Supermarket bags

The collection of clean, empty supermarket bags through the Council’s kerbside recycling scheme started in late April. The initial response was great, says Recovered Materials Foundation Chief Executive Richard Lloyd. “At its peak we were collecting three tonnes a week, which is about three and a half bales. Since then it’s levelled out to about 2.5t a week. I’m sure there must be more supermarket bags out there and we want them; the more the better.”

The bags are sent to Christchurch company Range Industries where they are converted into durable plastic planks. A bale of bags makes up to 1000m of plastic planking (about 100mm x 18mm).