Recycle your writing instruments

Jack Johnston, Leo Ritani and Rhys Johnston are very proud of the special letterbox they designed and built at First Years Learning Centre in Gonville. Photo / Margi Keys

A typical New Zealander throws away dozens of pens a year, but all brands of pens and markers are 100 per cent recyclable through a TerraCycle partnership with pen manufacturer BIC.

The recycling giant sorts, shreds and melts writing instruments into plastic pellets to be used in other products such as garden beds, park benches and playgrounds.

First Years Learning Centre has been collecting writing instruments for almost a year.

The idea is to keep your worn-out pens and, when you have a small container full, put them in the special letterbox at 38 Smithfield Rd, Gonville.

"The children will be excited to see these being kept out of landfill," says owner manager Katrina Culhane.

Last week the writing instruments box was full for the fourth time since its installation in September 2019.

Katrina says, "We started a journey of becoming an Enviroschool.

"We wondered about changing things in our centre or helping the community make a change.

"Someone saw a Facebook post about that company which recycles writing materials.

"We thought this would be a great initiative to implement as writing instruments are in every home and workplace.

"The children came up with the letterbox design, created every element from the drawing, picking the types of wood, building it and decorating it as well as putting it in place out the front.

"It's checked each morning. There's lots of excitement when they see items in there!"

The Whanganui Resource Recovery Centre provides a collection point as well. Just ask a staff member.

The following can be recycled: pens, felt tips, highlighters, markers, mechanical pencil, correction pens and fluid pots, fountain pens, pen ink cartridges.

Please note the following are not accepted: glue sticks, rubbers, rulers, pencils and other sharp objects such as scissors.