Recycling Tips

Barna’s Guide to Waste Disposal for Households

waste management

As our country takes another stride towards normality with the recent easing of COVID restrictions, we are all looking forward to enjoying the fresh summer evenings. And what better way to get a fresh start for this most awaited season than decluttering your house? And if like us you want to get your house organised now while you are waiting for the sun to appear, you might be confused or unsure as to where to dispose of certain items.

Well, we got you covered with the perfect guide.

We have come up with an easy guide for you to follow, which indicates what can and cannot go into your waste bin and how to dispose of other larger items that cannot fit in your household bins.

So, let us start with what can go in your waste bin:

  • Nappies
  • Tin Foil
  • Aero board
  • Contaminated and wet paper
  • Ashes can but they must be placed in a bag after they have cooled before placing them in the waste bin, it reduces the risk of fire and dirtying the bins.

Now let’s look at what cannot go into your waste bin:

  • Paint cans – They can only be brought to a local Civic Amenity Site.
  • Clothes cannot go in your waste bin but can be brought to a clothes bank or charity shop.
  • IT equipment and electrical goods are more commonly referred to as WEEE (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment), all electrical goods retailers must be registered as a producer of WEEE and take back your old electrical equipment free of charge when you buy new goods – you can read our blog to find out more about disposing of WEEE.
  • Batteries – Used batteries can be brought back to shops, a lot of supermarkets have drop off points to recycle batteries.
  • Glass – should be washed and brought to your nearest bottle banks.
  • Duvets cannot be disposed of in your waste bin, but they can be brought to your local Civic Amenity Site.

If you are still unsure about how to dispose of an item, be sure to check if the item can be disposed of in the recycling or food waste bin here. This will allow you to keep the weight down in your general waste bin and reduce your bin costs. Here at Barna Recycling we always recommend using our general waste bin (black Barna bin) as a last resort.

Disposing Larger Items:

For larger items that cannot be disposed of in your general waste bin, you should consider hiring a skip. At Barna Recycling we have skips of all sizes, so you can be sure we’ll have one to suit your needs and the space available to you – check out our useful skip sizing guide here.

The benefits of hiring a skip include:

  • You can keep the skip as long as you require it.
  • The convenience of not having to take large awkward items in your car to the Civic Amenity Site.
  • By hiring a skip you are doing your part to protect the environment, as we are responsible for the management of waste in an environmentally friendly manner.

However, there are certain items that cannot go in a skip, which are as follows:

  • Hazardous Waste: The big rule that is often forgotten is that hazardous waste should not go in a skip. It can leak and contaminate other recyclable materials.
  • Asbestos: If you come across asbestos during a renovation project or a home clear out, this must be dealt with by a team of specialists and not put into a general skip.
  • Appliances: Other items that we find causes great confusion is around electrical items, especially large household appliances. Refrigerators, freezers, microwaves & cookers should not go in a skip but instead, be brought to a Civic Amenity Site.
  • Oil or paint cans
  • Tyres
  • Solvents, fuels, and batteries
  • Chemicals, flammable materials
  • Household waste: Such as food scraps, soiled nappies, and sanitary items.
  • Liquid Concrete

If you would like more information on where to dispose of certain items or would like to order a skip give our team a call today on 091 771619.

Tips For Reducing Your Use Of Plastic

plastic waste management

Are you looking to reduce your use of single-use plastics in your home but not sure exactly how to start or just need a bit of inspiration as to alternatives you can use instead of going for the safe option of a e.g. plastic water bottle, then look no further, we’ll set out 8 steps you can take to start reducing plastic in your home today, and don’t worry they aren’t too drastic, just small changes that can make a big difference.

1. Carry reusable shopping bags

Do you often go to pick up some groceries and then have to pay for a plastic bag to get them home? Why not start carrying around reusable shopping bags? Pop some bags in the boot of your car or leave them beside your shopping list, somewhere you’ll remember to grab them on your way out on shopping days. And why not use them for more than just grocery shopping, use them for the likes of clothes shopping too!

2. Food packaging

Approximately 25% of domestic waste is from packaging. Supermarkets offer more biodegradable food packaging options instead of carrying some loose netting or reusable bags to pack fruit, veg, or baked goods.

3. Stop using plastic bottles of water

Why not invest in a reusable water bottle and bring this to work/ on walks/ to the gym and just generally when you are out and about, a lot of restaurants/ bars are happy to refill your reusable bottle for you when you’re on the go. Not to mention using a reusable bottle will save you a lot of money in the long run.

Plastic waste

4. Use a reusable travel mug for tea/ coffee

Similar to the step above, bringing a reusable travel mug with you when getting take away teas/ coffees will help reduce your use of single-use plastics. And often times, if you are using a reusable cup the shop will give you a small discount on the cost of your drink.

5. Don’t get the little plastic table when ordering pizza

This is something many people wouldn’t even think of, but when ordering a takeaway pizza, ask the restaurant not to include a little plastic table in your pizza!

6. Cut back on frozen convenience foods

There is a lot of packaging used for frozen convenience foods, we aren’t saying stop buying them altogether, they are handy to have in, for busy evenings when you don’t have time to cook, but why not try cutting back on the number of frozen convenience foods you currently purchase.

7. Choose toilet paper not wrapped in plastic

A lot of toilet roll suppliers are now using an alternative to plastic wrapping, they are using paper which is much more widely recycled. Why not opt for these brands of toilet roll over the plastic-wrapped options.

8. Choose shampoo, not in plastic bottles

Some shampoo producers are working on innovative ways to produce their shampoo without using plastic bottles. You could do some research to find suppliers who are moving away from the use of plastic bottles and find one you like.

These are just some simple ideas to get you started on reducing the use of single-use plastics in your home.

Top Christmas Recycling Tips

At Barna Recycling we know your recycling bin will be jam packed following a visit by the main man, Santa Claus on the 25th of December.

To help you recycle as much paper and cardboard packaging as possible over the festive season, we have compiled the following helpful hints with a little help from www.recyclemore.ie!

Read more