Extra recycling trucks to be used by Hastings District Council

Extra recycling trucks have been deployed by Hastings District Council in a bid to manage unprecedented levels generated during the festive season. Photo / Duncan Brown

Four extra recycling trucks have been deployed by the Hastings District Council to manage "unprecedented" levels generated over the festive season.

They believed there had been a 15 per cent increase on the volume of recycling compared with the same time last year.

However, delays have been ongoing.

Both HDC and Napier City council's contractors worked extended hours, as well as throughout the past weekend, to try to catch up and have continued to work hard to clear the backlog this week.

Despite this, the councils' contractors are still two days behind in the kerbside collection across both cities.

It is hoped the trucks will go someway to clearing the kerbside recycling backlog in Hastings over the next few days.

A council spokesman said the trucks had been sourced from the Maintenance Group, and students working at the council over the holidays were supporting other council staff and contractors in their efforts to get the recycling off the streets.

They will be picking up the cardboard and plastic separately to glass.

"Although not being picked up in sorting trucks, all material that can be recycled is being recycled, and residents are asked to help out by separating their cardboard/paper, plastics/tins and glass.

"As has been the case over the last few days, residents are asked to continue to leave their recycling out, well secured against the wind, as all efforts are made to catch up and clear the remaining recycling by the end of the week."