Sunday, July 05, 2009

PROF'S POSER - Cans of worms?

I have certainly wondered this myself, so the question is worth sharing:

Green and confused: tin cans

The answer, however, does not start well. I frankly don't worry too much about some poor schmoe with their bottle of Fairy Liquid and scrubbing brush.

What my eye then alights upon is this: 'Also relatively clean tins make recycling easier and cheaper'. Ah.

Which follows: 'all tins that go for recycling pass through a washing, heating and crunching process which eliminates contamination from food and other products,'

Er... enviROI? What about the cumulative costs (to public pocket and planet) of all those individual sinks using water and/or heated at that? Versus a single, industrial system?

I don't know, so this Prof's Poser remains.

I do however note the conclusion: Recycling companies report that some people put their used tins in the dishwasher: that’s a bit extreme and a waste of energy. A good rinse should be enough.

Indeed. Of course, as one who has kept all his cans for years (well, the ones that slot into each other... I have a plan), I can confirm a wee splash of well-directed water as soon as the can is emptied and the food debris still soft, works a treat with all bar Stagg's chilli.