Cremation, or Composting ?

[kevin b]

I was reading one of the other threads about an item on ebay which should have been "put on the bonfire". This lead to the little grey cells starting to wake up.

In these days of climate change and global warming, maybe we should consider more, the disposal of our old models.

I know, by virtue of our hobby that we are in the majority recyclers of long standing and that wastage is a cardinal sin. However there does come a point when we run out of options for reusing something. The burning of said airframe, although of semi-religious significance is not the best option in these "green" days. maybe we should break down the remains into component parts. Most of the plastic components are of recyclable materials, as are the metal parts. The wood could be put in the compost bin. That would leave the covering materials, which would need to be sent for land fill.

With regards to ARTFs, I have another suggestion.They should be treated like any other electrical appliance and should be returned to the manufacturers for disposal through the suppliers. If they can do it with cars, why not models ?

Thoughts please ?

[David Davis]

I have a wood burning stove. Wrecked models make superb kindling!

[will -0]

I still have all the models I have ever built.

[Peter Miller]

Some how I do not feel that my burning a few ounces or the odd pound of balsa will make a significant impact on climate change or global warming considering the wild fires in Australia, Canada and the Amazon to name but three.

Also consider that vast numbers of the world population cook their food on open fires or stoves and that the population is doubling very fast.

[eflightray]

But you need to understand that the green fanatics expect the UK to be protected by us getting rid of anything that may affect 'our' environment, a sort of 'bubble mentality'.

We may have to build our future dwellings from things like old models. Mud huts will be banned as it could affect the muds biodiversity.

I will probably be banned from the country for using plastic materials, (foam). Good job I'm too old to worry about it.

.

[Bob Cotsford]

Saw to reduce them to foot long segments, then into a black bin for the council refuse collection. Balsa models usually squash down quite small while foam cored ones take up a little more space in the bin. Is polystyrene foam recyclable? My local council won't accept that or wood in the recycling bin. Generally speaking any recyclable plastics are reused in the next model.

[Alan Gordon 5]

We could send our old models to China or India, thereby increasing their major contribution to climate change, mind you they spew out so much crap I guess a few bits of balsa will make no difference.

[john stones 1 - Moderator]

Yep, it not like the "Developed/Civilised" Countries ever polluted is it.

Cremate I think and a few solemn words.

[Old Geezer]

Small farm = hedge trimmings, tree ditto means that regrettably a big bonfire twice a year - and before anyone starts to complain, it's all woody so composting isn't an option. Deceased models have a Chapel of Rest in a corner of the Barn where their eviscerated carcasses (i.e. Sans servos, motor etc which WILL be recycled.) await the next cremation service.

n.b. Next service won't be until late Spring next year now, when any hedgehogs that might be overwintering/hibernating have moved out from under the heap. Still, fewer chances to fly/destroy planes over the Winter, so the Chapel of Rest might still be empty by then.

[J D 8]

Blow em up, with a crow scarer banger instant dismantling.

[Rich too]

Posted by David Davis on 11/11/2019 13:01:38:

I have a wood burning stove. Wrecked models make superb kindling!

They will be banned before bonfires, so I am making the most of mine 😉

Whats worse, a bonfire in the garden or driving the waste to the local council tip?

[Rich too]

And I don’t want to turn this into a political debate, but I do a lot of recycling, but I recently read that councils still don’t recycle all the stuff we bag up for them. Westminster council where I work are one of the worst, 80% of the stuff they receive doesn’t get recycled

so to the OP, I would cremate it 👍

Edited By Rich too on 12/11/2019 06:58:29

[Trevor Crook]

I don't think polystyrene foam is recyclable. Many if not most foamy ARTFs are now made of expanded polypropylene, which I'm guessing is also not recyclable. I rarely throw one of my foamy fleet away as I tend to sell them on rather than wreck them, but I wouldn't fancy one on a bonfire with the fumes!

[Old Geezer]

Yes - horrible black smoke from anything like that Trevor - unless it's burned at high temperature. So foamy carcasses ( and their packaging ) go on the fire when it's really got going so that the smoke ( unburned plastic ) is consumed by the fire rather than making life unpleasant for anyone downwind.

Shame that it's difficult/uneconomic to recycle a lot of plastics. I think most of us would, given the opportunity, but complete burning at least vanishes the stuff which chlorophyll and sunlight can then utilise - except we're told that there's more CO2 in the atmosphere than we need already. Bit of a bummer really.

[will -0]

It could be argued that putting plastic back into landfill is the best thing to do with it. Completes the cycle:

DIg up oil from underground

turn into plastic

turn into model plane

put it back under ground

That way the carbon stays locked up

[Paul Marsh]

Put them on eBay. even sad cases go for a song...