Some households are finding that they are regularly overfilling their crates.

Wind gusts then catch plastic bottles, aluminium cans and other items, relocating them around your property and neighbourhood. And during wet weather at this time of year, litter from over-full crates can also lead to blocked drains and flooding.

Did you know that you can get a second crate free from the Civic Offices in Tuam Street, or from your local Service Centre?

Here are some hints on how to fit more into your crate:

• Flatten your plastic containers
• Squash aluminium drink cans
• Flatten any box board, items like cereal boxes and tea packets, and place with newspaper and other papers in a shopping bag with the handles tied. Don’t forget that all paper must be placed in plastic shopping bags. It is important to tie the handles because this helps to keep the paper dry which is important at this time of year. If the paper becomes wet it cannot be recycled.

Old phone books

New Christchurch telephone directories will be delivered around 26 July so it’s time to recycle your old directories again. Place them in a separate plastic shopping bag to your other paper items, tie the handles and place in your recycling crate on your normal collection day, by the week ending 16 August.

Please support Real Recycling by putting your directories out by the week ending 16 August. They are going toward a specific overseas order and cannot be accepted after that date.

Only two sets of directories – yellow and white pages – can be accepted from each household. For greater quantities please take them to the recycling centres at the transfer stations. Businesses will need to make their own arrangements for collection directly with Onyx.

In line with the Real Recycling philosophy, only items with a guaranteed market are collected.

For more information about recycling, contact us at waste@ccc.govt..nz or phone 941 8830 or check out the website at www.ccc.govt.nz/waste/kerbsiderecycling</p>

About collection of directories from businesses, phone Onyx on 374 3336.