MAGAZINES AND PACKAGING: 90% RECYCLABLE AND REUSABLE

One tonne of virgin paper and cardboard requires the knock-down of 15 plants, 448 litres of water and 7,600 kW of electricity. Using one tonne of recycled paper does not destroy plants and saves 60% in energy and 95% in water. Tetra Pak containers are fully recyclable. The three components, paper (75%), polyethylene (20%) and aluminium (5%), are recycled into a new paper and plastic material. The average degradation time of a magazine is 4 to 12 months, 3 months for a Tetra Pak container.
Paper is a recyclable material, which is why it is important to separate it properly. It is necessary to understand whether what we think of as paper or cardboard is actually paper or cardboard. For example, thermal paper for receipts, fax paper or oiled and plasticised paper cannot be placed in the container for paper and cardboard. After that, we should reduce the volume of our waste, for example by compressing packaging. Paper can not only be recycled, but also widely reused by printing on both sides of the sheets, reusing paper bags, donating books to schools or libraries. Tetra Pak, the common material from which beverage or milk containers are made, can be disposed of together with paper and cardboard even though it is a poly-blend.

PE, PET, PVC, PS, PP: IN A WORD, PLASTIC

The average degradation time of a plastic bottle or bag is over 100 years. The base material for plastics is oil. Oil is polluting, costly and not an inexhaustible resource, so recycling plastic means reducing our need for oil. We need to start with the basics: proper waste separation helps us to recycle this material, which is widely used in all sectors. Emptying bottles, rinsing yoghurt pots and squashing all packaging are key steps in proper waste separation.
Let’s take a look at the different plastics most commonly used on the market:
• PE (polyethylene): used to produce bags, crates, adhesive tapes, bottles, rubbish bags, pipes, toys, etc.
• PP (polypropylene): used to produce furniture, food containers, bottles for detergents and personal care products, carpets, garden furniture, etc.
• PVC (polyvinyl chloride): used to produce egg cartons, pipes and insulating films, and is even found between house walls, in doors, windows or tiles, and even in credit cards.
• PET (polyethylene terephthalate): mainly used for soft drinks and mineral water bottles, but also to produce synthetic fibres.
• PS (polystyrene or better known as styrofoam): used to produce food trays, plates, caps, etc.

Expanded polystyrene, which is widely used for food trays, can be disposed of together with plastic.
Recognise false friends of plastic. It is often possible to mistake what is not plastic for plastic. All containers that do not bear the PE, PET and PVC symbols, all containers with residues of organic materials such as food, or hazardous substances such as paint, glue, etc., toys, CD cases, music and video cassettes, should not be placed in the separate plastic collection containers.

ALUMINIUM – DON’T CALL IT WASTE

The average biodegradability time of an aluminium container ranges from 20 to 100 years. Italy is the first European producer of recycled aluminium: the use of aluminium from recycling significantly reduces the need to extract bauxite. An Italian citizen produces an average of 40 kg of vitreous waste per year. Thanks to separate collection, more than 53% of this is recycled. Aluminium recycling starts with proper sorting at home. The most widely used aluminium on the market is in the form of packaging, such as beverage cans, food cans, aerosol cans, little tubes or bowls. Just follow a simple guideline: empty, rinse and squash.
Beverage cans, for example, should be emptied of any residue, rinsed and crushed to reduce their volume before being thrown in the container. The principle is always the same: reduce the volume of waste. Beware of false aluminium friends. Old iron, spray cans and steel should not be mistaken for aluminium and should not be disposed of using the separate collection of this material.

YOUR NATURAL FERTILISER

The average degradation time of a fruit is 3 months. Organic waste represents almost 40% of the total material in separate waste collection, and is the easiest and most immediate source for sustainable use. Green and organic waste can be used to make a natural fertiliser for gardens and vegetable gardens, called compost. A simple and inexpensive way to dispose of the organic waste we produce at home is to build a mini composting plant, which is especially useful for those who have gardens: once again it is easy to turn waste into a resource!
In the same way, but on a larger scale, industrial-type plants that receive the organic fraction create compost for agricultural use.
The organic fraction of waste can also be used to produce sustainable energy through plants that exploit the biogas produced by its fermentation. Biogas is therefore a clean and renewable source of energy: one tonne of organic waste can produce up to 250 cubic metres of biogas during the whole decomposition process.
Ask your municipality if there are any biogas-powered electricity and heat production plants in your area.
In order to separate waste correctly, the first step is always the same: make sure that the waste is really organic. This includes food waste, tea or coffee grounds, eggshells, dirty paper towels, etc. Once identified, it can be disposed of as organic waste in the separate waste bins.