Fresh from removing nice light bulbs and replacing them with useless ones, the EU has now turned its attention to batteries.
From 1st February 2010 shops that sell more than 4 AA batteries per day (????) will have to provide special recycling bins for used batteries. The bad news is that they can't go back to the manufacturers on the delivery vehicles, as being hazardous waste they need a Transfer Note and a licensed disposal company.
New business for the disposal industry! And lots and lots of road journeys added to move the waste about. Which means more pollution, possibly more than we are saving by not putting batteries into landfill.
Hmmm. I almost feel like driving 5 miles extra each week, just in protest....
I guess you have seen the drive 5 miles less each week advert too. I think once I have a house with some storage I will cycle to work. That will reduce carbon emissions (and increase likelyhood of an accident in all probability!).
The ''drive 5 miles less a week'' thing really irritates me. Why they have to impose their views on me in such a smug and omniscient manner is beyond me, they already cheekily tax me for a whole bunch of stuff. I bet they don't drive 5 miles a week less because they'll be able to claim it on expenses. As for cycling to work, three things, I'll do it when I see Prescott, Brown, Darling, Balls, Harman, Mandelson, Milliband, Prince Charles and Camilla doing it (Cameron probably would for votes.If Balls ever cycled I'd sod my career and become like Gavrilo Princip although I think that the NUT would beat me to it and make me into another Lee Harvey Oswald *sigh). The other two things are my fingers being raised apart but not in the sign of peace. I see the whole thing as just another excuse for future tax. When I compare this country to the ones I visited in S.E.Asia then we are very clean in terms of air pollution. If we want to get freight and H.G.V.s off the road then why did we get rid of so many railways? If Leigh still had its railway then I would drive 7 miles less a week anyway but I feel that is another story and another rant and another cock-up but this time not of Brown's making.
As for this batteries malarky, if it was to be hitting solely large retailers such as Asda and Tesco then I don't think it's that bad an idea because I reckon 80% of the population go to a place like this once a week. I know you could argue that we could just save them all for that annual trip to the tip but there is also the counter-argument of convenience and awareness, which I feel still needs to happen despite my previous ranting. However, if it is, as it seems, going to hit local businesses like my local corner shop (which it actually will do because it is like Alladin's cave for my Gran and her mates who can't get to Sainsbury's) then it is bureaucracy gone mad. They'll be more red tape due to this law than at a Communist's rally.
"A word to the wise ain't necessary -- it's the stupid ones that need the advice." Bill Cosby
