A Word from the Mayor: Managing our waste

Managing our waste:

Dealing with the waste we all produce is challenging, but increasingly important, so I was keen to offer my thoughts on recycling within the Hurunui District.

As members of our community we can all do our bit to help, by ensuring only those items we can recycle are dropped off at the transfer stations or placed in the recycle bags, otherwise contamination could cause an entire load to be rejected for recycling and sent to landfill.

International markets for recycling are getting stricter and with new regulations due to come into effect, and this will control or ban the export of some plastics. In preparation for this only rigid plasticbottles and containers numbered 1, 2 and 5 are now recycled and as always these must be empty, rinsed and clean with their lids placed in the rubbish.

Plastics 3,4,6 and 7 or soft plastics (those you can scrunch) are not recyclable and must go in the rubbish, remember if you cannot find a number on your bottle or container do not “wish-cycle” throw it out. Soft plastics are the biggest contaminator of recycling in Hurunui.

In my opinion this offers us as consumers an opportunity to rethink our purchasing choices and opt out of buying plastics we cannot recycle. These actions will make a difference and should be considered and encouraged by us all.

It is important that all recycling is clean, this includes cans, paper and cardboard. An easy example to share is that of pizza boxes due to the grease spoiling the cardboard fibres it cannot be accepted nor recycled.

At all the Transfer stations in the Hurunui district we are fortunate to have committed staff who are willing and able to provide guidance and information on these matters, another source of information is able to be accessed on the HDC website.

In our district we pride ourselves on our excellent track record for recycling and I hope this continues long into the future – what you do makes a difference - together we can make responsible and deliberate decisions that contribute to positive outcomes.

Marie Black

Mayor