we`re recyclable!

dispose of us
properly...
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A useful guide to p
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to keep
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to all families...
why it is important to separate waste
This booklet by Agno Chiampo Ambiente aims to give residents of all
the municipalities it serves a valid support tool to help you correctly
separate household waste.
Separated waste collection is vital for society because:
Please read it carefully and keep it at home, as it contains useful
information that you can refer to if in doubt.
In recent years there has been an increasing awareness of this theme
among citizens and we hope that a growing number of people understand
that improving the quality of separated waste collection benefits
the environment and the whole community.
1
It reintroduces important
resources, so that we can save
our limited quantities of raw
• materials
• energy
• money.
For more detailed information on the features of the collection service,
consult the calendar that users receive each year.
Alberto Carletti
President
2
2
It reduces the amount of
material destined for
rubbish dumps or
incinerators, so that
• existing dumps do not fill
up as quickly
• new dumps are not opened
locally.
3
the waste cycle
we’ve achieved some great results…
If we all followed the rules of separated waste collection correctly, most
of our waste could be recovered and recycled, transformed into new
raw material and, as a result, into new objects.
Throwing material that could be recycled away with non-recyclable waste, because we are careless, lazy or just don’t know how to dispose of it correctly, means interrupting this virtuous cycle.
Thanks to the cooperation of residents, municipalities in the area served
by Agno Chiampo Ambiente have achieved high levels of separated
waste collection: around 65% of total waste.
However there is still room for improvement, because we find a large
amount of recyclable material like paper and plastic in non-recyclable
waste.
Every one of us is directly responsible for successful separate waste
collection and large changes are the result of lots of small everyday
actions.
What material becomes:
Plastic
4
outdoor furniture, fleeces,
and various objects (pens
and watches, etc.)
Aluminium
household appliances,
bicycles, glasses and
packaging
Paper and
cardboard
paper, cardboard,
newspapers, magazines,
books and notebooks
Organic
waste
plant fertiliser
Glass
glass bottles and
containers
... but we can
do better!
5
packaging: what we are talking about
We often hear “packaging” talked about,
but do we really understand what the term
means? How can we recognise it? Can we
tell easily what is recyclable and what isn’t?
symbols and labels
Things written on a product often help us when we are in doubt. Sometimes, however, they cause confusion because we don’t know the right
meaning or, through no fault of our own, because we interpret them
wrongly. Let’s learn to read them correctly!
Here are some of the symbols we find on packaging:
PACKAGING:
what is needed to
transport, protect and
preserve a product
during transport from the
place where it is produced
to the place of sale, where
it is disposed of.
This symbol indicates that the producer is part of
legally recognised consortiums that collect and
recycle packaging. It doesn’t mean that the packaging can be recycled.
This symbol may mean one of two things: that the
packaging is recyclable or that part of the material
used to make it is recycled.
The numbers 1-6 on this symbol show the type of
plastic used: they are all recyclable plastics. All
other numbers are non-recyclable plastics.
ECOLABEL, an official European symbol of environmental quality, shows that the product has been
produced with low environmental impact in every
phase of its life cycle (production, packaging, distribution, use and disposal).
6
7
hazardous waste
These letters show the material used in the packaging:
ACC
This is a steel container and should be disposed of with cans.
AL
This is an aluminium container and should be disposed of with cans.
CA
These letters show all paper-based containers (min.
25%) that should be disposed of through the door-todoor collection service and/or at the Ecocentre.
Note: cardboard drinks containers (e.g. cartons for fruit
juices, cream etc.) also carry these letters and should be
disposed of with paper.
F+ F
Keep away from heat, sparks and naked flames.
Plastic made of polyethylene.
To be disposed of with plastic containers.
O
Avoid contact with flammable substances. Serious risk of
combustion, explosion or non-extinguishable fire.
PET
Plastic made of polyethylene terephthalate.
To be disposed of with plastic containers.
T+ T
Avoid all contact with the body, use protection
and follow instructions carefully.
PP
Plastic made of polypropylene.
To be disposed of with plastic containers.
Xn
Avoid contact and inhalation.
PS
Polystyrene containers.
To be disposed of with plastic containers.
C
Avoid contact with skin, eyes and clothing.
Use appropriate protection.
PVC
Plastic made of polyvinyl chloride.
To be disposed of with plastic containers.
Xi
Avoid contact with skin and eyes. Do not inhale.
Use appropriate protection.
N
Do not dispose of in the environment, place waste in the
appropriate bin.
PE
VE
Glass containers: to be disposed of with glass.
Some companies have also started to give
precise information on how to dispose of
packaging, in order to help consumers
separate their waste.
8
Packaging also includes containers for chemical substances, dangerous
for our health and harmful for the environment (such as spray cans,
plastic tubs, etc.)
They can be disposed of with recyclable waste only if:
- the product is completely finished
- the packaging has been carefully cleaned or emptied.
If you have to dispose of a container that is still full, take it to the
Ecocentre, because it is dangerous!
Be careful with syringes!
Syringes should be placed in dry waste.
Make sure you place the plastic cap on the needle. Even better,
bend the needle before putting the cap on. This will ensure that the
needle does not hurt waste disposal operators and users.
9
recyclable waste:
plastic and cans
news
10
11
recyclable waste:
paper, cardboard and drinks containers
non-recyclable waste:
false friends
Some materials can be deceptive: they appear recyclable but they are
not and therefore they should be disposed of with dry waste.
Be very careful with these so that they do not spoil the quality of waste
collection.
coat hangers
kitchen gloves
brushes
toothpaste tubes
DVD/CD
disposable razors
sellotape
video cassettes
toothbrushes
12
13
11
let’s solve the problem from
the outset: buy less packaging
plastic-coated
paper covers
plastic cards
paper/foil-lined packaging
The last twenty years has seen an invasion of disposable products,
which has led to more waste packaging. Containers often don’t have an
essential function but are merely a marketing tool to make the product
more attractive.
Let’s take the time to look carefully at what we buy and how much
waste we’re taking home!
coffee capsules
pens and
felt tips
plastic bowls
Loose products
bought at the counter
Less
packaging
,
same
product!
Recycled products
and packaging
greaseproof paper
disposable cutlery
glue sticks
x-rays
14
bulbs
Products with
less packaging
Packaging we can re-use,
including to carry
our shopping
15
Info:
www.achabgroup.it
AGNO CHIAMPO AMBIENTE
www.agnochiampoambiente.it
[email protected]
Tel. 0444 492412
Contact us about collection services:
840 000 540