Are paper tickets non recyclable?

[AdamWW]

Just seen a poster saying that paper train tickets can't be recycled (so one should use e-tickets).

I can imagine that the magnetic stripe on card tickets isn't good for recycling, so would I be correct in assuming that this poster (from Southern) actually refers to card tickets and not to the paper bar coded tickets, which I presume Southern don't issue? If so, it's not the most helpful of posters...

 

[Mike395]

I'd imagine (though don't know for certain) most e-tickets printed at a ticket office or on-train use thermal printing techniques in the same way as till receipts, if so this requires special thermal paper which also can't be recycled.

 

[DarloRich]

I have always assumed them to be non recyclable - I use them for book marks then bin them

 

[chesterred16]

I don't directly know about tickets but I work with vehicle tachographs, and those printouts use thermal paper to print and that's deffo non-recyclable.

 

[Recessio]

You should see the recycling bin at Guildford just past the gate line, it's always full of used tickets...

 

[AdamWW]

I'd imagine (though don't know for certain) most e-tickets printed at a ticket office or on-train use thermal printing techniques in the same way as till receipts, if so this requires special thermal paper which also can't be recycled.

Ah yes they will be thermal paper. Never thought about whether that was recyclable or not. Must be a lot of contaminated batches of recyclable paper if it isn't.

 

[endecotp]

Apparently some thermal receipt paper is now recyclable, and the proportion is likely to increase as the problematic chemicals in the older papers are being banned in various jurisdictions. I‘ve no idea how this applies to UK rail tickers. See e.g. https://www.possupply.com/is-thermal-paper-recyclable

 

[Bedpan]

I'd never heard this before! I've always ended up shredding my till receipts and my train tickets go in the shredder too.

 

[Ducatist4]

I was chatting to the manager of a waste recycling company a while ago - in terms of paper all they want is clean white paper. Anything else costs them more to process than its worth.
Many councils contractors cannot process shredded paper either. Nottinghamshire for example (where i live) require it to be put in the normal bin although small amounts can go in your compost bin.
Re train tickets - As of early 2023 EMR are now issuing paper tickets (and other documents) if you buy on the train (even though you are not allowed to do that any more....).

 

[dgl]

Re train tickets - As of early 2023 EMR are now issuing paper tickets (and other documents) if you buy on the train (even though you are not allowed to do that any more....).

Though its almost certain that they are thermally printed so probably no more recyclable than regular tickets.

 

[Deafdoggie]

As of early 2023 EMR are now issuing paper tickets (and other documents) if you buy on the train (even though you are not allowed to do that any more....).

What aren't you allowed to do? And from when? I'm unaware of any retail rule changes. If the station you join at is unstaffed you can buy on the train. Hence guards sell tickets.

 

[156421]

What aren't you allowed to do? And from when? I'm unaware of any retail rule changes. If the station you join at is unstaffed you can buy on the train. Hence guards sell tickets.

Indeed, I think this ban on boarding without a ticket (or "promise to pay" docket) applies to Northern only.

 

[Ducatist4]

If you board a train without holding a valid ticket then you are in breach of the Conditions of Travel and liable to prosecution unless you have a specifically defined good reason for not having a ticket. Being unable to buy a ticket at the station with cash because there is no open ticket office and no working ticket machine is one of these reasons, but even then you might be required to obtain a (free) "Permit to Travel" ticket from a machine prior to boarding a train.

It was common place on my local line to buy on the train even when all the stations have machines. Not any more - you'll get a penalty fare instead - I've seen it happen quite a few times.

 

[mpthomson]

I have always assumed them to be non recyclable - I use them for book marks then bin them

I use mine in the slots in hotels that normally require a card key to turn the lights on, and then bin them, if I'm away from home on business.

 

[Typhoon]

If you board a train without holding a valid ticket then you are in breach of the Conditions of Travel and liable to prosecution unless you have a specifically defined good reason for not having a ticket. Being unable to buy a ticket at the station with cash because there is no open ticket office and no working ticket machine is one of these reasons, but even then you might be required to obtain a (free) "Permit to Travel" ticket from a machine prior to boarding a train.

I can't remember the last time I saw one of those, obviously they must still exist elsewhere. I used to use them quite regularly when the nearest ticket office was closed during opening hours (about half the time) - not popular with rail staff.

I try and keep one of the tickets (preferably the return) as a record of the journey (I might even write on it). Occasionally use them as book marks. Leads me to wonder what operators do with them - they must have stacks.

 

[6Gman]

I can't remember the last time I saw one of those, obviously they must still exist elsewhere. I used to use them quite regularly when the nearest ticket office was closed during opening hours (about half the time) - not popular with rail staff.

I try and keep one of the tickets (preferably the return) as a record of the journey (I might even write on it). Occasionally use them as book marks. Leads me to wonder what operators do with them - they must have stacks.

Put them in the trade waste I would assume.

 

[DarloRich]

I use mine in the slots in hotels that normally require a card key to turn the lights on, and then bin them, if I'm away from home on business.

Does that actually work?

 

[ivorytoast28]

Does that actually work?

Any card works in those hotel slots, it is only acting as a pressure activated switch

 

[AdamWW]

Any card works in those hotel slots, it is only acting as a pressure activated switch

Almost always. I've stayed in a hotel that used RFID cards with a reader in the slot in the room for the card.

Manchester University library used to have barriers into which one put ones university ID to enter. Except that they just had a microswitch in the bottom of the slot and anything about the right shape would do.

 

[yorksrob]

I was chatting to the manager of a waste recycling company a while ago - in terms of paper all they want is clean white paper. Anything else costs them more to process than its worth.
Many councils contractors cannot process shredded paper either. Nottinghamshire for example (where i live) require it to be put in the normal bin although small amounts can go in your compost bin.
Re train tickets - As of early 2023 EMR are now issuing paper tickets (and other documents) if you buy on the train (even though you are not allowed to do that any more....).

Sod all use for the re-cycling public then.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

I use mine in the slots in hotels that normally require a card key to turn the lights on, and then bin them, if I'm away from home on business.

Does that actually work?

Any card works in those hotel slots, it is only acting as a pressure activated switch

Even "bog roll" type tickets?

Every day's a school day here on Railforums UK.

 

[AndrewE]

Even "bog roll" type tickets?
Every day's a school day here on Railforums UK.

I am sure they can all be recycled through a compost heap. A simple orange ticket with a magnetic stripe is just paper with a little bit of iron oxide on the back, nothing very dangerous there. I'm also sure that thermal paper is OK (nowadays) I found online

"Once in the environment BPA is aerobically biodegraded by a wide a variety of organisms. Its half life in water has been estimated at between 4.5 and 15 days, degradation in the air is faster than this, while soil samples degrade more slowly."

Given that the purpose of worm composting is the ability of worms and their associated microbes to break down organic wastes, this seems like a case in favor of worm composting for BPA coated paper. If you are looking for some place with the right organisms to break this stuff down, I would look in the worm bin first

so I happily put almost all paper in mine.

 

[bakerstreet]

Earlier thread may be of interest https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/£quarter-of-a-million-investment-in-orange-ccst-by-rdg.244005/

From Rail magazine (Issue 976)

Orange tickets are now greener

Rail passengers who buy a total of 500 million orange paper tickets every year will not notice the difference, but the solvent used in the black magnetic strip on the reverse has been changed

It is now water-based to reduce its environmental impact by 87%, in a £230,000 investment by the

 

[cool110]

Even "bog roll" type tickets?

Every day's a school day here on Railforums UK.

Give then a few loose folds and they'll be springy enough to do the job.

 

[mpthomson]

Does that actually work?

Yes, it's just a pressure switch. Anything hotel key/ credit card sized works. there are a few hotels that have RFID keys, but they tend to be the very expensive ones.

 

[DarloRich]

Yes, it's just a pressure switch. Anything hotel key/ credit card sized works. there are a few hotels that have RFID keys, but they tend to be the very expensive ones.

Thanks! I knew it was a pressure switch but wasn't sure a ticket would exert enough pressure. I have used various plastic cards to keep the lights on but never a train ticket. Will give it a go!