The Wairoa District Council will work with QRS to implement service changes to recycling collections.

Wairoa District Council Engineering Manager, Jamie Cox says that QRS staff will now only be collecting recyclable materials and all other materials will not be taken away.

“There has been an increase in non-recyclable material being put in recycling bins on the roadside.”

“QRS staff tell us that there is quite a lot of material that should not be in the recycling bins, from household rubbish, and other non-recyclable material.”

“Recycling bins containing household rubbish or other non-recyclable material will not be collected. A sticker will be placed on the bin to explain why these were not collected.”

“From the 8th of February, only recyclable material will be taken to recycling centres.”

“Recycling is a free service that we offer our community and when there is other stuff in your recycle bins, QRS staff will not sort them. We consider this contaminated recycling, when non-recyclable items are mixed in with recyclable items.”

“Sorting through this material on the roadside will be time consuming and could potentially be an increase cost to the ratepayer and community, so we will leave this material behind.”

“Only legitimate recycling material will be taken to our recycling centres. These include bottles, uncontaminated cardboard and paper, recyclable plastic with the triangle sign on it. Plastic meat trays from the supermarket are not recyclable, so it’s important you really look at your recycling”, says Mr Cox

QRS Landfill Manager, Bert Hooper says that it’s important people understand what is recyclable and what is not.

“We don’t want our guys going through this material, this could potentially be hazardous and we have to be mindful of the guys who are working hard for our community.”

“Household rubbish should not be in recycle bins, we have one of the cheapest landfills in the region and there should be no excuse for people not disposing of household rubbish properly”, says Mr Hooper

The recycling service changes will take effect from Wednesday 8th of February within the Wairoa township. Recycling collections start at 7.30am every Wednesday for the Wairoa township.

Ends

For more information:

Kitea Tipuna
Communications Strategist
Wairoa District Council
(06) 838 7309

31 October 2018

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