Robert Mantle
Recycling Worker, Brighton

Originally published in the Observer Magazine interview by William Shaw

I am a member of the Magpie Recycling co-op. For ten years we have been providing a kerbside recycling service collecting in low-emission vehicles. The first time I was standing on the back of a vehicle and heard people shouting 'Go Magpie!' it was great. People were cheering us saying 'its a good job you are doing it because the council never will'.

The high price of oil will push us all to think of local solutions. It has its advantages.

Recycling is the wrong word really. Recycling is just what's convenient for the existing structure. What we should be all about is reduction.

The greatest piece of packaging ever made is the milk bottle delivered by the electric float.

Take a tip from terrorists. Work in cells. Small groups work. Anything bigger than thirty gets a bit messy.

Waste should be 'pay as you throw' which means the amount of waste you make is the amount you get charged for. Once you get charged for the waste you produce you've got a driver for reduction.

Glass is great! You can wash it, sterilise itand if it breaks it goes back into being a bottle.

Tetrapacks aren't the worst. They're recyclable too. Alteranatively dry it, squeeze it and you'll never need to buy barbeque lighters again.

I dont like the phrase 'environmentally friendly'. The environment is the thing with the power, not us. We need it to be friendly to us. We're the ones who should be careful. TThe phrase should be 'environmentaly efficicient'.  

Lets face it, we're all recycled in the end.

http://lifeandhealth.guardian.co.uk/ethicalliving/story/0,,1801277,00.html

Back to Waste Management