Attracting recycling at NZ’s premier tourist locations

Attracting recycling at NZ’s premier tourist locations

The Glass Packaging Forum’s Public Place Recycling Scheme has today released a Case Study showcasing recycling at Skyline Queenstown one of New Zealand’s premier tourist attractions to promote the importance of recycling for the tourist sector.

In 2012 Skyline Queenstown and sister company Skyline Rotorua along with their major supplier Coca Cola Amatil NZ became partners in the Government’s Love NZ recycling initiative. Skyline Queenstown introduced Love NZ branded recycling bins outside the market kitchen area and at the start of the mountain bike park. The project was funded jointly by Skyline, Coca Cola Amatil and the Waste Minimisation Fund.

Waste management presents a particular challenge to a tourist attraction such as Skyline because most of its activities are conducted at the top of a gondola meaning that waste needs to be brought down daily from the mountain side.

Pierre Poyet, Food & Beverage Manager at Skyline Queenstown said:

“Whilst Skyline has recycled “back of house” for some time, the new colour coded bins provide recycling facilities in public areas for customers to use themselves. The bins need to be robust to withstand external weather conditions as well as fitting the design requirements of the market kitchen and represent value for money. We welcome over 540,000 visitors each year and we encourage them to use the right bins with clear signage about what can be recycled supported by our staff training programme.”

Approximately 50% waste generated at Skyline is already being recycled with around 3.5 tonnes of recyclables collected each month which to put it in perspective would be enough cans, bottles and cartons to fill one 40 seat bus.

Lyn Mayes, Manager of the Public Place Recycling Scheme says that with over 2.7 million overseas visitors to New Zealand last year, the tourism industry is a major target for the scheme:-

“Skyline provides an excellent example of what can be achieved through collaboration between the venue, suppliers, waste management service providers and the community.

Queenstown attracts over 1.9 million visitors each year and that’s why we are delighted to have Love NZ branded recycling bins at visitor attractions including Skyline, AJ Hackett Bungy and NZ Ski fields.”

“Many visitors to New Zealand are used to recycling back home and expect to see
recycling facilities here. The Public Place Recycling Scheme builds on our work promoting the Love NZ brand and sets to triple the number of recycling bins in public places over the next seven years. Last year nationally we collected over 3000 tonnes of packaging and organic waste through scheme members and partners which is equivalent to around 230 million bottles, cans and cartons diverted from landfill.”

Companies funding the scheme include brand owners such as Bell Tea, Coca Cola Amatil, DB, Frucor, Lion and Pernod Ricard Winemakers; retailers Countdown and The Warehouse;

Quick Service Sector brands Burgerking, KFC, Starbucks, Carls Junior, Pizza Hut and BP’s Wild Bean Cafe; and those involved in manufacturing, distributing or recycling packaging e.g. ExpressPak, Huhtamaki, TetraPak, TPI Waste Management and Packaging House.

Ends

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