Bin there, done that? Our recent recycling changes.
Was it just me? But, there didn’t seem to be much of a song and dance made about the new national recycling standards the slipped into effect on February 1st. Personally, I think it’s great, no need to remember different rules when we are away from home as recycling is now standardised through out the whole of Aotearoa New Zealand. The changes aim to encourage more recycling and reduce contamination by material that can’t be used. The government is estimating that the standardisation of kerbside recycling will divert an extra 53,000 tonnes of recycling (that is usually thrown in our rubbish bins) each year.
So what does that mean for us here on the Peninsula? Well not huge amount has actually changed for us here, but in light of March 18 being Global Recycling Day, I thought I’d share a quick run down on the dos and don’ts for recycling.
What CAN be recycled:
Glass bottles and jars (Green Bin)
As long as they are clean and don’t have lids. Lids are too small for the machinery at the recycling centre to sort and remove. Wine bottle tops can be collected and recycled for Kidney Kids, I drop mine into Richardson’s Real Estate in Whitianga.
Avoid putting these in your green bin - Glass bottles and jars used for medicines, Glass cookware, Drinking glasses, mugs, plates and jugs, Lightbulbs, Window glass, Broken glass.
Paper and cardboard (Yellow Bin)
Clean and plastic free. So do put your pizza boxes, as long as you’ve removed the food, if its stuck on, just rip the top off and put in your general rubbish (or which ever bit has the food on it) and recycle the rest. Window envelopes are ok, but not big plastic windows like you get on some cereal or past boxes.
Here’s a few things to avoid putting in your paper recycling - Drink cartons such as those used for some juices or long-life milk (these can be recycled, but not kerbside). Potato chip tubes, takeaway coffee cups, foil- based wrapping, cards or wrapping with glitter, shredded paper, because it’s too small to recycle, tissues and paper towels, as these are usually contaminated with unrecyclable residues.
Plastic bottles, trays and containers – grades 1, 2 & 5 only (Yellow bin)
Empty and clean, with no lid. If the label says so – remove it before recycling.
Avoid putting these things in your recycling bin - Bottles you normally find in the garage or garden shed (containing things such as pesticides, motor coolant or engine oil), plastics with no number or numbered 3, 4, 6 or 7, containers greater than 4 litres in size, compostable or biodegradable bottles, lids, including pumps and spray bottle tops.
Tin, steel and aluminum cans (Yellow Bin)
Most drink cans and food tins can be recycled. Rinse them to make sure they are clean. Leave the lids attached to the tins so they can be recycled too. Loose metal / tin lids and bottle caps are too small to be picked up by the sorting machinery. The following can’t be recycled kerbside – paint cans, oversized tins and cans larger than 4 litres and other metai items like pots, pans, aerossols and foil.
So what CAN’T go in your recycling bins from February 1st?
Items less than 50mm – we are talking bottle caps, plastic tops, small comsmetic or prescription bottles, spice containers etc)
Aerosol cans (steel and aluminium)
Plastics 3,4,6,7 and any unidentified plastic. If you are not 100% sure, then put it in the rubbish.
Aluminium foil and trays
All lids
Items over 4 litres in size (like olive oil cans or water bottles etc)
Liquid Paperboard –tetrapaks or juice boxes, these can be washed, flattened and recycled at the Seagull Centre in Thames.
Soft plastics – take these to the dropoff points around the region. In Whitianga this includes – TCDC council office, the Whitianga Refuse Transfer Station, Countdown supermarket, new World Supermarket and the Warehouse. If you are looking for a location near you, then visit www.recycling.kiwi.nz for a list.
March 18 is Global Recycling Day
To recognise Global Recycling Day the Wāhi Tukurua team will be at the Whiti Citi Market on Saturday March 16th from 9am. We will be collecting hand held e-waste and batteries (gold coin donation for these items) along with promoting all things recycling and a couple of exciting ne initatives. So do pop along and say hello.
At Wāhi Tukurua our vision is a Coromandel Peninsula in which waste minimisation is a part of our DNA. By leading the way and establishing pathways for our community to choose and prioritise meaningful waste reduction, we aim to encourage, stimulate and promote reuse, recycling, and refurbishment everywhere. Reach out to Wahi Tukurua if you’d like to know more about our approach, campaign or outcomes.
