Recycling going to waste

Nathan Parker, left, learns the recyling ropes from Eric Jebb. Photo / John Borren

More than 470,000 rubbish bags were picked up by collectors in 2013/14 but more than half of that rubbish could be recycled, Tauranga City Council said.

Waste minimisation programme leader Rebecca Maiden said in 2012/13 contractors took away 392,500 stickered bags but that number increased to 471,500 the next year.

Recyclable products inside the bags included paper (11 per cent), glass (4 per cent), steel (2 per cent) and plastics (2 per cent).

"In addition, while not considered traditional recycling, food and garden waste accounts for about 46 per cent of the weight of a rubbish bag. This could be easily treated onsite or at the local composting facility removing the need to dispose via landfill."

Dangerous items were also being thrown out with paint and hot ashes on the banned list.

"The most important item to remove from the bags is broken objects as it causes harm to the collector."

On the flipside, recycling was up with 6002 tonnes collected compared with 5848 tonnes in 2012/13.

Bottles, paper, cardboard, glass, steel, concrete, car tyres, textiles and untreated timber could be diverted.

The composting facility at Te Maunga Resource Recovery Park was another popular venue, she said. "Tauranga has had a garden organics composting service since 1993."

In December, more than two tonnes of coffee grounds were diverted from the landfill under its Cafe Coffee Grounds Collection Pilot Project.

Otumoetai resident Eric Jebb was showing his grandson, Nathan Parker, the ropes at the recovery park and said it was important to recycle.

The pair had a plastic tub full of jars, bottles and tins, and cardboard lunch boxes and paper.

Mr Jebb said he visited the station about once a month.

Pilot Bay Clean Up co-ordinator Leigh Pettigrew said it was not possible for a lot of people to take recycling to the transfer station.

"There are a lot of issues at stake here. Everybody wants to pass it on but no one wants to take ownership. How much is the individual prepared to pay to recycle? I mean we would all love to do it but there is a cost."

The council rubbish bags were also too flimsy, he said.

"The bags are not strong enough to carry the rubbish in a lot of cases. The council desperately needs to supply a bag that is a lot stronger... it's a huge annoyance."

Ms Maiden said the council would review its Joint Waste Management and Minimisation Plan with the Western Bay of Plenty District Council this year.

In 2013/14
*An average of 633kg of rubbish was generated per person
*577 tonnes of rubbish was collected each week
*144 tonnes of recycling was picked up each week
*808 tonnes a week of rubbish went to the landfill each week
*177 tonnes of recycling went to the transfer station each week
* Tauranga City Council

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