We’ve had an email from Sally Harrop, asking for ideas for recycling or reusing “normal” telephones:

By which I mean land line telephones. I have an ordinary handset and an old battery driven cordless phone (which must have dodgy innards) neither of which work now.

We are inundated by requests for old mobiles, usually because someone is making a buck somewhere, but I can’t find anything about recycling/safe disposal of not-mobile phones (except for large quantities – tonnes – from offices). Any ideas?

(Photo by Jay_kumar)

We’ve had an email from John B:

I was recently bought some beer which came in stone/clay bottles. Having now drunk all the beer I am looking for something to do with the bottles. I wanted to reuse them for home brew but I am unable to get the corks back in as my corking machine only works with wine bottles.

The only thing I can think of is to break them up for crocks in plant pots but this seems like a waste of all their bottliness. Any suggestions?

I was just filling up a glass with water when suddenly it decided to violently smash itself against the sink. I don’t know why. Perhaps it thought its life wasn’t worth living because it was half empty rather than half full or something.

Anyway, now I have a broken glass.

We’ve covered broken crockery before but I would worry about using the glass pieces in the bottom of a plantpot or around the garden because they’re so sharp and slivery.

So what can I do with it instead? I know you can’t recycle Pyrex and sheet glass in bottle banks but what about drinking glasses? It was a very basic, non-patterned clear glass – can they be recycled?

We’ve had an email from Scott Jones:

I have a bunch of old 45’s that are worthless and I feel awful just throwing them out. Any suggestions?

In my younger days, I worked at my local hospital radio and remember feeling the same way when they planned to dump a load of old records – both 7″ singles and full albums. I scavenged the ones that weren’t in good enough condition to charity shop and decorated storage boxes with them at home, particularly boxes to hold my own CD collection just for the juxtaposition of the usurped technology alongside the newer one.

I’ve also seen 45s turned into clocks – with the hands etc sticking through the hole in the middle – and ashtrays. If Scott doesn’t feel up to doing that type of thing, perhaps someone on his local Freecycle group might.

Has anyone got any other suggestions for reuses or for recycling them?

(Photo by andybahn)

We’ve had an email from Aleta asking for ideas on how to reuse or recycle plastic prescription tablet and vitamin bottles/containers.

They’re usually so sturdy – and usually childproof – that ways to reuse them would be best but can they be recycled? I can’t see a number on the bottom of any of few we have lying around here – does anyone know what type of plastic they are?

Also, does anyone know if there are any schemes to reuse bottles as medicine/prescription bottles again (after sterilising or whatever)?

(Photo by Carin)