Whanganui Environment Base, WhEB, to reopen soon after lockdown

WRRC staff have the WhEB covered to prevent dumping in the porch.

Sustainable Whanganui is gearing up to reopen its Whanganui Environment Base (WhEB) after nine weeks out of action.

It is likely the WhEB will reopen next week but a decision has yet to be made about which day.

The much-loved ReUse Academy (RUA) will operate differently from before, opening at 10am and closing at 1pm. Initially, visitors will not be able to walk in from the road.

Sustainable Whanganui trustees and WhEBsters (volunteers who work at the WhEB) spent last week discussing how to operate under alert level 2 rules, cleaning and sorting. They also tidied up the sculpture garden.

Physical distancing is still essential, so the number of people inside the premises will be limited to one person per RUA room.

"Please follow the instructions of WhEBsters and WRRC staff," says trustee Lyn Pearson.

"We want visitors to feel safe as they browse for items," adds honorary adviser Robin Williamson.

"We need to keep our volunteers safe too, so we'll be doing our best to make the new arrangements work.

"People who've had a clean-out at home may bring items in. But please be kind and take responsibility for your rubbish. Dumping is not permitted."

WRRC staff have the WhEB covered to prevent dumping in the porch.

The Whanganui Resource Recovery Centre (WRRC) opened its front gate last Friday so vehicles can drive through the gate to park around the back as well as to the street-facing collection slots.

WRRC manager Dale Cobb and his team have been managing the new system and traffic has flowed well to both sides of the site.

The one-person-per-vehicle rule for recycling still applies, as during alert level 3. This maintains physical distancing consistent with workplace Covid-19 policies.

People dropping off green waste must now enter through the front gate. Payment is by eftpos only. Scrap metal, whiteware and e-waste can now be accepted and Easy Earth bins can be swapped.

Please check the Sustainable Whanganui and WRRC websites and Facebook pages for updates.