July 2020 marks not only the start of an exciting new kerbside rubbish and recycling collection service for Hamilton, but a new era in how our recyclables are being handled and sorted.

Hamilton City Council’s new rubbish and recycling contractor, EnviroWaste, is building a new $10M material recovery facility in Hamilton – a key piece in the city’s goal to increase recycling from 29% to 50% by weight, as outlined in the Council’sWaste Management and Minimisation Plan.

A material recovery facility (MRF) is a specialised plant that uses mechanical and manual sorting processes to sort recyclables into bales of paper, cardboard, plastic, aluminium and metals.

Construction of the 2155m2 processing facility is in full swing, with completion due in time for Hamilton’s new kerbside service rollout on 1 July 2020. Located on Sunshine Avenue in Te Rapa, the new facility will process approximately 8000 tonnes of unsorted material from kerbside collections and commercial operators each year. Recyclables will be sorted and compacted into bales before being sent for repurposing – Hamilton’s recyclables are currently transported out of town for sorting.

The new MRF will create approximately 10 new jobs, and comes amid a major change in Hamilton’s kerbside collection service, with the introduction of separate wheelie bins for rubbish and recycling, and a new food scraps bin.

City Waters Unit Manager Maire Porter says the investment in a Hamilton-based MRF recognises that more recycling means less rubbish ending up in landfill, which will reduce landfill costs.

“This is a transformational change to one of the Council’s most important services,” says Mrs Porter. “Our contract with EnviroWaste will provide Hamilton with a leading rubbish and recycling collection service that delivers what residents have been asking for – a service that’s better for the environment by making it easier for residents to recycle.”

Glen Jones, Commercial Manager at EnviroWaste, says their facility is the first of its kind in Hamilton, paving the way for a broader range of recycling initiatives. “We intend to help identify additional community recycling opportunities to ensure we make full use of the facility,” says Mr Jones.

Visit fightthelandfill.co.nz, for more information on the new smarter, greener and cleaner kerbside rubbish and recycling service and how it will help reduce the city’s waste footprint.

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