11 September 2013

Official Rubbish Bags Turn Pink

Ruapehu District Council (RDC) kerbside rubbish bags are turning pink.

From Tuesday 26th November Council and participating retailers will no longer be selling the current dark green rubbish bag but will be selling bright pink ones.

RDC Waste Minimisation Officer, Steve Carson, said that the change was necessitated by the theft of thousands of dark green rubbish bags from Transfer Stations earlier this year.

“In February we had a spate of break-ins at Council Transfer Stations where rubbish bags were specifically targeted,” he said.

“At the time this forced Council to cease stocking and selling rubbish bags from Transfer Stations which was unfortunate as it deprived people of the convenience of being able to purchase rubbish bags from these locations.”

“Following the thefts Council has needed to organise for the manufacture of an alternative coloured rubbish bag and decide how to manage the existing stocks of green bags.”

Mr Carson said that the sale of the official rubbish bags is a vital source of funding for running the district’s kerbside recycling and solid waste services.

“As such the cost of the bag incorporates a lot more than just the price of the bag itself.”

“When people buy an official rubbish bag the cost contributes towards a range of services associated with its collection roadside and its disposal.”

“This includes; the operation of the Transfer Stations and the district landfill, resource consent costs and the government waste levy, residential hazardous chemical collection and transportation of recycling out of the district.”

“Council recognises that the official rubbish bags are expensive for some people but surveys have highlighted that most people prefer this ‘user pays’ approach rather than paying higher rates to cover the cost of the service.”

Mr Carson noted that the timetable for the move to pink bags is as follows; pink bags go on sale from Tuesday 26th November, acceptance of both green and pink bags for roadside collection and at Transfer Stations for a six week period until Sunday 12th January, only pink bags accepted for roadside collection and at Transfer Stations from Monday 13th January.

“Anyone who has any green bags after Monday 13th January can bring them in their local Council office and exchange them for pink ones,” he said.

Mr Carson added that the new pink rubbish bags would be available from the usual outlets being Council’s Huia St office, Four Square, New World and the Jubilee Dairy in Taumarunui; in Ohakune from Council’s Ayr St office and New World; in Raetihi from Council’s Duncan St office; and in National Park from the 4 Square service station.

ENDS

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