What a load of Rubbish!

Tonnes of rubbish end up in our landfills every week even though many of us try to recycle as much as we can. 

We use the Wairarapa Black and Yellow bins. We sort our paper, cardboard, cans, and plastics 1, 2 and 5; and put them in the recycling bins to go to the Masterton Recycling centre, the largest recycling centre in NZ and built to European standards. 

But Red Wheelie bins, and Yellow plastic bags go straight to the landfill. 

According to the statistics, 97% of New Zealanders have access to recycling facilities. But only 58% of recyclable items make it to recycling facilities. This creates a vast gap. How can we keep the tonnes of rubbish out of our landfills? 

How some of our local businesses are preventing waste.

Connor Kershaw, from Pain and Kershaw and Mitre 10 says they are committed to recycling as much as they can. Cardboard is compressed and recycled. Most paper and some soft plastics are recycled. Paper bags replace plastic where possible. 

When the new premises is opened, P and K will be participating in a Bulk Soft Plastic Scheme where the plastics will be recycled to produce new items. One example of this will be the bollards for the new carpark, which will be made from recycled plastic. 

Knucklebones 

Amanda Zoet from Knucklebones says their policy is to have a waste chain that is one big circle. They try to recycle everything they use. Coffee cups, chia bowls and lids are biodegradable. Takeaway items are placed in paper bags. Food waste is composted. Juice and glass bottles are recycled. 

Poppies  

Shane Hammond maintains that the best defence against waste is simply not to use one off packaging. Their suppliers, who deliver goods in containers, collect and reuse them again. Cardboard, glass, tin, and plastics are taken directly to the recycling centre. Napkins, hand soaps and toilet paper are naturally biodegradable products. 

South Wairarapa District Council

Bryce Neems from the SWDC says that 95% of the recycled glass bottles go to an Auckland Company where they are turned into glass jars. 30 tonnes of glass are recycled weekly. All green waste delivered to the Transfer stations is mulched and turned into compost, which is then resold. 

But the items which cannot or haven’t been recycled are transported to the Palmerston North Landfill. Costs for this service are escalating to $20.00 a tonne next year. In just one week of March, 315 yellow bags and 1,820kgs of rubbish went to the landfill. 

Stop the Rot

If New Zealanders stopped a billion plastic bags going to the landfill in just one year, then we could do more. Recycle bottles, cans, and Plastics 1, 2 and 5. Try not to use one off products. Reduce what you need. Reuse what you can. Rehome what you no longer want. Compost your green waste. Help to keep the Wairarapa clean and green.

Lyle Griffiths