A Trip to the Tip

I'd never had cause to go to our local council tip (dump) before today but my next-door neighbour asked me if I could give him a hand taking an old carpet down there.  My memory of the tip my parents' used to go to is of something closely resembling a painting of Dantes 'Inferno', everything had to be hauled into a vast corrugated-iron shed-like structure where there was a huge incinerator in one corner.  The men who worked there would appear to sort through what was dumped, and there was always a pile of 'things' somewhere which presumably they were intending to sell or keep.  The one I went to today was completely different.  Everything was out doors in the fresh air, there were recycling containers for pretty much anything you could think of - garden waste, cardboard, telephone directories, books, clothing, wood etc etc.  Sadly, the carpet we had didn't fit into any recycling category and so had to be put in to a huge industrial crusher. 

What caught my eye was the large wheelie bin of books.  I had a quick look inside and was itching to have a good root around in there - who knows what treasure may have been lurking in it's depths.  However, the muscle-bound types who were working there seemed to keep a very territorial eye over the proceedings and it was obvious that you weren't encouraged to take things away with you, or even to poke about too much.  The inevitable pile of 'useful' items they'd put to one side were being kept an especially close eye on.  I don't blame them, if I worked at the tip I'd certainly want to have some perks for doing so too.   But you know the old adage 'one man's trash' etc etc, and it seems a shame that the public can't take away from the tip if its something they could make use of.  What's the way of doing things at the tip / dump near you?

Comments

[Kim]

It's exactly the same here too
Kimx

[Sandie]

Mmmm an interesting post. Although she no longer works there, you might be interested in this post about my sister when she managed a Recycling centre "department store". I am sure if you lobbied your local council, then they might consider something similar.

http://dancingonabladeofgrass.wordpress.com/2008/06/07/the-recycling-goddess/

[sharie]

My local tip is run by the ex-gestapo... dare to put anything in the wrong spot (there are no signs) and someone rushes out of a small shed shouting and making angry motions. People get banned from our tip.

[gill]

My tip is the same, they boss you about and don't help you at all but put a bucket out every Christmas expecting a tip...they're having a laugh! I agree we should be positively encouraged to take stuff aaway from the tip, less for the landfill and would surely reduce their costs.
Food for thought.
Gill

[The Shopping Sherpa]

Wow, you mean your tip doesn't have a recycling shop?

Both our tips have an Aussie Junk (http://www.aussiejunk.com.au/about_us) and we also have Revolve (http://www.revolveact.org.au/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=12&Itemid=28) which has a side store called Revolve Better Bits.

I guess we're lucky!

[Wendy]

Ours is exactly the same as yours - the yellow-jkts are all twitchy when you arrive. I so agree with you about the good things going off in the skips when there are people who would love to have some of the items. I am book mad too and your description of the book-skip would have made me want to poke around in it with you!

[Catherine Lloyd-Evans]

I'm sure you all already know about freecycle. We have taken very little to the tip since using it - check it out at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aylesbury_freecycle/ and search in the box for your local group, then sign up for the email digest.
I've managed to get hold of loads of fab stuff too, without paying a penny! All stuff people would have taken to the dump. Brilliant, it is.