Can we talk about people rinsing recyclables in hot water?

I noticed at our apartment complex recycling bins that folks are running plastic containers under the hot tap for like 2 minutes before tossing them in, and it drives me nuts. Hot water actually uses a ton of energy to heat, so you're basically burning coal just to clean a ketchup bottle that's headed for a high-heat recycling process anyway. A quick rinse in cold water with the leftover soap from your dishes does the same job, no extra energy cost. I tested this myself after hearing our waste guy complain about moldy yogurt tubs, and cold water got them just as clean with way less effort. Plus you save on your water heater bill over a year, which is like maybe $40 for a family of four according to my cousin who works for the utility. Has anyone else noticed this habit and tried to change it in their building?

2 comments

2 Comments

finley_lopez984d ago

That "rinsing with hot water" thing drives me crazy at our warehouse break room too... I just put a note up saying cold water works fine and people actually stopped doing it after a week.

uma3064d ago

Put a similar note up in our office kitchen about the coffee machine filters. Told people to stop dumping old grounds down the sink and wrote "trash can works, sink clogs cost us money". Figured people just needed a clear reason why the old way was bad, not a lecture.