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NO physical contact with our drivers during visits
ALL communications and paperwork sent via telephone or email
NO paperwork to be signed
ALL staff are strictly following our Coronavirus Safety Policy

t: 0800 169 8588

WE ARE OPEN

FOR BUSINESS

Coronavirus Safety Aware
NO physical contact with our drivers during visits
ALL communications and paperwork sent via telephone or email
NO paperwork to be signed
ALL staff are strictly following our Coronavirus Safety Policy

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Single use plastic products in Graveley

Here at Graveley Skip Hire we always recycle as much of your waste as possible, however, there is always more that can be done to improve the environment that we all need to survive. For this reason we have listed the six R's below to help our Graveley customers think about their habits when it comes to buying and ultimately, disposing of certain materials around the home or garden.

The 6 Rs - Sustainability and Recycling

The term the 6 Rs can be applied to the design of new products or when a product is finished with, used up or no longer wanted. Here are some questions to prompt 6-Rs thinking:

Reduce - Can the amount of material used be reduced? Can the material be bought locally to reduce product miles?
Reuse - Can the material be reused for another purpose once a product is finished with?
Recycle - Can the material be disposed of correctly so that it can be recycled?
Rethink - Can the way a product is made be redesigned so that less material is used?
Refuse - Refusing to use the material could be a consideration; could a material that is sustainable be used instead?
Repair - When a product is broken, can it be repaired rather than discarded?

By considering the six R's, we can all make a positive difference to the mountains of damaging waste that find their way into land fills in Hertfordshire each and every year.

Reducing product miles to help the environment

So what are product miles?

Product miles are the total distance produce is transported from its place of growth or production to the place of consumption here in Graveley. The concept of product miles is widely used in food production where there is a push by consumers for locally produced products.

Why are product miles important?

We often wonder why we ship apples 10,000 miles from the US when we have perfectly good varieties grown here at home. A recent study highlighted that even at the height of the of the UK apple growing season the majority of Graveley supermarkets were selling apples imported from overseas.

We often see a similar case to food miles, could be made for manufactured products, in that why manufacture goods thousands of miles away if we can produce better quality products at comparable prices in the UK, and have a positive impact on CO2 emissions and global warming. We are losing manufacturing jobs all the time in Hertfordshire but, with a little creativity and ingenuity, we can still be competitive locally in the UK. It is not a case of being anti foreign production, it is more a case of just thinking it makes more sense to produce locally in Graveley where it is possible and practical. It is also better for our local economy.

Below are just a few examples of the product miles that form part of a typical shopping basket of fresh food bought in Graveley. No wonder they have a negative impact on the environment!

Apples from America - 10,000 miles
Potatoes from Israel - 2,187 miles
Tomatoes from Saudi Arabia - 3,086 miles

Single use plastic is a real problem

Single use plastics, or disposable plastics, are used only once before they are thrown away or recycled. These items are things like plastic bags, straws, coffee stirrers, fizzy drink and water bottles and most food packaging. Typical examples can be seen for sale all over Graveley.

We produce roughly 300 million tons of plastic each year and half of it is disposable! World wide only 10-13% of plastic items are recycled. The nature of petroleum based disposable plastic makes it difficult to recycle and they have to add new virgin materials and chemicals to it to do so. Additionally there are a limited number of items that recycled plastic can be used.

Petroleum based plastic is not biodegradable and usually goes into a landfill where it is buried or it gets into the water and finds its way into the ocean. Although plastic will not biodegrade, which means decompose into natural substance like soil, it will degrade by breaking down into tiny particles after many years. In the process of breaking down, it releases toxic chemicals from the additives that were used to shape and harden the plastic which make their way into our food and water supply.

These toxic chemicals are now being found in our bloodstream and the latest research has found them to disrupt the Endocrine system which can cause cancer, infertility, birth defects, impaired immunity and many other serious ailments.

We produce hundreds of millions of tons of plastic every year, most of which cannot be recycled. It is clear that we need to use less plastic, move towards environmentally sustainable products and services and come up with technology that recycles plastic more efficiently.

What are world leaders doing?

The good news is that Canada will ban single use plastics as early as 2021, surely a positive step forward for the environment!

The prime minister said the specific items to be banned will be determined based on a science based review, but the government is considering items such as water bottles, plastic bags and straws. The simple reason is that single use plastics present a serious climate change hazard.

The prime minister said his government is drawing inspiration from the European parliament, which voted overwhelmingly in March to impose a wide ranging ban on single use plastics to counter pollution from discarded items that end up in waterways and fields. Legislatures of the EU member states must vote on the measure before it takes effect.

He went on to state that it was difficult trying to explain dead whales washing up on beaches around the world, their stomachs jam packed with plastic bags.

Plastic waste: A problem for all of us! Even in Graveley!

How often do we go to the beach and have to search out a patch of sand that is not littered with straws, Styrofoam or bottles? Plastic netting used to be the main source of danger to our coastal wildlife, but the single use plastic products are so numerous in number now that they are getting everywhere.

As less than 10% of plastic used in Canada gets recycled. The government said that one million birds and over 100,000 sea mammals worldwide are injured or die each year when they mistake plastic for food or become entangled in it.

The EU measure would affect a range of plastic products for which reasonable alternatives exist, from straws to earbuds, starting in 2021.

Single use must be sustainable

Disposable utensils would not be completely off limits, but the EU measure calls for them to be made of sustainable materials when possible. The EU legislation also sets a goal of having 90% of plastic bottles recycled by 2025 and of halving the litter from the 10 items that turn up in oceans most often.

The EU estimated the changes will cost the economy between 259 to 695 million euros a year.

China made the decision to no longer import some of the EU's waste helped spur the plastics ban.

China banned the import of plastic waste last year, causing other south east Asian countries to become new destinations. The Philippines, complaining of being treated like a dumpsite by wealthier nations, shipped 69 containers of what its officials called illegally transported garbage back to Canada in May.

The responsibility for waste is everyones responsibility, so when you hire a skip from us at Graveley Skip Hire, please ask us for any hints or tips for your own recycling campaign and help to keep Graveley cleaner.

Hoarding costs you money

Many hoarding behaviours can be put down to past experiences the individual has gone through. This may be periods of abject poverty, that makes them feel the need to hoard items just in case they could be used to good effect at a later stage. It is now thought that hoarding can adversely affect your finances. This may sound like a strange statement to make, but a bad financial situation is something we all want to avoid.

Time to have a good clearout

We've all been there. Our house has become a little cluttered and we feel the need to have a good tidy up. Many refer to it as a spring clean, but any time of year is a good time to de-clutter our living space. Having a good tidy up not only clears your house, it will help to clear your mind too. Research has shown that living in a cluttered environment can even have adverse effects on a person's sleep.

Fly tipping: what's the problem in Graveley?

Illegal dumping is the proper name for fly tipping and it is typically distinguished from littering because of the type and amount of material left and the way in which it is disposed of. Fly tipping has always been a problem in Graveley and indeed all over Hertfordshire.

The waste consequences of Covid

In an age where we are constantly looking for ways to cut down on our waste, it seems strange that so much extra waste has been created by the covid pandemic. The vast majority of this is made from plastic, so surely it could be recycled, but when one considers what it has been used for, it renders it potentially hazardous waste.

New Bill designed to ban export of plastic waste

When we throw away our waste materials, few of us know or possibly even wonder where this waste will end up. Many often believe that if it goes into the recycling bin, it will be recycled and therefore they will be doing their bit for the good of the environment. Unfortunately, a good deal of plastic waste often ends up in developing countries.

The problems with waste disposal in Graveley

How many times have we looked at all the waste materials we have accumulated and despaired at the arduous prospect of sorting it into various types of waste to dispose of at the local tip? This once simple task has now become a major headache for many as the restrictions on what we can dispose of in landfill has increased so much in recent times.

Plastic pollution around the globe

Plastic pollution is now one of the biggest environmental concerns we have to face. You may feel that large amounts of plastic waste are unavoidable in the world we live in, but you and your family can help with the plastic pollution issue by being aware of its dangers and taking the necessary steps to reduce your plastic waste.

Carbon emissions and the environment

An awful lot has been said over the years about the damage we are doing to our environment with the carbon emissions and waste we produce. Some dispute the possibility that we are damaging our planet beyond repair, while others state quite clearly that we have very little time to change our ways and that time is running out.

How the five R's can dramatically improve our environment in Graveley?

We have all heard of recycling our waste materials and for many years, some councils have provided special recycling bins to help residents avoid putting too much waste into landfill. But recycling is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to helping keep our environment healthy in Graveley.

Recycle or incinerate! What is the best solution for our waste materials in Graveley?

We are constantly being encouraged to recycle our waste materials and not putting them into landfill. However, there appears to be an emerging trend for incineration of waste in many areas, but is this a good or bad step?

A guide to what can and cannot go into a hired skip

At Graveley Skip Hire we are frequently asked what waste materials can be placed into the hired skips we supply. So we thought it would be a good idea to offer a quick guide as to what is and is not acceptable.

Recycling your waste materials in Graveley

Recycling is something most of us do now to some degree. Some do it more than others, but we mostly appreciate that it is an important part of our daily lives. It is more important to recycle waste in order to conserve resources and maintain a healthy environment than ever before. The question is, are we really doing everything possible when it comes to recycling our waste materials? The achances are that many of us are probably not doing all we can. So here are a few tips to help you recycle properly.

The problem with plastic pollution in Hertfordshire

Waste reduction in Hertfordshire

The country is now committed to reducing the amount of waste and the government have set targets for waste reduction. A new plan for cutting waste was published back in 2007 that aimed for at least 40 per cent of household waste to be recycled or composted by 2010, this rose to 50 per cent by 2020.

Plastic waste from the United Kingdom may be sent overseas instead of recycled

Massive amounts of packaging waste is being sent overseas to be recycled and turned into new products. However, concerns have been raised that in reality a good deal of it is being dumped in landfill sites in countries that we have no agreement with.

Just how recyclable is the plastic we use in Graveley Skip Hire

We all know that plastic is recyclable, so as long as we put it in the correct bin it will be made into something else useful. Sadly this is a myth that all too many people believe, the painful truth is quite the opposite. We have all seen the triangular set of chasing arrows logo on plastic products and seem to automatically assume that it denotes that the product is recyclable.

What happens to all the plastic we throw out

Just where would we be without plastic? The production of plastic has exploded over the last fifty or so years, growing from 16.5 million tons in 1964 to 343 million tons in 2014; it is expected to double by 2036. The question is, where does all of this plastic go when people in Hertfordshire throw it away?

Fly tipping: A modern day curse

Fly tipping is simply another term used to describe illegal dumping of all manner of waste material, it is also called fly dumping. Whatever term is used, it is the dumping of waste illegally instead of using an authorised method such as kerbside collection or using an authorised rubbish dump. It is the illegal deposit of any waste onto land, including waste dumped or tipped on a site with no licence to accept waste.

Recycled plastic for roads and pavements

Plastic use in road and pavement construction is not exactly a new concept, but it does appear to be increasing. Using plastic waste to make plastic roads is definitely on the upward trend. Plastic roads mainly use plastic carrier bags, disposable cups and PET bottles that are collected from landfill sites prior to burial and are a vital part of this construction material.

Seaweed sachets offer an alternative to plastic

Indonesia has a wealth of naturally growing seaweed that can make an edible, water permeable film that can be used in sachets that hold tea, coffee, and hot cocoa as well as a whole host of other useful daily consumable products.

The increasing problem of plastics in our oceans

The amount of plastic in the oceans of the world is predicted to treble in the next ten years unless affirmative action is taken to deal with the problem, according to a new report just published.

Plastic pollution in the ocean starts from the rivers

A scary statistic is that more than eight million tons of waste plastic ends up in the ocean every single year. If we continue to pollute our oceans at this rate, there will be more plastic than fish in the ocean by 2050 and it can take many years to break down if at all, not to mention the toxins it leaches in the process.

Ways to reduce your plastic waste

Plastic is a great product in so many ways, but the environmental impact it can have is enormous, particularly when it comes to the single use plastic products we seem to uses on a daily basis in our throw away society. Can we as private individuals do to cut down our personal plastic usage?

Plastic microbeads are a load of rubbish

Would you like to fill your mouth with plastic, or cover other parts of your anatomy with it on a regular basis? The answer would most likely be a resounding no, but we are already doing just that.

Waste plastic from the UK is polluting the globe

Literally thousands of tons of plastic scrap collected for recycling from British households have been transported and dumped on sites across the world. This shocking revelation was revealed from a recent freedom of information request.

Hiring a skip from Graveley Skip Hire rather than using the local dump

Have you got a load of rubbish to dump? Is it better to hire a skip or use the local dump? Do you need a permit for having a skip? Can anyone apply for a permit? Here are a few answers which could help you when hiring a skip from Graveley Skip Hire

Hire a skip from Graveley Skip Hire for your garden waste

No matter what the season, a medium sized Hertfordshire garden can generate a massive amount of waste materials. The winter will leave a lot of dead leaves and twiggs from nearby trees to clear up, and when the warmer months hit, the waste is generated on a weekly basis as things grow rapidly.

Get a skip and avoid fly tipping in Hertfordshire

Not only does fly tipping blight the Hertfordshire countryside around us, it can have a devastating effect on the wildlife that we co-exist with. Then of course there is the eye watering cost of clearing up the mess that inconsiderate people have created. We all pay the price for this ecologically unsound practice through increased council tax bills from our councils. This could all be avoided if everyone disposed of their waste in the correct manner and hiring a skip is probably the best way to go about this, particularly if you have a large amount of waste to dispose of.

Some facts about waste and recycling from Graveley Skip Hire

The United Kingdom produces over 100 million tonnes of waste every single year. If you consider that one tonne is about the weight of a small car, it is easy to see how it mounts up. In less than two hours, the waste we produce would fill the Albert Hall.

Hire a skip instead of going to your local Hertfordshire tip

Using a local Hertfordshire tip is not the same as it was a few years ago. These days everything has to go in the correct hopper, it cannot all go in the same one any longer. This means you have to know what goes where in order to segregate all the rubbish at home.

Hire a skip from Graveley Skip Hire for your soil and mud

A Hertfordshire client recently hired one of our skips as they just could not believe how much earth they had to get rid of when they dug out a pond in their back garden. Our client had intended to build up their flower beds and other low spots of their garden with the excavated earth. They never thought they would need to get rid of any earth at all.

Useful information about skip hire in Hertfordshire

The one question we get asked the most at Graveley Skip Hire is what size skip the customer will need. We always suggest that you think about what you need to dispose of and remember that two skips can be far more expensive than one larger skip. Skips are measured by the yard and range from 3 yard mini skips to roll-on roll-off containers more suitable for higher volume waste requirements.

Hire a skip from Graveley Skip Hire to save you time effort and money

Hiring a skip from Graveley Skip Hire is without a doubt the best way to get rid of all your waste materials! It is convenient, quick, easy and saves you a huge amount of work. Generally speaking, we only get a couple of days a week away from work, and when you end up ferrying your household waste back and forth from the local tip, your weekend soon gets swallowed up.

The benefits of skip hire from Graveley Skip Hire in Hertfordshire

Having a good clear out of the garden shed or garage produces way more rubbish than you ever imagined possible. Decorating preparation can also produce a good deal of waste, such as old skirting boards and stripped wood chip paper that his been up since the war, so a skip is a great way to dispose of the waste.

Further Information

If you would like to know more or are interested in a quote we would be happy to help. Phone us on 0800 169 8588, email us at info@stevenageskiphire.co.uk or fill in our enquiry form and we will be in touch as soon as possible.

Stevenage Skip Hire Ltd - Envirowaste Recycling Centre - Jacks Hill - Graveley - Herts SG4 7EQ

Stevenage Skip Hire Ltd
Envirowaste Recycling Centre
Jacks Hill
Graveley
Herts SG4 7EQ

Articles :: Areas covered list :: Website map

Articles
Hoarding costs you money
Time to have a good clearout
Fly tipping: what's the problem in Graveley?
The waste consequences of Covid
New Bill designed to ban export of plastic waste
The problems with waste disposal in Graveley
Plastic pollution around the globe
Carbon emissions and the environment
How the five R's can dramatically improve our environment in Graveley?
Recycle or incinerate! What is the best solution for our waste materials in Graveley?
Single use plastic products in Graveley
A guide to what can and cannot go into a hired skip
Recycling your waste materials in Graveley
The problem with plastic pollution in Hertfordshire
Waste reduction in Hertfordshire
Plastic waste from the United Kingdom may be sent overseas instead of recycled
Just how recyclable is the plastic we use in Graveley Skip Hire
What happens to all the plastic we throw out
Fly tipping: A modern day curse
Recycled plastic for roads and pavements
Seaweed sachets offer an alternative to plastic
The increasing problem of plastics in our oceans
Plastic pollution in the ocean starts from the rivers
Ways to reduce your plastic waste
Plastic microbeads are a load of rubbish
Waste plastic from the UK is polluting the globe
Hiring a skip from Graveley Skip Hire rather than using the local dump
Hire a skip from Graveley Skip Hire for your garden waste
Get a skip and avoid fly tipping in Hertfordshire
Some facts about waste and recycling from Graveley Skip Hire
Hire a skip instead of going to your local Hertfordshire tip
Hire a skip from Graveley Skip Hire for your soil and mud
Useful information about skip hire in Hertfordshire
Hire a skip from Graveley Skip Hire to save you time effort and money
The benefits of skip hire from Graveley Skip Hire in Hertfordshire
Areas covered list
Website map

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