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March

Easter Sunday falls on April 9, 2023 so time to start planning.

Absolutely disappointed that one of my favourites the M&S Cheese Eggs, with Barber’s Farmhouse Cheddar as whites and a vintage 18-month matured Red Leicester yolk hand-dipped in a duck egg blue wax ‘shell’, does not appear to be the stores. please correct me if I am wrong.

They are doing other plastic free eggs though.

You can find plastic free easter finds over here on Facebook tagged #plasticfreeeaster2023 Please do add and tag your own finds.

Busy Tagging

Cruising round what’s left of the high street, (use it or loose it), documenting my plastic free finds. Tagging them and posting them on Facebook & Twitter.

So far I’ve used the following

  • 2023
  • #plasticfreeproducts2023  – for all the plastic free products I’ve source this for this year
  • Type of products include
  • #2023plasticfreereusables
  • #plasticfreesupermarket2023 – type of venue #plasticfree xxxx 2023 – xxxx being the name of the store. So far there’s
  • #plasticfreeLidles2023

Lidles

Found quite a lot of plastic free stuff in in Lidles #plasticfreeLidles2023

(Love to see they still do the loose nuts.) See them here on FB or check out my twitter feed.

To Do

Late to the party but still plenty of time to get involved. Once again Keep Britain Tidy are organising The Great British Spring Clean, a massive litter pick of the U.K.

Back for its eighth year, the Great British Spring Clean is the nation’s biggest mass-action environmental campaign.  

The Great British Spring Clean and Great Big School Clean 2023 will take place from 17 March to 2 April, and you can pledge to pick up a bag of litter – or more – from today. 

Curtains

Looking for some natural nets?

“Automation has killed off much of the UK’s industrial heritage, but at MYB Textiles it may just be its saviour. Based in Ayrshire, Scotland, the 100-year-old lacemaker is the only place left in the world working with traditional looms” Read more here

They do the most wonderful but expensive lace made from wool & cotton. Some are 100% natural some have 5% polyester added. The prices are …. well here are some examples

CAMPBELL
Material 100% Cotton £104.28 inc VAT

KERRY
In the sale Width 152cm
Material 95% Cotton/5% Polyester Oat Sky Maize Straw Earth
£28.40 inc VAT

RHONA
Not in the sale Width 150cm Material 95% Cotton / 5% Polyester
£44.30 inc VAT

Baking & Baking Aids

Ingredients

Agar Jelly

Baking Powder

More

Cookbook

Who knew? Baking – it’s not that bad!  Check out the plastic free cook book here

Ingredients

An introduction to some of the stuff you need to make the above

Everything Else

How to make it plastic free

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Agar Jelly

For making jelly and gels…….

Clearspring Organic Agar Flakes Vegan, 30g
Price: £5.79
Agar Flakes Vegan, ORGANIC

Packaging – Inner bag: Compostable Recyclable Outer carton: Recyclable. Made from bio-film from renewable sources.Comprises cellulose from wood-pulp, produced in carefully managed plantations Compostable certified by the EU and the USA

You can buy it and lots more here….

Real Plastic Free

We sell Real Foods brand packed in biodegradable cellulose bags
We will pack your order using only paper-based materials We are committed to reducing all waste
We partner with Real Foods who have been selling natural, organic wholefoods (packed in cellulose) in Edinburgh for over 40 years Real Foods brand is fully accredited by the Soil Association so you can buy our organic products with confidence

Visit the website

Biodegradable, Compostable Plastics

What is biodegradable?

Biodegradable products break down through a naturally occurring microorganism into simple, stable compounds which can be absorbed into the ecosystem.More about biodegrading here

What is compostable? 

To be classed compostable, items must biodegrade within a certain time (around the rate at which paper biodegrades), and the resulting biomass must be free of toxins, able to sustain plant life and be used as an organic fertilizer or soil additive. For a man-made product to be sold as compostable, it has to meet certain standards. One such is the European Norm EN13432. You can find out more here.

Want to start composting but dont know how? Find the answers here

Talking of composting, theres a new logo on the block. “The Home Compostable verification logo clearly identifies and differentiates packaging materials as biodegradable and home compostable. This means that the biodegradable packaging will break down under specific home composting conditions back into water, carbon dioxide (CO2) and biomass.”

More

Cookbook

Who knew? Baking – it’s not that bad!  Check out the plastic free cook book here

Ingredients

An introduction to some of the stuff you need to make the above

Everything Else

How to make it plastic free

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Commercial Composting

Ever wonder about how much waste we really throw away each year? Well, studies estimate that 30 to 40 percent of the food produced in the United States goes to waste 30 to 40 percent of the food produced in the United States goes to waste, often ending up in landfills. In 2014, an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) study found that the U.S. tosses over 3.8 million tons of food every single year.

That’s tragic because so many people in the world are going hungry. Food waste also contributes to global warming and disposing of it costs a lot of money. Using our food more efficiently would be a more permanent solution to the problem, but there are some things we can do to improve our disposal process as well. With composting, disposal doesn’t have to mean the end of food’s useful life and may even have some positive environmental attributes.

How Composting Works

Composting allows us to recycle organic materials, including many food items, yard waste, animal products and paper products. It uses a natural process that’s integral to life here on earth, the decomposition process that breaks down these materials into rich soil from which plants can grow.

Composting takes that natural phenomenon and accelerates it using one of several different methods. Individuals and families can compost their food and yard waste in their own backyards. Large companies sometimes compost their own leftover materials. Some local governments also organize composting operations, and local businesses might offer composting services to nearby residents. These services can be a perfect, easy-to-use solution to our organic waste disposal problem.

Composting Methods

Beyond simple backyard composting, there are a number of methods that large-scale composting operations employ.

  • Aerated Static Pile Composting

One of the simplest methods for composting large amounts of waste is aerated static pile composting. It involves placing well-mixed organic waste into a large pile, along with bulking agents such as woodchips or shredded paper. This method can produce compost within three to six months.

  1. Aerated Windrow Composting

Aerated, or turned, windrow composting involves placing waste in rows that are about four to eight feet tall and 14 to 16 feet wide. These rows, called windrows, must be turned occasionally so that the inner part of the pile ends up in the outside and vice versa. This method is ideal for particularly large amounts of waste.

  1. In-Vessel Composting

In-vessel compost allows for more control of the composting process and produces results quickly. In this method, compost is placed into contained spaces such as large drums, enclosed tunnels or other containers where machinery regularly turns it. This produces usable composts in a few weeks to a few months.

How to Get Involved

Other popular methods of disposing of household organic waste, such as garbage disposals, can be useful but don’t have all the same capabilities as composting. Garbage disposals, for instance, can’t handle solid items like peach pits. Regular trash collection has environmental consequences.

Composting can take care of many different kinds of waste, is environmentally friendly compared to other methods and produces a useful end result – compost that can be used to grow crops and other plants.

Many people don’t have room, time or ability to compost their own waste. For these people, commercial composting methods are the solution. Contact your local government and search for nearby businesses to see if organic waste collection and composting services exist in your area — and whether you can get some freshly made compost for your garden.

Bio:

Emily is a sustainability writer and the editor of Conservation Folks.

Please note…

This post was written by the contributor.

Read more about composting, compost bins and other rotten posts HERE

Guest Post & Plastic Free Promotions

We love to feature guest posts. If you have something to say about #plasticfree living let us know. You can read more about submissions HERE

NB we reserve the right
not to post
to remove guest posts.

Oils Used In Natural Varnish

Drying oil is a vegetable oil that dry to a hard finish at normal room temperature. Such oils are used as the basis of oil paints, and in other paint and wood finishing applications.
they include linseed oil.

Drying oils
See also: Drying oil
Drying oils are vegetable oils that dry to a hard finish at normal room temperature. Such oils are used as the basis of oil paints, and in other paint and wood finishing applications. In addition to the oils listed here, walnut, sunflower and safflower oil are also considered to be drying oils.[175]

Dammar oil, from the Canarium strictum, used in paint as an oil drying agent.[176] Can also be used as a lamp oil.[177]
Linseed oil’s properties as a polymer make it highly suitable for wood finishing, for use in oil paints, as a plasticizer and hardener in putty and in making linoleum.[178] When used in food or medicinally, linseed oil is called flaxseed oil.
Poppyseed oil, similar in usage to linseed oil but with better color stability.[175]
Stillingia oil (also called Chinese vegetable tallow oil), obtained by solvent from the seeds of Sapium sebiferum. Used as a drying agent in paints and varnishes.[179][180]
Tung oil, used as an industrial lubricant and highly effective drying agent. Also used as a substitute for linseed oil.[181]
Vernonia oil is produced from the seeds of the Vernonia galamensis. It is composed of 73–80% vernolic acid, which can be used to make epoxies for manufacturing adhesives, varnishes and paints, and industrial coatings.[182]
Wikkipedia.

Linseed oil, extracted from flax seed, is one of the most useful natural oils. It is used as a preservative for wood, concrete, and an ingredient in paints, varnishes, and stains. As if that wasn’t enough, it is also used in soaps, inks, and in the production of linoleum!

Linseed oil is a slow-drying liquid with good preservative properties and water resistance.
Before the advent of modern preservatives and synthetics, it was commonly used as a stand-alone preservative for wood, natural (hemp) rope, and masonry, as a conditioner for natural boar’s hair paint brushes, and as an additive for oil paints. It was also valuable inside as a furniture finish and for wood floors.

Some of the problems with straight linseed oil, boiled or raw, are:

Sometimes linseed oil can take forever to dry… or stays sticky or doesn’t dry at all!! This is a nightmare situation that happens too often when linseed oil is applied either (1) too thickly, (2) onto damp materials or (3) when the temperature is too cold. Thinning linseed oil with turpentine can help somewhat, but even with thinning it is important to apply thin, multiple coats but allow each coat to dry before applying the next!
No UV (ultraviolet) light resistance… UV causes more damage to exposed wood than any other factor, destroying wood fibers and setting it up for attack by mildew, fungus, and insects.
Linseed oil is mildew food… Many vegetable oils are food products for humans… all vegetable oils are food products for mildew! Linseed oil is not completely denatured, so it can encourage rather than discourage mildew growth.
Linseed oil does not harden sufficiently to offer enough resistance to abrasion to be a suitable deck floor preservative… at least by today’s standards. Linseed oil has been used for interior wood floors, but it must be waxed for durability! Waxing an outside deck would be dangerous, even if you hang a “Slippery When Wet” sign!
Difficult to remove from wood… Multiple coats of linseed oil are gummy and difficult to remove fully for refinishing.

Boiled Linseed oil

“Boiled” linseed oil is not boiled. The actual boiling of some oils changes their drying characteristics, true. With linseed oil, though, it is the addition of certain solvents that causes linseed oil to dry more quickly, acting as if it were boiled.

These highlights were taken from this great article

Raw linseed oil can be used as a wood finish but it can take weeks for it to fully cure. It is for this reason that we use a polymerized linseed oil which is somewhat more viscous than raw linseed oil (making it more difficult to spread and apply) but dries considerably more quickly. The polymerization of the oil is accomplished by applying heat to the oil in the absence of oxygen. Be aware that this process produces a final product that is not the same as the “boiled linseed oil” that you might find on the shelves of home improvement and hardware stores. As counter-intuitive as it seems, boiled linseed oil has not been “boiled” or heated at all but instead has had petroleum-based solvents and metal driers added to it so that it supposedly behaves as if it was “boiled”. The most commonly used heavy metal dryer in “boiled linseed oil” is cobalt that is considered toxic. Additionally, a finish generically referred to as “Danish Oil” is produced by large paint manufacturers and contains some linseed oil but the majority of the components may be carcinogenic, petroleum-based ingredients such as Naptha, Mineral Spirits, and Dipropylene Glycol Monomethyl Ether.

Our linseed oil finish is 100% pure polymerized linseed oil that contains NO petroleum distillates, NO volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and NO heavy metal driers. The heating methods used to polymerize our linseed oil finish have been adapted from 18th to early 20th century varnish-making techniques while also using current technology and quality control measures to ensure a consistent and natural product. We have taken the approach that a simple, natural finish is safer for us to work with, as well as, provide customers with non-toxic furniture.

from Dapwood furniture site
Can you boil your own linseed oil?

interesting thread here.
Tung Oil

from eBay in a metal can with plastic lid.
Liberon Pure Tung Oil 1 L -014617-
Brand new
5.0 out of 5 stars – Liberon Pure Tung Oil 1 L -014617-2 product ratings
£27.00

Camellia Oil ( Tea Seed Oil )

Camellia oil, also known as tea seed oil  is the actual green tea oil. It comes from the seeds of Camellia sinensis, the plant from which all the tea is made. Tea seed oil is a wonderfully healthy in more ways than one. It is great for cooking, and from nutritional point of view. Tea seed oil is used in a number of beauty products. This oil has been used as a cooking for centuries in Southern China and they make many more uses with it.

buy from eBay

Japanese Camellia Oil – 240ml
Rutlands Part No. JP2100
Reviews (1)
Key Features
A well kept Japanese secret
Popular with the Samurai for protecting and cleaning their swords
Its very light, low viscous formula that does not dry or become resinous over time
Blended with paraffin oil it canb be used for lubricating, sharpening and rust protection
Simply spray on and wipe over the blade or tool
Ideal for protecting white or blue paper steel kitchen knives when not in use

Turpentine

Turpentine

turpentine
ˈtəːp(ə)ntʌɪn/Submit
noun
1.
a volatile pungent oil distilled from gum turpentine or pine wood, used in mixing paints and varnishes and in liniment.
2.
any of a number of trees which yield turpentine or a similar resin, in particular:

Turpentine (also called spirit of turpentine, oil of turpentine, wood turpentine and colloquially turps[1]) is a fluid obtained by the distillation of resin obtained from live trees, mainly pines. It is mainly used as a solvent and as a source of materials for organic synthesis.

Turpentine is composed of terpenes, mainly the monoterpenes alpha-pinene and beta-pinene with lesser amounts of carene, camphene, dipentene, and terpinolene.[2]

The word turpentine derives (via French and Latin) from the Greek word τερεβινθίνη terebinthine, the name of a species of tree, the terebinth tree.[3] Mineral turpentine or other petroleum distillates are used to replace turpentine, but they are very different chemically.Read more

Product description

Colour Name:500ml

* Size 500ml. * Pure Gum Turpentine. * May be used to dissolve Beeswax to make a wax polish. * Traditional thinner for alkyds, oils, varnishes, enamels and Artists colours. * Pure Gum Turpentine improves brushing qualities and cleans brushes, rollers, and spray equipment. * It may also be used to remove dirt, wax, and grease from surfaces before painting. * Solvent. * Low flash point. * Evaporates quickly. * Compatibility Can be used as a solvent with most oil based products.

ATLANTIS
ATLANTIS PURE GUM TURPENTINE
1 product review
£6.15
PRODUCT DESCRIPTION
We are delighted to have sourced this, the purest from of turpentine. Extracted from Portuguese marine pine trees (Pinus Maritima). Buy here

Driers

A dryer works by catalyzing or accelerating the curing and hardening of oil paint. Often, they are based on metals, and are sometimes called metal soaps or salts. In the process of drying, oil-based paints first absorb oxygen, then they form peroxide which decomposes. Driers accelerate this process

A short summary of drier catalysts:

1) Cobalt – the fastest, most active drier. Can cause wrinkling and color changes in light-colored paints.
2) Manganese – also very fast, but has a dark color which makes it questionable for use.
3) Iron – promotes rapid drying by polymerization. High content of iron in iron oxide colors accounts for their rapid drying time.
4) Rare Earth – useful under conditions of high humidity or low temperatures.
5) Lithium – sometimes added to other driers, most often alkyds.
6) Calcium – Performs well overall, often added during the pigment grinding process as an auxiliary dispersant. Basically marble dust.
7) Zirconium – Used with calcium as a replacement for lead. Has better gloss and color retention than lead, but may not do well under high humidity or low temperature.
8) Aluminum – Great polymerization and yellowing resistance without negatively affecting viscosity. Probably the number one drier in overall usage today in the form of aluminum stearate

read more here.

“Japan drier” is a common term for any oil drying agent that can be mixed with drying oils such as linseed oil and alkyd-oil paints to speed up “drying”. The name refers to “japannning”, a term for the use of drying oils as an imitation or substitution for urushiol-based Japanese lacquer. In the nineteenth century, Japan driers often were made with lead and manganese in a base of linseed oil, turpentine and natural resin. The resins used were copal, dammar, rosin and shellac. Today, most Japan driers consist of manganese in a base of linseed oil and mineral spirits.

Manganese is a primary oxidizing (active) drier. Used alone and in thick applications of paint it has a tendency to cause wrinkling. Manganese is generally used in combination with lead, zirconium, calcium or combination of these metals as a drying initiator.

Lead is an effective auxiliary driers when used in conjunction with active driers, such as manganese. Lead promotes the through drying of paint film. It improves the action of manganese drier and is used in conjunction with it and assists in the “through dry” of oil and alkyd paint.

DIRECTIONS
Add one drop per 5 ml (about 1 teaspoon) of paint. Suggested use levels should be verified with tests.

Physical Properties
Appearance: Dark brown liquid
Color (Gardner): Brown
Lead Content: 10%
Manganese Content: 2%
Non Volatile Content: 47%
Specific Gravity (@25° C., kg/L): 1.02
Viscosity (@25° C., Gardner): A1
HEALTH AND SAFETY
WARNING! CONTAINS: TURPENTINE AND LEAD. Exposure may cause skin and eye irritation. Overexposure will cause dizziness, drowsiness, headache, nausea and cracking or drying of skin. Avoid contact with skin. Avoid breathing mist or vapor. Wear safety glasses, protective clothing and chemical resistant rubber gloves when handling. Wash thoroughly after handling. Avoid swallowing.

Pressed wood products are sheet materials in which wood is largely in the form of strips, veneers, chips, strands or fibres. The wood particles are bound together by glue which is commonly a formaldehyde based resin. Pressed wood products include: plywood used for panelling, furniture and other products.

https://www.nicnas.gov.au/chemical…name/formaldehyde-in-pressed-wood-products

list of solvents – commercial products here. very useful for vanish and paint ingredients.

Worm Bins

Composting is a great way to dispose of kitchen waste and reduce your carbon footprint, but what if you don’t have room for a compost bin? Worm bins are often touted as  the answer. This is as it sounds, a bin full of worms – worms that transform food scraps into compost. It can, so the adverts say, be kept in the kitchen. I always wanted to try worm composting so I sent off for a worm bin from the internet. It consisted of four stackable plastic boxes (the type found in stationers), a bag of worms and some food. It looked basic but it was considerably cheaper than the others.

I decided to keep mine in the garage. I stacked the boxes, tipped the worms in and left the lights on all night as per instructions. All went well till the night the lights were turned off. The stackable boxes did not form a sealed unit and there were numerous gaps through which the worms could escape. While it was bright outside the light sensitive worms stayed put, as soon as it got dark they left their bin and went exploring the garage. Next morning saw me picking up worms with the barbeque tongs while VB complained loudly about the desecration of his drill bits. He threatened to sacrifice the worms on the bird table if a solution wasn’t found.

So I fashioned a worm proof bin from the compost caddy. I installed a   drainage tap to drain off the worm tea (a juice created as the food in the bin rots down). I covered the base with  a layer of gravel so the worms didn’t drown in the tea and the compost didn’t block the tap outlet. It was rather like the one built here, the first bin,  Then I carefully decanted the worms  and wished them well in their new home.

Mindful of the bird table threats I moved the into  the cellar.

I mollycoddled those worms. I cut the food scraps up into worm size pieces and gave them ripped up newspaper and cardboard – apparently they delight in it. Nothing. Instead of piles of compost all I had was a bin full of festering food. The arrival of the fruit flies was the last straw. Fed up with the ungrateful liggers I capped the bin with soil and cut off food supplies.

A couple of weeks later I went down to get a hammer and found the bin standing in a lake of worm tea. Yay!

This fluid (it is claimed on many site), is  a superior plant feed and can be used to cure black spot on roses. There it was dribbling from my poorly fitted tap. It is a sign that the worm bin is working as it should. Indeed a quick rummage in the bin revealed healthy looking worms the size of anacondas. Worm tea was another reason I wanted a worm bin. Hundreds of sites on the internet claimed that this could be used as a fantastic liquid plant food. Plastic free plant food I thought. Turns out I was wrong.

So worm feeding resumed. By bin does not work fast enough to  make a meaningful  impact on our kitchen waste but it’s a start. Apparently it will increase with time. I don’t think I have the patience – but then I have a perfectly good compost bin in the garden.

And no wI find that worm tea might not be that good either.

“The watery drainage that seeps out of the bottom of a bin is not compost tea as many sites assert. Leaching through yet undigested food waste, this leachate (as it is known) could contain toxic anaerobic microbes that would be harmful to plants.

Not only will there be unmineralized organic compounds, but there is the potential for contamination of pathogen organisms and coliform bacteria that can come from some of the raw materials (another reason to always pre-compost fresh manure) put into worm bin systems.

The best place for this leachate to go is back in the bin. That way, it gets exposed to the worm’s gut to be innoculated with good microbes and is excreted fully sanitised.” Thanks Sierra Worm Compost!

Still fancy trying it?  If you decide to buy a worm bin my advice is to spend the extra. The more expensive bins boast such conveniences as worm proof lids – a definite bonus. There are hundreds of internet companies selling bins. Here’s one chosen at random.

If you want to make a bin, there are good instructions here. I recommend the first option, the bin with the tap, rather than the second, the stackable boxes.

This is a good article on worm composting and how to get worms for free.  N.B. the home made bin looks rather like the one I bought, the leaky one.

More

If you want to keep your bin outside you have to protect it from extreme heat and cold. There may be better outdoor options.

Don’t like worms but fancy composting? Read this intro 

 

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Cleaning Products – Chemical – Buy or make

For cleaning products I use a combination of bought and what I have in the cupboard in conjunction with a bloody good scrub… i.e. both  chemical and manual cleaning.

Chemical Cleaning uses the power of chemicals in a solution to remove soils. Soils in this case refers to stains. If you want to know, you can read how alkaline dissolve fat and  why vinegar works here.
If not just be aware that
Organic soils are usually best moved using alkaline cleaners.
Inorganic soils prefer and acid cleaner.

 

Buy Or Make Chemical Cleaners

Buy plastic free
The easiest way to get plastic free cleaning product is to buy Ecover refill liquids. Yes the original bottle is plastic but you get to reuse it. Mine are still going strong years into the project.
If you can’t get to a refill station, this company sells concentrated liquids through the post. You refill your existing bottles and water down yourself. They come in plastic, but it represents a massive reduction.

Make your own
Or you could consider making your own cleaning products. It easy, can save you money and certainly cuts down on the amount of chemicals and colorings that you find in commercial products. With a small palette of ingredients you can clean just about anything.

When I say make I actually mean use neat or add water. It really is that easy. There are loads of complicated recipes on the internet using a mixture of ingredients. I have tried them but could see no discernable difference. Either other people have very dirty houses or I have very low standards.

Are they as good? Well it depends what you are using already. If you use green cleaners then yes they are and half the price. If you are using Cilit Bang all bets are off. So while they might not work as well as Cilit Bang in extreme grime scenarios, for general cleaning they are fine.

And all of them smell better with none of that weird choking chemical smell or overwhelming perfumes you get with the cheaper commercial products.

I Use
After a lot of experimentation I find I can mange with
Ecover washing up liquid refill or
Bar Soap
used in conjunction with a good scrubber cuts through most dirt. Alkaline
Bicarbonate Of Soda  for scouring and deoderizing. It can also be used to wash your hair and clean your teeth. Alkaline
Vinegar  dilute and use as a wipe. Also use as a conditioner for hair and a mild disinfectant. Acid

Other people reccomend Washing Soda and Borax. I have tried both of these but find them to make little or no difference. Read more HERE

Use What On What

For your cleaners to be properly effective you need to use them correctly. Though you might intuitively feel that vinegar should cut through grease it doesn’t.
Soils fall into 2 categories, organic and inorganic
Organic soils such as  fat, grease, protein like blood, and carbohydrate. I dont know what carbohydrate soil is – any one else? Mold, yeast and bacteria, motor oil, axle grease, cutting oils and other petroleum soils.
Inorganic soils such rust, scale, hard water deposits and minerals such as sand, silt and clay.

They require different cleaning solution.

  • Organic soils are usually best moved using alkaline cleaners.
  • Inorganic soils prefer an acid cleaner.
  • Minerals are often cleaned with general purpose cleaners.

Read more HERE

Scrub

Honestly I find the best way to clean is to use a mildly abrasive range of cloths and scouring pads. You can find links to all our mechanical cleaning aids HERE

How to clean….

Hard plastic such as baths and toilet seats – Soap and a luffa or rough cloth

Tiles and porcelain – Bicarb on a cloth or luffa

Mildly Abrasive Paste – general cleaning
Add enough liquid soap to bicarbonate of soda make a paste

Wipe for windows and greasy surfaces
1/4-1/2 teaspoon liquid detergent/ soap
3 tablespoons vinegar
2 cups water

Shake & Vac
Bicarb  sprinkled on, left for a while then hoovered up.

Buy

Ecover washing up liquid refill
Bar Soap
Bicarbonate Of Soda
Vinegar

More 

For more Bicarbonatebased cleaning tips try this Website
See a huge range of plastic free cleaning products HERE

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Sponge Cloth Biodegradable

Oh joy – just sourced some plastic free sponge cloths. I love these things. Sponge cloths are  extremely porous and great for wiping up water. Plus they dry really quickly. I love my cotton dish cloth – but it can get a bit whiffy in damp weather. Especially living in the van when it doesn’t  ever really dry out.

But up until now sponge cloths have been made from synthetic fibres and packed in plastic. Which we won’t use.

Not these from If You Care. They are made from 70% Cellulose and 30% unbleached non-GMO cotton. Cellulose and cotton are both biodegradable so when you are done they can go straight on the compost heap.

Better still the packaging is made from  100% compostable PLA-biopolymer derived from corn starch. Tis is  fully compostable plastic. On the pack it says that this is certified compostable by the Biodegradable Products Institute (BPI) and compostable in commercial composting facilities. Just to let you know I compost a wide range of PLA products in my own compost bin.

They are machine washable up to 300 times. And of course being biodegradable, they don’t shed nasty plastic microfibres like synthetic cloths do. (Washing synthetic fabrics and clothing  releases millions of microscopic plastic fibers. These are then discharged into sewage system and ultimately out to sea. Some are ingested by sea creatures).

Washing synthetic fabrics and clothing also releases millions of microscopic plastic fibers. These are then discharge into sewage system and ultimately out to sea.

Buy Online

You can buy them online from Big Green Smile

If You Care do a lot of great kitchen products packed in cardboard packaging, including natural greaseproof paper.

In a shop

Unicorn in Chorlton, Manchester, sell something similar but in cardboard packaging.

More

See all the plasticfree cleaning products we have sourced, right here

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Kettle

People are always asking about plastic free kettles. There is one very easy answer – get a stove top kettle. That’s it. Spend a bit more and you can get one that doesn’t have a plastic handle. Spend a lot more and you get a kettle you will be handing on to your kids. I am saving up for this one.

Shropshire Made Traditional Kettle

  • Hand spun body and lid with durable hard anodised finish.
    Precision cast spout for perfect pouring.
    The base of kettle is very thick 1/4 inch (6mm) aluminium, we machine grind this flat to ensure rapid boiling on range hobs.
    Hand turned British oak handle & knob.
    Lovingly hand made in Britain.

A stove top kettle for use on range stoves, electric, gas, ceramic and halogen hobs. The perfect companion for country cottages, retro conversions, Victorian kitchens, Edwardian homes, glamping and garden cooking (it complements Netherton Foundry garden hob).

Comes in two sizes and  the packaging is cardboard.

Cheaper Kettles

The downside is they are over a hundred quid. You might want to look at some of the cheaper options below. The cheaper kettles often have plastic handles. Very cheap kettles often warp with time. You need a good heavy bottom!

Amazon Catalogue

Here are some links to products sold on Amazon. Amazon is a very dirty word at the moment and I thought long and hard before I did it. Heres why I went ahead…..

.

Grunwerg Cafe Ole Stainless Steel Stove Top Whistling Kettle 3L HTK-3
Grunwerg Cafe Ole Stainless Steel Stove Top…
£11.82
Wesco Classic Line Stainless Steel 2 Litre Stove Top Kettle, Black Garden Trading Enamel Stove Kettle - Flint Yoshikawa 1 Litre Stainless Steel Fons Drip Stove Kettle
Wesco Classic Line Stainless Steel 2 Litre …
£49.99
Garden Trading Enamel Stove Kettle – Flint
£31.50
Yoshikawa 1 Litre Stainless Steel Fons Drip…
£74.99
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Wire Wool

Steel wool consists of fine strands of steel which looks a bit like wool.
It can be used for cleaning, scouring and sanding.
I use it manly for cleaning pots. Same principal as a brillo pad but without the plastic packaging.
It can be bought from hardware shops and many of them sell it plastic free in either cardboard or paper packaging. However the trend is for increased plastic packaging so you might have to shop around!
The picture of the cardboard packaged steel wool is from the B&Q website so could look there.

More About Steel Wool

Steel wool comes in different thicknesses (grades).
The thicker the wool the more powerful the scouring / sanding.

I took the following from the Liberon Steel Wool website

Steel Wool is available in 7 grades from Ultra Fine 0000 through a range of Fine to Medium 00, 0, 1 and Medium to Coarse 2, 3 and 4.

Grade 0000 
- use to cut back between coats of French Polishes, varnishes and oil finishes 
- use to clean and polish metals such as bronze, copper, chrome, stainless steel and aluminium 
- use to cut back between coats of varnish or paint 
- use with soapy water to clean and polish porcelain, marble and glass without marking 

Light cleaning and surface preparation

Grade 00, 0, 1 
- use with Liberon Wax and Polish Remover to remove built-up wax polish, smoke and dirt on wood 
- use to clean, smooth and prepare wood or metal surfaces before re-polishing, waxing, varnishing or painting 
- use with a suitable solvent for light to medium cleaning of all metals 

Heavy cleaning and paint and varnish removal

Grade 2, 3, 4 
- Use with Liberon Fine Wood Stripper to remove softened French Polishes, varnishes, lacquers and paints from wood and metal surfaces 
- use to remove rust

Precautions
To avoid cuts never tear steel wool, cut to size with scissors or shears and always protect your hands with gloves when handling.

Important


Always test products on a spare surface or inconspicuous area first.
If in doubt use a finer grade first.

Pot Cleaning

You can find more pot scouring options here

Frying Pans

I have been wanting to get rid of my non stick frying pan for ages. I bought it before I knew about polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), the plastic non- stick coating.  Nor did I know that polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) can give off toxic fumes that can kill budgies. I don’t have a budgie but even so! That doesn’t sound good.

Non Stick

I wanted a light weight pan with a ceramic non stick coating (promised to be toxin free), BUT it had to have a metal handle. Finally found this one from BergHOFF. The earth chef Montana range  which goes under the following specification….

  • Ceramic nonstick coating:
    • Naturally 6x stronger than traditional nonstick coatings
    • Non-toxic: no PTFE fumes
    • No PFOA used and energy-saving manufacturing
  • Hollow cast stainless-steel and riveted handles
  • Polished stainless-steel lids
  • Fast and even heat transfer
  • For all types of cooktops, including induction
  • Durable construction
  • Oven-safe to 540 degrees C / 1000 degrees F
  • Metal-utensil safe and dishwasher-safe

Delighted to see it came in cardboard packaging, disappointed to find it was also wrapped in a plastic bag. So far it is doing well….

If you can’t find one locally you can of course get them from Amazon – read more about our relationship here

BergHOFF 26 cm Earthchef Frying Pan
BergHOFF 26 cm Earthchef Frying Pan
£39.99

Cast Iron Pans

I chose this pan for the van. I really wanted a cast iron frying pan but our light weight flimsy camping stove would almost certainly crumple under the weight. Those of you with sturdier stoves could consider a U.K. made, cast iron pan from Netherton Foundry. It will last a life time . Pricey but nicey.

They alo do reather nice looking plastic free kettles.

If you cant afford to buy new you could try Ebay. They have a whole load of second hand iron pans for sale.

 

 

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Compostable Plastics Index

Plastic was the name given to early synthetic products such as cellophane,  that were derived from cellulose. These plastics  were biodegradable. Then they learnt how to make similar products from oil. Or rather from the bits of crude left over after they had finished making petrol. The same name was then given the oil derived product. But there were crucial differences. This new product was  made in a very different way and did NOT biodegrade.Since then yet more “plastics” have hit the market. Made from all kinds of things. Some from plant starch and some are certified compostable.

To conclude;
Currently, non- biodegradable, oil derived plastics are the most commonly used and so we tend to ascribe their qualities to all types of plastic.
In fact plastics can be made in a variety of ways from a variety of materials; shale gas, oil, plants even chicken feathers;
And different plastics have very different qualities. Some plastics do biodegrade and are certified compostable
Want to know more about plastic? Read up here

Biodegradable, Compostable Plastics

Just to remind you:
What is biodegradable? Biodegradable products break down through a naturally occurring microorganism into simple, stable compounds which can be absorbed into the ecosystem. More about biodegrading here
What is compostable? To be classed compostable, items must biodegrade within a certain time (around the rate at which paper biodegrades), and the resulting biomass must be free of toxins, able to sustain plant life and be used as an organic fertilizer or soil additive.
For a man-made product to be sold as compostable, it has to meet certain standards. One such is the European Norm EN13432.
You can find out more here.

Home Or Industrial Compostable?

Composting can be done at home, by community or on a much larger scale by the council

Home Composting
Composting is usually done on a small scale and most people will be familiar with the concept of a backyard heap or garden compost where household waste is rotted down into garden mulch.

Composting Plastic At Home
While most agree that PLA plastic is indeed compostable, many say that it can only composted in large scale municipal schemes.
They are wrong. I have been composting plastics for years.
Read more HERE

To be sure you are using a compostable plastic get one that has been certified compostable. Check out the logo.

Compostable Plastic Products

See a wide range HERE

Industrial composting
However large-scale schemes are becoming increasingly popular. In the UK communities band together to compost a whole street is worth of waste. Even city councils are getting in on the act.
These larger projects are sometimes called industrial composting

The difference is is that industrial composting is a lot hotter and can work more quickly.

Composting On A Larger Scale

Case Study – A Cafe
Cute Boscastle National Trust Cafe uses compostable disposables and composts them. Read more HERE

Other options include Community Composting
Community composting is where local community groups share the use and management of a common composting facility.
And Municipal or Industrial Comosting
Read more HERE
How councils compost on a large scale – read more HERE

Compostable Plastic Products

These compostable plastics, like oil derived, are extremely versatile.
They can be thin and flimsy which means they can be used to make

PLA Compostable Plastic Bags

And longer lasting products like phone cases

See a wide range of compostable products HERE

Compostable Plastics Types
Cellulose derived plastics such as Cellophane.
Starch based PLA plastics. They are certified compostable.
Polyhydroxyalkanoates or PHAs  are linear polyesters produced in nature by bacterial fermentation of ­sugar or lipids.
chicken feathers bioplastic.

 

A Note On Bioplastics
Most compostable plastics are also bioplastics. Bioplastics are made from natural materials such as corn starch.
However not all are compostable. For example ethane based plastics as used Coca-Cola’s PlantBottle which replaces 30 percent of the ethanol in their normal polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastic bottle with 30 percent plant-derived ethanol. This means the bottle is still considered PET and can be recycled but is NOT biodegradable. Find out more here.

Other Plastics
There is research being done into developing a compostable, oil-derived plastic. Watch this space BUT don’t fall for the old *biodegradable plastic bag trick see below.

*Compostable versus biodegradable plastics
You might see some plastics labelled described as biodegradable. You could be forgiven for thinking that this is the same as compostable plastic. It is not. Some “biodegradable plastics” are oil derived plastics with a degrading initiator added to make them fall apart (degrade) more  quickly. Unlike compostable plastics they don’t always break down into harmless substances and may leave behind a toxic residue. Read more here

Compostable Plastic Products

Sponge Cloth Biodegradable

Oh joy - just sourced some plastic free sponge cloths. I love these things. Sponge cloths are  extremely porous and great for ...
Read More

Glitter biodegradable

Yes you can get biodegradable glitter and this Etsy company sell it in compostable packaging. Yay! Overview Handmade item Materials: ...
Read More

Vegware – compostable fast-food disposables

Vegware is the UK's first and only completely compostable packaging company. Vegware is forging and leading its own new sector – combining ...
Read More

Pet bowls biodegradable

For the plastic free pooch in your life, a biodegradable plastic food bowl! "Eco-friendly and functional, Becothings are tough and ...
Read More

Cardboard Cups & Pots

So you find what looks like a cardboard container full of yummy ice cream or you see that your favourite ...
Read More

Dog poop disposal

This is something I really hate …. plastic bags of dog @*%! hanging from the bushes. But then plastic bags ...
Read More

Disposable Cups

Disposable cups are made from plastic lined paper, polystyrene or plastic. To make paper cups water proof they are laminated with polyethylene, ...
Read More

Straws Compostable

The picture shows a turtle with a plastic straw stuck in its nose (You can watch the video in full ...
Read More

Snact in compostable packaging

Snacks... so good when trekking, so hard to source plastic free. The best we have is loose nuts as sold ...
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Greencane Tissues/ Paper Productsd

A while ago a company called Greencane sent me some tissues through the post. Not just tissues but toilet paper and kitchen ...
Read More

Plant Pots Compostable

Took this form a very interesting article here. I will be looking into them more closely in the future Low-‘e’ ...
Read More

Cutlery – disposable & compostable

Though it's not the greenest option there are times when disposable partyware is the only choice. For our last big bash, ...
Read More

PLA Starch Bags – compostable plastic bags.

PLA starch bags are described as a compostable plastic.Which can be confusing as they are a very different product from ...
Read More

Pots – PLA compostable

These  deli pots are  made from  PLA plastic. This looks and acts just like plastic but is made from corn starch ...
Read More

Companies using compostable plastic.

Snact

Our new innovative packaging, developed by Israeli start-up TIPA, is just as durable and impermeable as ordinary plastic – but it biologically decomposes within just 180 days and becomes a fertiliser for soil, behaving similarly to an orange peel. Read more here.

Vegware
A while ago I got sent some Vegware stuff to review. Vegware make disposable, compostable packaging for the fast-food industry. Hooray for them …. but I am not in fast food. So what would I be using them for? For starters…

Eco For Life 
If you must drink bottled water this might interest you; water packaged in PLA compostable plastic bottles

More

Remember, not all bio- plastics can be composted and some are not as green as they sound

Check out all our composting posts HERE
Want to know more about plastic? Read up here
See our big list of plastic types here

N.B.

lines changes, products get removed. For more information why not ask the Plastic Is Rubbish FB group for updates. They are a great source of tidbits, personal experience and the latest news. Why not join them and share the plastic free love x

And before you go…

If you have found the #plasticfree information useful, please consider supporting us. It all goes to financing the project (read more here) or

Buy Me a Coffee at ko-fi.com

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Greaseproof paper/ waxed paper

There are two types of paper used for cooking and food preparations
greaseproof bakery paper;
waxed paper.

The terms are used interchangably but they are actually different products.

Greaseproof  Paper also known as  parchment paper  is used in baking and cooking. It provides a heat-resistant, non-stick surface to bake on.
It is also used to pack greasy foods like butter.
It used to be made by beating the paper fibres. Now it may have a plastic or chemical coating.

Waxed Paper
Not to be confused with waxed paper. They may look the same but are different products. Waxed paper actually has wax on it. This too creates a non stick surface but for obvious reasons cannot be used at high temperatures so cannot be used for baking.
Waxed paper was often used for wrapping food.
In many cases it has now been replaced with plastic laminated paper. It looks like waxed paper but isn’t.

History
Greaseproof paper was first developed as a replacement for parchment by the  engineer Otto Munthe Tobiesen in 1894
During the paper making process, the paper pulp is beaten hard so the fibres bond more firmly. This results in a paper of high density with a small number of pores. It is now less absorbant making it reisistant to grease, fat and oil.
Natural greaseproof paper does not have any chemical treatments or coatings. It can be recycled, composted or burnt.

Waxed Paper was made by coating paper with wax.

The New Papers
Since those innocent days various different types of greaseproof/waxed paper have emerged. These no longer rely on the way the paper has been made but rather  are  treated, coated or laminated papers. They do not get their grease resistance from denser fibers but from various additives. However they look just like the originals.
They fall into into two types; paper for packaging and paper for cooking.

The treatments for “greaseproof” paper include
Plastic lamination
Chemical
Silicone coating

Packaging

Greaseproof paper and waxed paper were often used for packaging and the names used interchangeably.

They were used in the food industry for many things including wrapping food such as butter and making nonstick containers for microwave food.

However the original papers and cards have been replaced with plastic coated alternatives.

Two common forms of treatment are
Lamination
Chemically treated

laminated
Where the function of the product is merely to stop grease leaking through the product like for instance a butter wrap the paper may be coated with a thin layer of plastic. This is often the case with food packaging where a product wants to maintain an old time look. Don’t be fooled by those charming greaseproof paper bags and butchers wraps on the deli counter. Check them very carefully.
Obviously this kind of greaseproof paper cannot be used for cooking as the plastic will melt and burn.
Read more about laminated paper here

Chemically Treated
Perfluorochemicals (PFCs) are a family of man-made chemicals? They are used
as a surface coating for paper and cardboard they make them water and grease resistant and so suitable for packaging processed foods.
They do not break down easily and can last in the enironment for years.
They have been found in both soil and water.
When they enter the food chain they are retained in animal tissue leading to a process called biomagnification, meaning that they are passed on up the foodchain from animal to animal and because they are stored in the body for years the amount increases exponentially as they travel up the food chain.

You can read more about them here

Greaseproof Paper For Cooking

This type can be used for both cooking and packaging. But is usually used for cooking. It is also called parchment paper.

Silicone Coated
To give parchment paper a really non stick quality some companies are coating it with silicone. Silicone is a kind of synthetic rubber. You can read more about that here .
Sierra say of its silicone coated paper “The baking paper’s silicone coating prevents food products from sticking to the paper or cooking pan. Silicone is an ideal release agent due to its pliability, natural lack of toxins, high insulationability, and heat resistant capability.”

Quilon Coating
This is (I think) a Teflon product also used to give parchment papers a non stick quality. I know very little about it other than that some are claiming it is toxic. I am currently researching it. All input welcomed.

Uncoated Papers

Are they even available? If You Care claimed to provide genuine greaseproof paper products. But while the paper may be green and unbleached, the non stick quality comes from a coating of silicone. They claim their paper is compostable but silicone certainly isn’t biodegradable.
“Experts from the University of Maryland Extension Home and Garden Information Center said, “We would not recommend composting the parchment paper,” but acknowledged that they could not cite specific studies on the topic”

https://livegreen.recyclebank.com/because-you-asked-can-i-recycle-parchment-paper

never used to talk about the silicone coating on their greaseproof paper which makes me wonder was it always there or is it new? And if it is new, is it to replace the toxic Quilon coating (that I never knew about either). If the former, are all parchment papers coated with something and we just never realised?

Buy….More to think about

Reasearch is ongoing and any input is greatly welcomed.
Beyond Gourmet and Regency wraps have been mentioned as being only parchment paper but have not as yet answered my emails. Neither have If You Care.

So far I have been unable to find a verified, uncoated paper for cooking so I won’t use any.

I buy butter that comes wrapped in paper which I just have to hope is genuine parchment paper. I have my doubts but it is the best I can do.

N.B.

Lines changes, products get removed. For more information why not ask the Plastic Is Rubbish FB group for updates. They are a great source of tidbits, personal experience and the latest news. Why not join them and share the plastic free love x

And before you go…

If you have found the #plasticfree information useful, please consider supporting us. It all goes to financing the project (read more here) or

Buy Me a Coffee at ko-fi.com