WAIRARAPA people are still not getting the message about recycling, according to Waste Management Wairarapa chairman Michael Blundell.
After a free dumping day in Masterton last Saturday, Mr Blundell said estimates were made that up to 25 per cent of rubbish brought to the tip face could have been recycled.
"We have
tried very hard, with advertising and campaigns, but still the message is not getting through."
Mr Blundell said the he feels the reason people are still not recycling is "hard to put into words" but has a lot to do with attitude and education problems.
In addition to being chairman of Waste Management Wairarapa, Mr Blundell said recycling has also become something of a personal crusade, and he believes people should be thinking hard about minimising waste ? especially now.
He said the facilities are all in place for people to recycle, which should mean it is in fact easier ? and cheaper ? for people to limit the amount of waste they need to take to the new transfer station.
"Now is really the time to be making a difference. People need to think about the fact that every truck load we don't take out of the district saves ratepayers money."
Mr Blundell said he suspects one of the reasons people do not recycle is that it is more convenient to put rubbish in a bag or a wheely bin "and then it's gone".
"I liken rubbish, or residual waste, to sewage. When you buy something new it's all in a nice bag, but when you're finished that bag is rubbish.
"It's the same with sewage. If there's even just a speck of dirt in our water we don't want anything to do with it, but when we're finished with the dishes, or pull the chain, people don't care any more."
Mr Blundell, who is also a Carterton district councillor, said both the Masterton and Carterton district councils are still heading for a target of zero waste by the year 2015, but he feels their message will need to be "re-jigged" to realistically reach that goal.
"Recycling is free but rubbish costs truckloads, and we need to get that message across."
He said all the recycling facilities are in place for people's convenience, and if they don't make use of these facilities, Waste Management Wairarapa will have to focus on further public education programmes.
Waste Management Wairarapa will continue to conduct audits of the new transfer station to keep track of what is going into the region's waste.
