Kerbside clean up - well done South Waikato!
Released: Friday 20 November 2020
Since kicking off the recycling education campaign in July this year, contamination levels in household urban crates is near zero - a fantastic effort from urban households.
The first Monday in November revealed close to zero contamination in the Arapuni and Tīrau recycling collection run - a great effort. Putāruru and Tokoroa residents are also showing similar near zero contamination levels.
“We know it’s been a bit of a rough road for our residents, and there have been numerous frustrated calls to Council while residents get to grips with the new recycling rules,” said Phil Burt, Council’s Infrastructure and Maintenance Manager. “These rules are necessary to ensure that our recycling isn’t rejected by the processing plant.”
These results speak volumes for the tremendous collective effort of our urban residents and the high levels of care and responsibility almost everyone is taking regarding their recycling.
In the early days of the education and more stringent stickering regime upwards of 800 household crates district wide were stickered in a fortnight period. Compare that to the last fortnightly cycle in October when only 31 crates were stickered across the district!
The key contamination issues continue to be lids, bottles and caps, incorrect plastics and unwashed products.
Also on the positive side is the significantly lower levels of contamination at the recycling drop off zones in Tīrau, Putāruru and Tokoroa. Tīrau’s move to its new site and limited hours with the education officer on site has reduced contamination levels significantly. The new Tokoroa Transfer Station has also seen huge improvement, with near perfect coloured glass recycling.
Unfortunately continued abuse at the rural stations resulted in the Te Waotu and Kuranui stations closing. Council will be looking at possible alternatives for rural recycling.
Rural residents are encouraged to coincide their normal shopping trips into town with the urban recycling drop off zone opening days and times. These are on our website.
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