Love NZ at northern campgrounds this summer

23 December 2008

Regional park campers can 'Love NZ' and recycle with care this summer as the Auckland Regional Council (ARC) has installed new recycling bins in northern regional park campgrounds including Tawharanui, Mahurangi, Wenderholm and Shakespear Regional Parks.

Visitors to these regional parks can now recycle glass, aluminium cans, paper and some plastics while they are away from home.

The 'Love NZ' project was launched by the Ministry for the Environment in 2007 after tourism industry surveys identified common criticism from international visitors over New Zealand's lack of good public waste disposal options.

The project is a partnership between local and central government with the aim of establishing 600 recycling bins in public places throughout the country by 2010. The Government allocated $4.6 million to install and service the bins.

ARC northern sector ranger Naomi Chaffey says the new recycling bins will be branded with the 'Love NZ' stickers and signage, and will be an eye-catching reminder to campground visitors to recycle their rubbish.

"Recycling is important because it reduces the amount of waste going to landfill and it is more energy efficient to recycle products than start from scratch," she says.

"'Love NZ' is bringing recycling to our regional park campgrounds. Look out for the logo on the special bins and show you care by recycling glass, aluminium cans, paper and plastic."

Before the 'Love NZ' project provided funding to the ARC only two regional parks in the northern part of the region offered recycling at their campgrounds.

"Campers were frequently asking where they could recycle their rubbish. This initiative is great because it upgrades the recycling and rubbish facilities in the northern parks network by creating a more efficient recycling system that will make recycling easier," Naomi Chaffey says.

"The initiative will benefit visitors to our campgrounds by providing safe and hygienic recycling facilities away from home for long park stays."

The bins have been installed at Tawharanui, Mahurangi, Wenderholm and Shakespear regional parks in time for the busy summer season.

A grant of $10,000 was given to the ARC by the Ministry for the Environment to cover the cost and installation of the new recycling bins and signage.

ENDS

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