Hamilton announces new era in how city's recyclables are handled

The new plant will use mechanical and manual processes to sort recyclables into bales of paper, cardboard, plastic, aluminium and metals. Image / Supplied

When Hamilton's new four-bin kerbside rubbish and recycling collection service starts next year the city will also get a new $10 million centre in Te Rapa to handle and sort it all.

Hamilton City Council announced today that July 2020 will mark not only the start of the new collection service but also a new era in how our recyclables are handled.

The council's new rubbish and recycling contractor, EnviroWaste, will build the new facility in Sunshine Avenue, Te Rapa.

It will be a key piece in the city's goal to increase recycling from 29 per cent to 50 per cent by weight, as outlined in the HCC Waste Management and Minimisation Plan.

A material recovery facility (MRF) is a specialised plant that uses mechanical and manual processes to sort recyclables into bales of paper, cardboard, plastic, aluminium and metals.

Construction of the 2155 sq m processing facility is in full swing, with completion due in time for Hamilton's new kerbside service rollout on July 1 2020.

The new facility will process approximately 8000 tonnes of unsorted material from kerbside collections and commercial operators each year, the council says in a statement.

Recyclables will be sorted and compacted into bales before being sent for repurposing – Hamilton's recyclables are currently transported out of town for sorting. The council statement did not say to where the bales of recycling will be sent.

The new MRF will create approximately 10 jobs, and comes amid a major change in Hamilton's kerbside collection service, with the introduction of separate wheelie bins for rubbish and recycling, and a new food scraps bin.

City Waters Unit Manager Maire Porter says the investment in a Hamilton-based MRF recognises that more recycling means less rubbish ending up in landfill, which will reduce landfill costs.

"This is a transformational change to one of the council's most important services," says Mrs Porter.

"Our contract with EnviroWaste will provide Hamilton with a leading rubbish and recycling collection service that delivers what residents have been asking for – a service that's better for the environment by making it easier for residents to recycle."

Commercial manager at EnviroWaste, Glen Jones, says their facility is the first of its kind in Hamilton, paving the way for a broader range of recycling initiatives.

"We intend to help identify additional community recycling opportunities to ensure we make full use of the facility," says Mr Jones.

• Visit fightthelandfill.co.nz, for more information on the new smarter, greener and cleaner kerbside rubbish and recycling service and how it will help reduce the city's waste footprint.