Banana skin etiquette

getprg

So - I finish my banana whilst riding and then dispose of the skin by throwing it - usually over a dry stone wall into the nearest field assuming that it is

a) Biodegradeable, therefore
b) Not litter and
c) Harmless to animals (sheep and cows round here)

But am I right on all three? Any policemen, council officials or farmers on here want to put me straight?

Thanks

byke68

Any unsuspecting calf or lamb could slip on your discarded banana skin. You should be reported to the RSPCA and handed over to the animals owner and let him dish out some justice.
If you threw it whilst cycling through a built-up area, it could have been a chav stepping on it = result
Still, it's better than having a sticky mess in your jersey/jacket pocket.

ben16v

fling it - its fine!

edited to say - in a rural area over a hedge etc

daviesee

I am none of the above but AFAIK, you are correct on "a" and "c" but you could get done for "b", if caught.

StefanP

It takes 2-5 weeks for a banana skin to decompose, apparently. Some people might argue its harmful for screwing up concentrations of potassium in the soil, but i think thats a little finicky and you'd have to be throwing a lot of 'nana skins at exactly the same point in the ground.

redvee

If I eat a banana out in the sticks then it tends to go over a hedge etc, I used to do the same with apple cores but keep the crisp packets with me when out in the van at work.

oldhairylegs

There is something strangely satisfying about lobbing a banana skin over a hedge whilst out riding.... or is it just me :?:

martinwitnam

It's better to dispose of a banana skin than it is a gel sachet or chewy bar wrapper!

martinwitnam

And what is more satisfying is being on the front of the bunch and throwing your banana skin straight up in the air and it landing within the bunch.
Only joking as I never get off the front. I'm not fast enough!!!!

Gizmodo

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/south_east/8331211.stm

A man who threw a banana skin from his car has been ordered to pay £340, and the council which caught him is warning others of its zero tolerance to litter.

Rhondda Cynon Taf's service director for street care, Nigel Wheeler said the council was keen to educate people about what constituted litter, including items such as banana skins.
"We class it as litter. I understand that people might think it's biodegradable," he said.
"But the banana skin could be on a pavement, someone could slip on it. If they're throwing it, it's classed as litter."

Ron Stuart

Not in built up areas/gardens/parks but fine out in the countryside, best thrown away from view and it will turn brown and look like leaf litter in no time at all.
I can see the problem in towns etc but the scale of the fine was OTT.

king_jeffers

Its rubbish, take it home.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2 ... s-scotland

The Little Onion

The slow rate for rotting bananas cited in the above article refers to banans left on top of mountains (cold, acidic environments) - they will be much faster if flung into a hedgerow at most altitudes. Plus they go black within a few days so don't stick out.

I fling, but wait until there is a good thick hedgerow or similar first. I live on a narrow rural lane which gets fair numbers of riders. Banana pollution isn't a problem - the real issue is the enormous amounts of horse poo that gets deposited every weekend. I think we should make horseriders take their litter home.

neeb

The Little Onion wrote:

The slow rate for rotting bananas cited in the above article refers to banans left on top of mountains (cold, acidic environments) - they will be much faster if flung into a hedgerow at most altitudes. Plus they go black within a few days so don't stick out.

I fling, but wait until there is a good thick hedgerow or similar first.

+1. Nothing wrong with throwing the odd banana, orange skin etc into a fertile lowland habitat with plenty vegetation (e.g. a hedgerow), just exercise some sensitivity and don't do it in built-up areas or people's gardens... It will decompose naturally and be better off there than in a landfill.

On the other hand, never leave skins, food etc in montane or very acidic semi-natural habitats with short vegetation, e.g. up a mountain or in a nice bog. It will take ages to decompose, during which time it will be an eyesore, and it will also disrupt the nutrient balance of the habitat (albeit on a very small scale...). These sorts of places have specialised plants growing in them that are adapted to low-nutrient conditions, and adding a banana skin is a bit like adding fertilizer... Nothing worse than climbing a munro in Scotland and finding the summit scattered with months-old orange peel!

Redhog14

neeb wrote:

The Little Onion wrote:

The slow rate for rotting bananas cited in the above article refers to banans left on top of mountains (cold, acidic environments) - they will be much faster if flung into a hedgerow at most altitudes. Plus they go black within a few days so don't stick out.

I fling, but wait until there is a good thick hedgerow or similar first.

+1. Nothing wrong with throwing the odd banana, orange skin etc into a fertile lowland habitat with plenty vegetation (e.g. a hedgerow), just exercise some sensitivity and don't do it in built-up areas or people's gardens... It will decompose naturally and be better off there than in a landfill.

On the other hand, never leave skins, food etc in montane or very acidic semi-natural habitats with short vegetation, e.g. up a mountain or in a nice bog. It will take ages to decompose, during which time it will be an eyesore, and it will also disrupt the nutrient balance of the habitat (albeit on a very small scale...). These sorts of places have specialised plants growing in them that are adapted to low-nutrient conditions, and adding a banana skin is a bit like adding fertilizer... Nothing worse than climbing a munro in Scotland and finding the summit scattered with months-old orange peel!

This^

Bannanas are cultivated in a much warmer climate as are Oranges, in Scotland in particular the "etiquette" amongst hillwalkers etc is to take the bannana skin etc home.

That said I was on the Mennock Pass in Dumfries and Galloway this weekend and disgusted at the volume of proper garbage that people supposedly "wild camping" left behind. Totally ruining was should be a stunning piece of road like Glencoe in miniature. Bannana skins would have been the least of the worries there.

martinwitnam

Some time back I was riding with a Scandanavian rider and he was saying that over there horse riders have to carry a bucket and shovel to clean up after their horse.
Why is it acceptable over here for a horse to crap on the road and for the said crap to be left behind but if I drop a banana skin I can be prosecuted?

Peddle Up!

I look out for a fat and pompous man striding along the pavement, then slip it under one of his feet. For comedic effect.

cornerblock

You need to carry an 'early warning banana skin accident prevention kit',

Ron Stuart

A banana rapper is the least of the countries problems when it comes to litter and one of the most disgusting sights to behold on the streets of Britain is some of the British.

neeb

Ron Stuart wrote:

A banana rapper is the least of the countries problems when it comes to litter and one of the most disgusting sights to behold on the streets of Britain is some of the British.

Agreed, although fortunately the more disgusting Brits rarely make it to the tops of remote mountains unless there's a cable car (which is one good reason for climbing them), and the people that do are usually sensitive enough not to leave non-organic litter (but may not know that it's not a good idea to leave organic litter either).

But yes, there are large areas of the U.K. that would be somewhat improved aesthetically by a continuous carpet of nicely decomposing banana skins...

byke68

Peddle Up! wrote:

I look out for a fat and pompous man striding along the pavement, then slip it under one of his feet. For comedic effect.

Once saw a little old lady step onto a banana skin, it was hilarious!

madtam

Banana skins I would probably take home. But it's a close run thing as they do seem to decompose pretty quickly in normal UK conditions and do brown/blacken to be less obtrusive quite quickly. Orange skins are definitely litter as they last for ages and really look an eyesore for a long time. Apple cores do get flung into hedgebottoms etc as they are pretty unobtrusive in hours and generally seem to disappear fastest of all.
No plastic waste of any kind (no matter how small) should ever be flung/dropped, even if it is just goinf back to be put into landfill.

lemon63

Just throw your 'nana skins in the nearest field, sheep love 'em.

Frank the tank

'Nana skins get chucked when in the countryside, bar wrappers taken home or binned, Gel foils first available bin.

pinno

Redhog14 wrote:

That said I was on the Mennock Pass in Dumfries and Galloway this weekend and disgusted at the volume of proper garbage that people supposedly "wild camping" left behind. Totally ruining was should be a stunning piece of road like Glencoe in miniature. Bannana skins would have been the least of the worries there.

I live in this region and the litter is awful. I travel the length and bredth of it regularly and I think its the worst county in Scotland for litter. Why the fecking locals have such disregard for this beautiful county I have no idea. This is the same bunch that will go all patriotic and start shouting Scotland the Brave and alll that but they treat their environment with so much contempt. Go North to Inverness or Perthshire and its a lot cleaner. I won't tell you what they put in our 'Can Banks', it will put you off your dinner.
Bit off the trail of banana skins, sorry.

Bordersroadie

My riding's all rural so I generally fling but I had a banana-stop in a nice wee town called Lauder the other day. I decided not to fling it into the nearby Scotland-in-bloom exhibit but wedge it onto the rolled-up gilet strapped to the rear of my saddle, for later flingage.

After a few seconds I forgot about it and over a few tens of miles it rapidly began to blacken in the sun. My previously Persil-white beautiful Gore gilet now has an indelible skid mark that looks like it's of an origin that has no connection to bananas. In future I'll find a bin if I'm in a town and need to fling.

natrix

Banana skins should be placed in little plastic bags, which are then tied and hung up in trees alongside all the little bags of doggy poo