Kitchen Garden Forum

"There's a post on Facebook saying b an q are happy to have plastic pots and trays brought in for recycling"

I wonder if they are recycled or go into land fill?

Hi Westi, I used scaffolding boards to surround beds, then learnt that you can walk on composted beds to weed/plant, so am trying out new area without wood. For paths I am looking at laying cardboard then adding sawdust or shaving on top, once I decide which is best.

This has turned out to be a very interesting thread, thank you all for your input.

Colin
If B&Q say return pots for recycling, they have to go to recycling, otherwise this is misrepresentation. I haven't used a B&Q for several years, so have not seen the comment (I'll look on-line).

If I search "B&Q plastic plant pot recycling" the only B&Q result is a sales page (on www.diy.com which is B&Qs normal sales site).

Our local garden centre has a huge bin where you can take your pots. And help yourself to any of the containers that have been put in as well. I've gained at least 4 nice big planters whilst donating my little pots too.

There is a lot of confusion over recycling, I wonder how b & q can recycle them but local council cant?

I am only guessing here but it seems that it is a matter of separation for the councils and of economic collection by someone who can make use of them. Automated sorting centres cannot "see" the black pots and all of them will be dirty so they would not be popular with the end users of the white and clear plastics that these depots deal with. A lorry would have to go round all the centres which would be very expensive for such a product.


Garden centres have an empty lorry going to a central depot. Thus the collection is "free", carbon neutral and gives the garden centres lots of brownie points.

The pots are already sorted because that is all they are collecting; there is a huge pile at the depot waiting for one lorry to collect them and take them away for recycling.

The garden centres may already have links to companies who make products from these pots and the final journey from central depot to factory may also be using an empty lorry.

And - here is the final clincher - you might go into the garden centre and buy something whilst you are there dropping off old pots!!!

Regards Sally Wright.

Interesting Stephen! I was going to put them on my Xmas list. I've been undecided up to now as got good results without them, but I suppose it's more about profit than durability now days. Is there any brand that is better?

Sally
I'm sure you are right about recycling. I understand why councils have adopted "mixed recycling" although I find it rather depressing. Too many people can not be bothered, too many don't understand the differences, so machines and dedicated sorters do a better job (must be an awful job).

Westi
Regarding "Root Trainers", I don't think there are alternatives due to design registration. I found them fiddly and the tray has to be filled to keep each set of 3 in place. They are certainly as thin as thin can be. I bought them because I read they gave wonderful results but I have yet to notice significant differences.

Sally Thanks for the explanation which makes sense.

As being 18 miles from nearest B & Q plus it being in city is a big deterrent from visiting them, hence why I rely upon the council doing their bit, I pay enough for the service.

Fortunately in my community when there is stuff a house holder does not need it is put outside of property and somebody that has a use for it takes it free of any charge. You will be amazed at what is recycled around here.

Here’s another odd one I come across although there is probably a good explanation I don’t see …

The council only want clean stuff so bottles/tubes/tins have to be washed/rinsed/dried.

Bottle is rinsed under running water tap usually, hot water...waste of valuable water and money for heating it. Yes it can go into the washing up bowl, but hey bet it goes under the tap mostly.

Another one…People driving to the to the bottle bank, ok if that is part of a combined journey, but suspect not in a lot of cases.

Recycling off the front garden, in its way is great but doesn't look attractive.
It happened to me. When I bought my present house, it had been fitted with the cheapest, most basic oven but a brand new one.
I lived with it for 15 years. Never happy, so didn't use it a lot. When I replaced it, I put it out at the front, meaning it to be temporary; I'd take it to the tip next time I needed to take other stuff.
It disappeared one night. I just wish I had put the wire trays in it, because then it would have been more useful to whoever took it.

The tyre boards came, I don't know why but I wasn't expecting them to be so flexible - tyres are hard. Flexible is good - I don't need a totally level bed! We shall see how much the slugs & snails like to hide under them, but at least they won't perish! Only issue is every one is identical - colour is right, grooves & knots in the pretend wood look good but firm needs a bit more imagination.

Interesting feature of a garden centre in Kent on gardeners World, on how they are using alternatives to plastic. Their mission is not allowing any plastic to leave their site.

Wonder if other stores will catch on?

Westi, were did you get them from

Hi Robo,

On Amazon - Garden Gear is the company. I bought rectangular ones but they do round & square ones as well.

I was interested in Sally's comments that she recently got rid of all her square pots. I sow my tomatoes, chillies & peppers individually in 3" round pots which I start off on plastic trays on a wide bay window so they catch any surplus drainage water.

However I find that square pots of the same dimensions fit more snugly and compactly on these trays so am now using these when I can.

Did we have this discussion before "Are round pots better for growing plants in than square ones?" Or does it scientifically really make no difference?

(Sorry! Diverging slightly from the rubber tray theme)