[Lee Burbidge]

Plastics - microplastics particularly are finding there way into our food chain. It is a problem not just for the environment and coastlines that we see daily on TV strewn with plastic bottles and bags, but will be a problem for our children's, children too.

It is very hard to escape plastic, it is everywhere from the work van you drive to that new water fed pole brush you have just purchased, to the resin you use in polishing off pure water.

How easy do you think it is to reduce the plastic use in your company? Or re-purpose plastics?

I am interested genuinely in views, thoughts...  I would like to know how others view their waste management of mixed bed resin?

[Susan Dean (1stclean)]

it goes in the bin as ive a life and have more to worrie about then this , if you had spent a lot of time in the usa like me the last 6 months you will understand that northing we do we help one bit when you see what they do in just one city like new york , 26 tonnes of rubbish get thrown out a minute over there so if you want to change any thing get your self over there

[Lee Burbidge]

it goes in the bin as ive a life and have more to worrie about then this , if you had spent a lot of time in the usa like me the last 6 months you will understand that northing we do we help one bit when you see what they do in just one city like new york , 26 tonnes of rubbish get thrown out a minute over there so if you want to change any thing get your self over there

Personally, my usage and company usage of plastics is something I am considering and looking at improving. What can I do as an individual?

I think opening a debate like this is healthy also within our own industry.

By doing so, I hope to learn and share what others views are and take them on board and to learn what others are considering or are doing.

I understand your argument. But personally, I want to look further than 'just throw it in the bin' to see if there is anything else I could be doing, if doing anything at all ( like you)

[Elfyn]

I pop mine into the plactic recycling.

[Lee Burbidge]

I pop mine into the plactic recycling.

Hey, that's a good idea. In another group, one person suggests the following: 
"Think it would be great if a company could send out free post bags to send our depleted resin.
They could re-generate it and re-sell it, I’d happily leave mine to dry out and post it"

Now, I'm not sure how costly that might be or even possible... but demonstrates exactly what I said earlier. People have ideas.

Vert interesting.... can resin be re-generated?

[Soupy]

Vert interesting.... can resin be re-generated?

I was told by someone who should know that mixed bed resin cannot be regenerated.

[Lee Burbidge]

Vert interesting.... can resin be re-generated?

I was told by someone who should know that mixed bed resin cannot be regenerated.

Oh, that's disappointing.

[Lee Burbidge]

Does everyone bin it?

[tlwcs]

Yes I bin mine.
Although I might start taking small amounts to deposit into customers ponds with Koi carp. They can have the same diet as our sea fish. 😁
Sadly it will get worse before it gets sorted.

[Simon Trapani]

My goes in a thick plastic bag and then in the general waste unfortunately.

I didn't even know they were plastic.

I doubt our recycle guys round here would take them. Or I'd be left with a load of slippy beads all over my driveway & road.

[Lee Burbidge]

My goes in a thick plastic bag and then in the general waste unfortunately.

I didn't even know they were plastic.

I doubt our recycle guys round here would take them. Or I'd be left with a load of slippy beads all over my driveway & road.

I have done that before.... spilled some resin on the unit floor. Before I knew it my little legs were going ten to a dozen, only just managed to maintain balance. Flapping my arms helped lol

Yes, the resin is made of polystyrene sulfonate. The beads are porous.

I watched a program on how plastics fragment and over time reduce to the size of beads that fish think are food. ( Also seen the program of the dead whale with a stomach full of carrier bags) and the size of the plastic the fish were eating got me thinking about the resin I use.

More I think about it, short term, I like the idea given earlier of recycling the resin in a plastic recycle bin.

[AuRavelling79]

I didn't know that resin was plastic either. (duh)

In Bristol we have a domestic plastic recycling collection but I believe that is for bottles and containers only. Frankly I wouldn't want to ask the council for fear of opening a domestic/trade waste debate!

I have always slung mine in the "black" (general waste) bin and as it is only about one kilogram a fortnight I don't give it much thought.

However if I was running several vans and had trade collection then I would enquire as to where it would go and do as directed.

[Lee Burbidge]

I didn't know that resin was plastic either. (duh)

In Bristol we have a domestic plastic recycling collection but I believe that is for bottles and containers only. Frankly I wouldn't want to ask the council for fear of opening a domestic/trade waste debate!

I have always slung mine in the "black" (general waste) bin and as it is only about one kilogram a fortnight I don't give it much thought.

However, if I was running several vans and had trade collection then I would inquire as to where it would go and do as directed.

Yes, the latter part of what you said there is something I am looking into. I doubt there is much one can do if the infrastructure for processing spent resin is not there..... on other plastic use within a company in another group one person said that they loved the ergonomics handles of some squeegee brands but one personnel change could be to switch from plastic-based handles to brass or steel. I thought that was an interesting view... the type of pondering I was hoping to promote when starting this topic.

So then that brings me to water fed poles. Would buying carbon made rather than plastic made brushes be a way of reducing plastics? Bristles are all plastic-based except for boars hair and the tubing is plastic... what could replace these I wonder?

[Shrek]

I actually didn’t know resin was plastic too!! I usually put it in a bin bag and put it in general waste , however I may put it in the plastic recycling bin - although it’s a mixture of plastic containers & metal cans . Not sure whether it’d contaminate the metal , unless I bag it first

[Matt.]

So if ur into commercial work and have accreditations u will more than likely have an environmental policy.
From an environmental point of view DI only is better than using a RO as there's no waste water with DI only
Now given the recent news on tiny plastic particles in our sea life, maybe there is an argument that the RO is actually more enviromentally friendly even tho it uses a lot more water.

Am sure it's only time before resin can be reinjuvinated by adding a chemical of some sort

[dazmond]

i only empty my resin vessels around  3 times a year.they go in my normal black bin tied in a strong plastic bag......I recycle lots of my normal household waste(cardboard,plastic bottles and cans)but not resin.....

TBH i didnt know resin beads were made of plastic either....if there was an easy way to recycle it i would but i doubt there ever will be so it goes in my normal black bin...

[davids3511]

Vert interesting.... can resin be re-generated?

I was told by someone who should know that mixed bed resin cannot be regenerated.

Thats not correct Soupy. A sodium hydroxide mix seperates the resin while also regenerating the anion. Put the sunk cation in a hydrochloric acid mix to regenerate. Rinse both well, mix together again and your done. Its bloody messy but can be done.

[dazmond]

Vert interesting.... can resin be re-generated?

I was told by someone who should know that mixed bed resin cannot be regenerated.

Thats not correct Soupy. A sodium hydroxide mix seperates the resin while also regenerating the anion. Put the sunk cation in a hydrochloric acid mix to regenerate. Rinse both well, mix together again and your done. Its bloody messy but can be done.

sod messing about with hydrochloric acid......id rather just buy a fresh bag of resin....sod the planet!

[Lee Burbidge]

So if ur into commercial work and have accreditations u will more than likely have an environmental policy.
From an environmental point of view DI only is better than using a RO as there's no waste water with DI only
Now given the recent news on tiny plastic particles in our sea life, maybe there is an argument that the RO is actually more enviromentally friendly even tho it uses a lot more water.

Am sure it's only time before resin can be rejuvenated by adding a chemical of some sort

Hey Matt, yeah that's an encouraging view on the resin. I think that the 'plastic' issue will be more prominent as the years go by and at sometime, one of the manufacturers might see the commercial benefits or kudos to solving this problem. On talking to industry tho, at the time of writing there appears to be nothing that could replace the resin.

I am hoping for innovative, environmentally thinking from the industry.

[Slacky]

it goes in the bin as ive a life and have more to worrie about then this , if you had spent a lot of time in the usa like me the last 6 months you will understand that northing we do we help one bit when you see what they do in just one city like new york , 26 tonnes of rubbish get thrown out a minute over there so if you want to change any thing get your self over there

You can only change your own behaviour, stop ignoring your contribution to the issue by pointing the finger at someone else.