Big increase in recycling by Manukau residents

Media Release

16 September 2008

Big increase in recycling by Manukau residents

Recycling volumes have increased by 27 per cent in Manukau following the introduction of the new recycling service.

The big increase in recycling by Manukau residents is being announced at the official opening today of Visy Recycling’s new $21.9 million material recovery facility (VisyMRF) at Onehunga.  The VisyMRF is one of the most sophisticated recycling facilities in the southern hemisphere, using the latest technology and outclassing anything that is in Australia.

Manukau recycling volumes increased by 27 per cent for August 2008 compared to the same period in August 2007. Manukau residents have recycled a total of 3407 tonnes since the beginning of the new service on 30 June.

Figures on the increase in recycling volumes in July haven’t been included because they were unusually high due to stockpiling of recycling leading up to the new collection. This means they don’t provide an accurately measure of the new level of recycling.

Acting Manukau Mayor Gary Troup says the increase in recycling is great news

“The aim of the new recycling service, which also includes recycling wheelie bins, is to make it easier for residents to recycle more.

“Early indications are that people have really embraced it and recycling volumes in Manukau have increased by 27 per cent. Although it is early days and these increases may settle down this is a great start, it exceeds our projected increase of 15 – 25 per cent.

“It’s also really great to see that our residents are putting the right things in their recycling bins, with very low contamination levels at the sorting facility,” Cr Troup says.

Of all the material arriving at the facility, 96 per cent is recycled and only 4 per cent is unsuitable for recycling (ie, rubbish, plastic bags, garden waste). This is the best rate of all Visy’s facilities in Australasia.

Manukau City Council City Form and Environment Portfolio Leader Sharon Stewart says: “Manukau and Auckland have almost 20 per cent of the country’s population. With our residents recycling more, we will make a major contribution to the country’s efforts to reduce waste.

“Manukau and Auckland city councils were determined to bring leading edge recycling technology here so it could benefit our residents. Visy Recycling have been key to making that happen,” Cr Stewart says.

About the new recycling service

Automation is a key element of the efficiency and effectiveness of the new VisyMRF.

Kerbside recycled material passes through a series of automated screens, magnets, eddy currents and optical sort machines that separate plastics, glass, paper, cardboard and steel and aluminium cans into separate material streams. 

More material than ever before has been recovered by the new Onehunga VisyMRF. 96 per cent of all material that is received at Onehunga is now recovered through the VisyMRF, with only 4 per cent going to landfill, making the Onehunga VisyMRF one of the most efficient material recovery facilities in Australasia.

Auckland and Manukau Council’s recycling education campaign has also been successful.  Not only have the tonnages recovered increased significantly, the amount of material placed in bins by residents is larger and the quality is better than ever before. 

Recycled paper, glass, cardboard, cartons, plastic bottles and containers, aluminium and steel cans can be processed at a rate of 23 tonnes per hour in the new VisyMRF.  Over 70,000 tonnes of material will be recycled through the VisyMRF each year, making it the largest Material Recovery Facility in New Zealand.

The opening of the VisyMRF in Onehunga has placed the Auckland-Manukau region and New Zealand at the forefront of recycling in the southern hemisphere, and leads the way for other recyclers in New Zealand to follow.

ENDS