Look what recycling can do

WELL DONE: Ray and Margaret Woolley accepting their new farmbike from Agrecovery's Toni Bye. Also pictured are David Travers (Kaitaia Motorcycles) and Ange Curle (Farmlands Kaitaia).

It's taken Ray Woolley 76 years to win anything of any great value, but last week he broke his duck in style.

He and his wife Margaret were invited to Farmlands in Kaitaia to collect their prize in an Agrecovery recycling promotion, Kick-start your winter clean-up, a Suzuki DR200 Trojan farmbike.

The couple, who own an avocado orchard at Pukenui, were delighted with their win, Ray saying he was looking forward to racing down 90 Mile Beach with a whopping great snapper on the back.

It had been a while - 65 years - since he had ridden on two wheels though, so he would be easing himself into it, while Margaret's experience of two wheels went no further than riding a bicycle.

The promotion was aimed at drawing new participants into the recycling of plastics used in the primary industries, Ray saying he had read about the programme in the industry magazine 'Avoscene,' which provided details of container collection sites nationwide, including Farmlands in Kaitaia.

"Margaret and I have always had green principles, recycling through the council when they first introduced recycling depots in the early '80s," he said.

"We bought the avocado orchard as a retirement block, and quickly realised the need to recycle empty plastic chemical containers. Farmlands staff always greet us with a smile, and it's great to deal with such enthusiastic supporters of the Agrecovery programme. They really believe, support and encourage good farming practices."

And they would needed no further inducement to continue recycling their containers.

"The system is so easy; everyone, without exception, should be supporting this great initiative, ensuring we keep our clean green image," he added.

"World markets demand these policies from exporters, and NZ GAP certification is now a necessary qualification to ensure farmers uphold these standards/practices and meet their obligations to recycle empty chemical containers and dispose of obsolete agrichemicals.

"Winning this wonderful Suzuki farmbike feels like a fitting reward for taking on the personal responsibility of keeping New Zealand the way we like it."