Where do you dump?

[ixnax]

Originally Posted by valhalla360

I've never seen anyone climb in and clean a dumpster.

Even public trash cans it's not common. They use bags so they don't have to wash the cans. Certainly no worse than cleaning a public rest room.

While I'm sure they occasionally wash the exterior of the trucks, I have doubts that they have people climb into the compactor to wash it out regularly.

They might not be cleaning it. They might be in there to look for food or other treasures. It's called "dumpster diving" and it is a very real thing amongst the very poor.

[valhalla360]

Originally Posted by ixnax

They might not be cleaning it. They might be in there to look for food or other treasures. It's called "dumpster diving" and it is a very real thing amongst the very poor.

What if I find the remains of some half rotted food in the back of the fridge that could lead to food poisoning for dumpster divers...do we prohibit putting that in trash cans also?

Of course, there was no mention of dumpster diving in the notice nor cleaning of dumpsters. This is just pure speculation.

Now if the notice is in regard to recycling containers (vs trash cans), no, you shouldn't put it in there...of course, fully composted material probably wouldn't be allowed either or even food waste...so it's a bit of a red herring related to the thread.

[thinwater]

Originally Posted by JoeRobertJr

I found that claim in the statement to be interesting, and cannot help but wonder if the part about "mostly recycled" is actually true.

No local authority operates combined waste stream sorting facilities around the Chesapeake, but that information was from the UK. There are some combined sort facilities in the US, but they are rare.

[thinwater]

Originally Posted by Mike OReilly

...I infer from the notice that these containers are what I'd call recycle bins....

Given the apparent rise in use of these heads, a more sensible approach would be to provide dedicated collection services, just like they already do for liquid effluent.

They referred to them as household waste bins, and mentioned that nappies were still permitted in those bins. The recycle bin problem seemed to be separate.


It does seem that if composting heads are becoming common on the canals that a dedicated bin would make sense. But I'm also guessing from reading the site materials that the trust is primarily volunteer and that funding tight, paid for by boat licenses (which also has to maintain the canal system).


My read is that like the Chesapeake Bay, which has many, many pump-out facilities, a holding tank is probably more practical.

[RaymondR]

Originally Posted by thinwater

They referred to them as household waste bins, and mentioned that nappies were still permitted in those bins. The recycle bin problem seemed to be separate.


It does seem that if composting heads are becoming common on the canals that a dedicated bin would make sense. But I'm also guessing from reading the site materials that the trust is primarily volunteer and that funding tight, paid for by boat licenses (which also has to maintain the canal system).


My read is that like the Chesapeake Bay, which has many, many pump-out facilities, a holding tank is probably more practical.

Composting toilets appear to be a coming fact of life and are being installed in vessels by folks who wish to be environmentally conscious. If the Canal Authority doesn't want the product from them dumped into their general waste bins they should provide purpose designated bins for the waste.

A couple of things I've noticed during my travels.

When I lived in Holland I noticed farmers mowing the road verges and on enquiry found that they leased the right to do so from the local authorities. The local authorities actually made a buck out of the leases whilst avoiding the mowing cost and the farmers got the hay produced without the capital cost of the land it was growing on.

Another was the collection of waste cooking oil by restaurants where formerly they had to pay to have it collected and disposed they now sell it to folks making bio-diesel from it.

Perhaps the Canal Authority should institute a collection system and ban non biodegradable additions to the composting toilets and allow garden mulch users or manufacturers ir even canal side gardeners to use the product.

[thinwater]

Originally Posted by RaymondR

... Another was the collection of waste cooking oil by restaurants where formerly they had to pay to have it collected and disposed they now sell it to folks making bio-diesel from it....

In fact, as a chemical engineer have consulted on the topic and designed equipment.


The better outlet in most areas for non-edible grease is large animal feed, such as hogs. It is very difficult to make reliable quality bio-diesel (FAME) from mixed grease, because it will contain beef tallow, which make the diesel gel at low temperatures. Nearly all bio-diesel is made from virgin veg oil, because the fuel quality is better. Hogs, on the other hand, like beef tallow just fine. Yes, it has value in that market, more than in the fuel market.

[HeinSdL]

Originally Posted by thinwater

The better outlet in most areas for non-edible grease is large animal feed, such as hogs.

That's sad. Non-edible grease gets fed to pigs (how do these poor animals consume it, they just slurp it up)? And then we get to eat it all over again when said pig goes to its maker.

Gosh being vegetarian makes so much sense!

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by HeinSdL

. . .Gosh being vegetarian makes so much sense!

And on so many levels!!!

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by thinwater

They referred to them as household waste bins, and mentioned that nappies were still permitted in those bins. The recycle bin problem seemed to be separate.

I'm confused then. They're discussing the problem of sorting, and contamination of the whole bin, necessitating the need to send it to the landfill. I don't understand how they can accept all household waste, and not have this problem occur constantly, regardless of the semi-composted material. Or am I misreading it?

It does seem that if composting heads are becoming common on the canals that a dedicated bin would make sense. But I'm also guessing from reading the site materials that the trust is primarily volunteer and that funding tight, paid for by boat licenses (which also has to maintain the canal system).

Well, somehow they installed a wet sewage system. I'd think collecting semi-composted material would be a lot easier and cheaper than a wet system. But I get it... it can't just spring into reality.

Originally Posted by thinwater

My read is that like the Chesapeake Bay, which has many, many pump-out facilities, a holding tank is probably more practical.

Probably... for now. But change happens, and it just makes sense to set up a proper collection for this material, just like was done for the wet sewage.

[RaymondR]

Originally Posted by thinwater

In fact, as a chemical engineer have consulted on the topic and designed equipment.


The better outlet in most areas for non-edible grease is large animal feed, such as hogs. It is very difficult to make reliable quality bio-diesel (FAME) from mixed grease, because it will contain beef tallow, which make the diesel gel at low temperatures. Nearly all bio-diesel is made from virgin veg oil, because the fuel quality is better. Hogs, on the other hand, like beef tallow just fine. Yes, it has value in that market, more than in the fuel market.

Ahh,

I thought the saponification with caustic solution and addition of methanol was supposed to settle out the low temp gelling portion and allow the non gelling, lighter, more volatile portion to be skimmed off??

[Auspicious]

Originally Posted by smj

People don’t empty dumpsters, they are dumped, and the people emptying the trash cans are dumping them into the dumpster.

Read @hpeer's thoughtful piece above. There is a lot more contact than people think, and a LOT more mess.

Originally Posted by valhalla360

I've never seen anyone climb in and clean a dumpster.

They certainly don't climb in with toothbrush and Woolite. Everything gets powerwashed periodically and there is a lot of splatter.

Inappropriate "compost" (see above and the linked discussion) disposal is enough of a problem that municipalities are making an issue of "composting" toilets.

In my opinion they're one more "feel good" thing that doesn't work out nearly as well in practice as the advocates maintain. Never underestimate the reality of people being poorly behaved.

[valhalla360]

Originally Posted by HeinSdL

That's sad. Non-edible grease gets fed to pigs (how do these poor animals consume it, they just slurp it up)? And then we get to eat it all over again when said pig goes to its maker.

Gosh being vegetarian makes so much sense!

"Non-edible" is a bit of a misnomer. A technical term that doesn't mean what it sounds like it means.

Obviously, if pigs eat it regularly and with gusto, it's edible (they are omnivores similar to humans). It just doesn't meet transport and storage standards for human food grade oil.

If you go in the back of greasy spoon restaurant and eat a teaspoon of used cooking oil out of the fryer, you may not like the flavor but it's not going to make you sick.

[valhalla360]

Originally Posted by Auspicious

They certainly don't climb in with toothbrush and Woolite. Everything gets powerwashed periodically and there is a lot of splatter.

Inappropriate "compost" (see above and the linked discussion) disposal is enough of a problem that municipalities are making an issue of "composting" toilets.

In my opinion they're one more "feel good" thing that doesn't work out nearly as well in practice as the advocates maintain. Never underestimate the reality of people being poorly behaved.

Never seen anyone power washing a dumpster. Not saying that it's never happened but it's also not a common issue and there is plenty of other residue that is equally nasty, so if you are involved in one of these once in a blue moon dumpster cleaning parties, it's already pretty nasty and proper procedures to limit contact are already being taken.

As usual, political entities often do things not because it is supported by the science but because it's politically expedient...ie: someone found out a bag of compost was put in, so they called and complained. Much simpler to post
a new rule made up on the spot so they could report back to their constituent that they did something about it.

[smj]

Originally Posted by Auspicious

Read @hpeer's thoughtful piece above. There is a lot more contact than people think, and a LOT more mess.







They certainly don't climb in with toothbrush and Woolite. Everything gets powerwashed periodically and there is a lot of splatter.



Inappropriate "compost" (see above and the linked discussion) disposal is enough of a problem that municipalities are making an issue of "composting" toilets.



In my opinion they're one more "feel good" thing that doesn't work out nearly as well in practice as the advocates maintain. Never underestimate the reality of people being poorly behaved.

Read hpeer’s post and from my experience dealing with dumpsters and offloading countless loads of construction debris at the dump, humans don’t interact with the waste.
Don’t get me wrong, if there were a designated compost dumping station I would use it.

[thinwater]

Originally Posted by HeinSdL

That's sad. Non-edible grease gets fed to pigs (how do these poor animals consume it, they just slurp it up)? And then we get to eat it all over again when said pig goes to its maker.

Gosh being vegetarian makes so much sense!

There are purification steps involved (hence my design work)... but ... yeah.


The fat is mixed in with corn and everything else that makes up the feed. If they were not adding this, they would add other fats. They are NOT on a low fat or low carb diet!



The hog farm they were supplying had 3,000,000 head at times. Trains delivered the feed. Really.