Graham Draper, Corrections Light Engineering Instructor, at the recycling plant station.
Graham Draper, Corrections Light Engineering Instructor, at the recycling plant station.
Tongariro Prison has implemented an innovative way to recycle excess cardboard waste at the site and turn it into a multi-use product for families and community groups.
According to a Department of Corrections press statement, a group of prisoners in the engineering workshop have been working to create a manufacturingand recycling station from metal benches, broken kitchen appliances and old lockers, to turn cardboard waste into fire bricks.
Prisoners also helped recycle an old bike and made a trailer so the work group can cycle the site and collect the cardboard from around the site for recycling.
"The initiative came about when we were investigating possible options for recycling and sustainability across the site, one of these being cardboard waste," said Assistant Prison Director Scott Walker.
"One of the unit Principal Corrections Officers came up with the idea of recycling our cardboard waste into fire bricks.
"Once the cardboard has been soaked in water and shredded up into smaller pieces it is placed into a brick mould and compressed to remove as much water as possible."
"Once it has dried out it can be placed in the fire," he said.
"It's a relatively straight forward exercise but needed the moulds and a workstation created so the project could operate effectively."
The fire bricks will be donated to local charities for them to put to good use in the community so they can keep warm over the winter months.
The benefit of the bricks doesn't stop once they have been burnt.
"The ashes from the fire can then be used to add calcium and alkalinity to the garden," said Mr Walker.
Working on this recycling project has enabled the prisoners to earn valuable and employable skills that they can use to gain employment upon release. Research showed that stable employment reduces the likelihood of re-offending
Graeme* is one of the prisoners who works in the engineering workshop and helped work on this initiative.
"It was great to be able to work on a project that contributes to recycling for the site and the opportunity to do welding training in the workshop has given me the experience and training to help find a job when I get out," he said.
Mr Walker said it was great to see the men getting into the project and how proud they were of what they are doing and the positive effects it would have for the site, the environment, and their communities.
