Huge jump in recycling; up from 28% to 74%

A trial of Council-supplied recycling bins has worked wonders, more than tripling the rate of recycling in the trial area.

Recycling bins were issued to 150 houses across four streets in Raureka in February. The recycling rate prior to the rollout of the bins in those streets was sitting at 28 per cent of homes.

Now, four months later, 74 per cent of homes are consistently recycling.

A champion of the project has been Raureka Community Trust chairwoman Sharnita Raheke.

She had worked with Council staff to encourage residents to take up the recycling challenge and help ensure they understand how to recycle.

“Most of the problem was that whanau did not realise they didn’t need a special bin to recycle. Having a bin does make a huge difference, and having one that has a list of things you can put in it on the side is even better.

“It’s so good. It means our families can save money because they don’t need as big a wheelie bin or as many rubbish bags; it also gives them more options for getting rid of rubbish so we shouldn’t get a build up at homes.”

From Council’s point of view, the more recycling the better. “The more we recycle, the less space we take up in our landfill which will help delay the need spend millions of dollars extending Omarunui Landfill. It is also much better for the environment,” said Hastings deputy mayor and chairwoman of the Joint Councils Waste Futures Project Steering Committee.

Discussions with residents, prior to the trial, showed the most common reasons given for not recycling were not knowing what could and could not be recycled, not knowing the day and time the recycling needed to be at the kerb, and thinking a special bin had to be used.

All that information was included on a sticker on the side of the bin and a flier that was given to residents when their crate was delivered.

The crates were funded through Council’s Waste Levy Funds, received from Ministry for the Environment.

The results of the trial will be added into the information being gathered for the Waste Future Project, a committee of the Hastings and Napier councils consider which is looking at how best to manage rubbish into the future.

ENDS

© Scoop Media