MEDIA RELEASE
10 April 2001

RECYCLING PROVES A HIT

The first week of household recycling in Manukau was a runaway success. Everyone wanted a piece of the action.

Collectors estimate that around 90 per cent of all Manukau households put out their bins last week.

Also, they picked up approximately double the quantity of materials they expected.

“It’s been more successful than we ever imagined,” said chairman of the Council's Environmental Management Committee, Councillor Noel Burnside. “Well done, Manukau. You’ve done well!”

Collectors battled atrocious weather, sometimes well into the night, to empty the green bins put out by Manukau people last week. They also struggled at times to keep up with the avalanche of plastics, glass, cans and tins that residents recycled.

Cr Burnside says there was a huge increase in the amount of paper and card recycled, even though paper recycling has been underway in most parts of Manukau for several years.

“We expect it will take two to three weeks for collections to settle down. The collectors are still getting used to their rounds, and householders are still learning what they can and cannot put in their green bins.”

He says rubbish and recycling days will change for many Manukau households over the next three weeks to accommodate public holidays. People who would normally put their green bins and rubbish bags out on Friday this week (Good Friday) should put them out on Saturday.

Everyone’s collections will be a day later next week, because Monday is a public holiday.

In the following week, rubbish and recycling collections will be back to normal on Monday and Tuesday. However, there will be no collections on Wednesday, 25 April, because it is Anzac Day. Collections will therefore be a day later than normal for people whose rubbish is usually collected on a Wednesday, Thursday or Friday.

Cr Burnside says there are several things people could do to help collectors:

- Squash plastic bottles and put the lids back on them, to make more room in the bins and on the recycling trucks. And, if it is windy, put the lighter pastics on the bottom of the bin.

- Keep paper out of the bins – paper needs to be put out beside the bin, either tied securely in a bundle or in a plastic bag or cardboard box.

- Don’t forget to recycle aluminium cans as well as tins, plastics and glass. That includes soft drink and beer cans.
Ends

For more information contact
Patricia Facenfield
Environmental Management Group
Ph 262 8900 ext 8686

© Scoop Media