because of this, many companies now make biodegradable straws to help reduce waste.

No doubt you’ve seen paper straws popping up in many bars already. But next time you order a fancy cocktail, try refusing the plastic straw. Instead, sip straight from the glass. Here’s why that small change can make a big difference…

Straw Wars: The Fight to Rid the Oceans of Discarded Plastic

Of the eight million tons of plastic waste that flow every year into the world’s oceans, the plastic drinking straw is surely not a top contributor to all that tonnage.

Yet this small, slender tube, utterly unnecessary for most beverage consumption, is at the center of a growing environmental campaign aimed at convincing people to stop using straws to help save the oceans. Read on…

If the above doesn’t hit home then watch this video and tell me, you would not feel affected by it.

Manta Ray Swims in Trash-Filled Ocean | Nat Geo Wild – YouTube

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Recycling and What It Will Mean After Brexit

January 29, 2018 by The Rubbish Removers

We’re all trying our best when it comes to recycling our household waste. In many areas, if we put the wrong item in the wrong bin, the council won’t collect it. That puts a lot of pressure on us as consumers to get it right every time. But is it fair to leave the responsibility of recycling entirely to us? Manufacturers and supermarkets play a major role in the amount and type of packaging we deal with daily. Shouldn’t they take more responsibility for making recycling easier and reducing unnecessary packaging in the first place? Recycling shouldn’t be a one-way effort—we all have a part to play, including the people who produce and sell what we buy.

Supermarkets must stop using plastic packaging, says former Asda boss. Read more…

If they do not sit up and take notice this will be the effects!!

The UK could become a plastic dumping ground after Brexit, say campaigners and opposition MPs. Once it leaves the EU, the UK won’t need to follow Europe’s new waste and recycling rules. Many doubt the current government will create a strong, effective system to replace it.

Each week, UK consumers throw out millions of plastic bottles with no national plan to handle them properly. The EU is creating a “circular economy” plan to make manufacturers responsible for plastic waste. This plan will push companies to collect, recycle, and reduce plastic more efficiently. But the UK won’t need to follow that plan after Brexit.

Campaigners fear the UK will fall behind and dump more plastic into oceans and illegal sites. Javor Benedek from the EU warned the UK is already showing weak efforts on plastic waste. He says producers face little pressure to reduce waste or recycle more in the UK. Without stronger rules, more plastic will end up polluting nature and harming wildlife. Benedek warns the UK could become the “dirty man of Europe” when it comes to waste.

If you are having problems with an excess of waste then contact us and we can resolve the problem.

We are fully licensed with the Environment Agency, Registration number CBDU179358

What damage is plastic waste causing our planet?

January 22, 2018 by The Rubbish Removers

So hitting the headlines lately is what damage plastic waste is actually causing the environment!

We all know that sugary drinks are bad for your health and in a recent survey tooth decay on young children is at an all time high. We have known this for a while and the health conscious, consume a lot more water now, probably more than ever as we all know this is the healthy option.

But my question is why have we decided that bottled water is better for us than tap water?

Did you know people buy around 20,000 plastic bottles every second around the world which becomes waste? That adds up to a million bottles every minute and the number keeps rising. Experts predict a 20% increase in plastic bottle use by 2021. Some campaigners warn this could become as serious as climate change.

In 2016, people bought over 480 billion plastic bottles globally. That’s a huge jump from 300 billion just ten years earlier. Laid end to end, those bottles would reach halfway to the sun. By 2021, we could hit 583 billion bottles a year, according to Euromonitor International. Most bottles use PET plastic, which we can recycle.

But waste recycling rates aren’t keeping up with how fast plastic use is growing. Between 4 and 12 million tonnes of plastic enter the ocean every year. That number is likely to rise unless we act fast. A 2016 report warned that, by 2050, ocean plastic could outweigh fish. Divers around the world are trying to clean it up—but they can’t keep up either.

Watch this video…

A normal waste plastic bottle takes about 450 years to break down completely, so the components of a bottle dropped in the ocean today could still be polluting the waters for our great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-grandchildren.

Experts warn that some of it is already finding its way into the human food chain.

Scientists at Ghent University in Belgium recently calculated people who eat seafood ingest up to 11,000 tiny pieces of plastic every year. Last August,the results of a study by Plymouth University reported plastic was found in a third of UK-caught fish, including cod, haddock, mackerel and shellfish. Last year, the European Food Safety Authority called for urgent research, citing increasing concern for human health and food safety “given the potential for microplastic pollution in edible tissues of commercial fish”.

So is drinking bottled water healthier than tap water? You decide with these facts and figures.

Q.Is drinking bottled water safer than tap?

A.Bottled water costs substantially more than what comes from the tap but is not healthier for consumers, a study has suggested. Researchers found bottled variety is subject to far less stringent safety tests than tap water and is much more likely to be contaminated or become a source of infection.

Q.Is bottled water really better for you?

A.It’s healthier compared to sugary sodas and drinks but in fact, one third of all bottled water is tap water.

Q.Last but not least this fact you must take on board for the next generation.

A.Bottled water does not contain the amount of fluoride that tap water does. Therefore, if you only drink bottled water, your teeth are not getting enough fluoride to help strengthen and protect your teeth. Fluoride is a mineral in our drinking water that helps prevent tooth decay in children and adults.

Finally, I will leave that decision with you! I certainly know which route I am taking….

Waste Accumulation and Fly Tipping

October 10, 2017 by The Rubbish Removers

Do you have excess waste? Or have you been subjected to fly tipping?

The festive season is approaching fast, and general waste can build up quicker than expected. At The Rubbish Removers, we’re preparing for our busiest season of the year. From late October to January, we see a huge increase in rubbish. People prepare their homes for visiting family and friends during this time. They often clear out spaces, which creates more waste than usual. Celebrations bring extra packaging, decorations, and party leftovers to dispose of. We handle all festive waste quickly and professionally, no matter the size. Our team works hard to keep homes clean and clutter-free during the holidays. We’re ready to respond fast, so you don’t have to worry. Let us help you stay on top of your rubbish this festive season.

We provide fast, professional Rubbish Removal — Evenings, Weekends, and throughout the Festive Season

Waste can be removed from anywhere on your property. Our polite, friendly rubbish removal teams will ensure your property is swept up and left spotlessly clean.

We handle emergency bin collections swiftly for both homes and businesses. Our team is quick to respond, even on short notice. And we’re available during evenings and weekends to make things easier for you.

We are available throughout the festive season with our only days of closure being Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day.

We usually work from 8am to 6pm, Monday to Friday and 8am -1pm Saturday. In December, we extend our hours to meet demand. Please call us on 0161 339 7938 to speak with our friendly team. We’ll discuss your rubbish removal and waste clearance needs. We’ll provide a free, no-obligation quote during the call. Our goal is to solve your rubbish problem quickly and professionally.

Please note: Never consider fly-tipping your excess waste. It is illegal and can result in serious penalties, including an on-the-spot fine of between £150 and £400 from your local council. If the offence is taken to court, you could face a fine of up to £50,000 or even a prison sentence of up to 12 months if convicted.

We are proud and honoured to have been keeping our community clean and tidy for the last 20 years. As well as being members of The Buy With confidence scheme and Which Trusted Traders Scheme.