Significant Step Towards Increasing Recycling

The most advanced recycling sorting facility in the southern hemisphere is being built to deal with Manukau and Auckland's recycling.

Manukau and Auckland city councils have awarded the contract for building and operating the facility to Visy Recycling New Zealand. Subject to resource consent approval, it will be built in Onehunga.

It is a key part of a new joint recycling service for Auckland and Manukau cities that will see residents use a new 240-litre mobile bin for all dry recyclable waste. Plastics numbered 1 to 7, glass, tins, cans, paper and cardboard will all be collected in the same bin. The bins will be collected fortnightly after July 2008.

The facility will incorporate the latest screening and optical sorting technology available for paper, glass and plastics. It will be able to sort 80,000 tonnes of recycling a year.

Manukau Mayor Sir Barry Curtis says the new service is expected to increase the volume of recycling by 15 to 25 per cent.

"This is a hugely significant step for recycling in New Zealand.

"Manukau and Auckland have almost 20 per cent of the country's population. With our residents recycling more, we will make a major contribution to New Zealand's efforts to reduce waste.

"We are setting the standard for the future of recycling in New Zealand. The new recycling service is the first stage of Manukau's vision for changing how we deal with waste. The facility is innovative and forward-looking, for example it has the capacity for other councils to bring their recycling here for processing.

"Making it easy is one of the most important factors in getting people to recycle more. This new one-bin service will do that."

Visy Recycling general manager Steven Boland says, "When the facility is complete, it will be one of the best anywhere in the world. It will deliver a significant step-up in both the volume, and quality, of recyclable material recovery for Auckland and Manukau. Visy is proud to be associated with both councils in such a forward-thinking strategy for the region."

Visy Recycling New Zealand is a fully owned subsidiary of Australian company Visy Recycling, which has been operating similar facilities in Australia for more than 20 years.

ENDS

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