City Scene - Christchurch City Council Newsletter Annual Plan Edition June 1996

KERBSIDE RECYCLING

Introduction By the end of 1997, householders throughout Christchurch will be able to separate recyclable household materials and put them out for collection each week. The materials will be put in recycling bins (made from recycled plastic), which will be distributed before the scheme starts. At this stage the following materials will be collected: aluminium and steel (tin) cans; newspaper, magazines and cardboard; certain plastic bottles; glass bottles and jars. Council recycling development officer Sarah Gordon says that there are currently difficulties in obtaining long-term secure markets for some materials, in particular glass. However, the Council is in the process of identifying local markets and uses, and early results for glass are looking positive.

Secure markets should be identified and/or local markets developed by the time the scheme starts. "Benefits of kerbside recycling are not measured solely in terms of net waste reduction of the waste stream," Sarah says.

It will raise public awareness about waste minimisation by introducing opportunity to take some responsibility for their waste. Provided other waste reduction initiatives are operating, and kerbside recycling is promoted as part of a total approach, it will have a major benefit for waste minimisation in general.

"This will benefit all other initiatives, such as home and large scale composting, cleaner production in the workplace and responsible purchasing - as well as all facets of community-based environmental projects such as clean air, anti-litter, clean rivers and water conservation."

Kerbside recycling may also assist in developing local sustainable uses for resources that are currently wasted. By recovering a consistent ongoing source of materials, local industries may be able to develop processes for recycling them into new products.

June City Scene ~ City Scene Archive