A109 Light Utility Helicopter flight with mayor Gisborne City from the air in November 2023.
A109 Light Utility Helicopter flight with mayor Gisborne City from the air in November 2023.
Opinion
I RECENTLY saw an article online about the Environment Minister offering grants for tyre recycling ideas. It made me think about possible opportunities for Gisborne.
To help with unemployment and with our projected economic decline in the future due to lack of investment, Gisborne could build a tyre recycling plantlike the ones they have in Europe that make reinforced cement products that can then be used in road-making projects and for repairing pot holes. Apparently this can be done for a fraction of the price of traditional road products.
Having an industry like this based here in Gisborne means we help to grow our district by providing jobs and at the same time we get rid of the problem of what to do with the burden of old tyres filling up landfills and being dumped illegally — and we get to improve our shocking potholed roads.
I believe there is funding available of up to $50,000 from the Waste Minimisation Fund to research ideas for use for old tyres that is open until November 11, 2015. Surely this is something our local leaders would be interested in; attracting industry, reducing unemployment, reducing waste and growing economically?
This goes hand in hand with another idea I mentioned to Gisborne District Council in my input to the 10-year plan around reducing waste, which was to invest in a nappy recycling plant like the one they have in Christchurch. We can stop nappies being dumped into landfills and end up with a compost product that can be sold. So we can increase economic development and at the same time provide locals with jobs and reduce landfill waste.
Gisborne could become known as the recycling centre for the country. I believe we are limited only by the limited thinking in regard to the many opportunities there are available to our community.
We can grow Gisborne by investing in new industries that help to look after our beautiful country at the same time. Please tell me our council is looking into ways to reduce waste and to grow our economy.
