Paper and cardboard to be accepted as usual

Published on 11 December 2020

corrugated cardboard

This week Whanganui District Council asked the Resource Recovery Centre to continue to accept cardboard and paper after Thursday, 31 December. Plastics 3, 4, 6 and 7 will not be accepted after Thursday, 31 December, as planned.

The council’s Waste Advisor, Stuart Hylton, says, “We know a lot of people care about recycling and will be pleased to hear about the decision to keep collecting cardboard and paper.

“This decision was made because the costs of recycling cardboard and paper this year will be lower than expected – $80 000 to $100 000 rather than the predicted $180 000 – and because we’re exploring some promising alternative options for dealing with paper and cardboard, to be trialled in early 2021.”

The trials for alternative options involve composting and high temperature incineration.

Ceasing to collect plastics 3, 4, 6 and 7 is in line with other councils around the country and will have little effect in terms of sustainability as these account for just 6 to 7% of total plastic collected, Stuart Hylton says.

The centre will continue to collect plastics 1, 2 and 5 as usual.

“There’s a strong market for these plastics and the Resource Recovery Centre is known as a source of quality recycling product,” Stuart Hylton says.

“If you have any questions about recycling or waste here in Whanganui, check out the excellent ReSource Whanganui website – it’s the definitive guide for our district, and with its A-Z directory you can quickly find up-to-the-minute information on dealing with all kinds of items: https://resourcewhanganui.org.nz

 

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