No more throwing out rubbish on Wanaka skifields

Treble Cone Skifield. Photo / Supplied

Wanaka skifields are getting rid of rubbish bins and asking those hitting the slopes to take their refuse home, all in the name of sustainability.

As well as being encouraged to reduce their waste, visitors to Cardrona Alpine Resort and Treble Cone Cardrona Area this season are also being asked to think about more sustainable forms of transport.

General manager Bridget Legnavsky said the ski areas have identified waste and transport as two areas requiring significant change from a sustainability perspective.

She said this winter there will be no rubbish bins at either resort and neither mountain will sell food or drink that have non-recyclable packaging that needs to go to the landfill.

Rubbish bins will be replaced by recycling and compost stations, with signs explaining the changes and staff members on hand to help visitors sort their waste, she said.

"We are asking everyone to think deeply about what they buy in the first place, the packaging it comes in, and the packaging you choose to bring up our mountains.

"If you need to bring single-use packaging, you will need to take that off the mountain with you."

To address transport emissions, both resorts will have free road shuttles from the bottom of each mountain) for the winter, she said.

The resorts were also encouraging carpooling by reserving parking spaces closest to each mountain base facilities for vehicles with three occupants or more until the car parks were filled.

Cardrona Alpine Resort opens for the winter on June 12, with Treble Cone following on June 25.