A truckload of household rubbish was tipped at the foot of Auckland Town Hall yesterday to show not all residents are doing their bit to cut the amount of household refuse being buried in a landfill.
Auckland Council arranged for the contents of 35 recycling bins to go on display in Aotea Square to back up its claims that 10 per cent of material put in recycling bins is rubbish.
Councillor George Wood said the public airing in Aotea Square showed that many people did not know what should be put out for recycling. Mixed rubbish and material for recycling went to the dump and was costing the council more than $1 million a year in charges, said Mr Wood, who is chairman of the regional strategy and policy committee.
It has approved an education campaign to try to stop plastic bags, meat trays, food waste, clothing and batteries being mixed with glass, plastics, paper and cans, which can be processed.
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Advertise with NZME.Many thought polystyrene meat trays were recyclable, when they were not.
Solid waste manager Ian Stupple said the council planned to spread "pay as you throw" across the region over the next few years.
Under the plan, all residents would pay per lift according to the volume of the refuse receptacle used, while the cost of collecting true recyclable items and organic waste would come out of council rates.
On the web: makethemostofwaste.co.nz
