12 March 2013

Open day for Canterbury Recycling

Have you ever wondered what happened to the recycling you put in your yellow wheelie-bin? Now is your chance to find out. Christchurch City Council’s EcoSort facility in Sockburn is opening its doors to the public this Saturday, 16 March.

The EcoSort facility processes all the recyclables from the yellow wheelie-bins in Christchurch, Waimakariri and Selwyn. It processes glass, paper, aluminium, steel cans and plastic containers which after processing, are baled and sold with materials exported while others are used locally.

The Council-owned facility processes about 25 tonnes (the weight of five adult elephants) of recyclable material an hour and operates eight hours a day, six days a week. The processing equipment is located in a building 4000 square metres and employs 23 staff.

The EcoSort facility is one of the key facilities behind the Council’s successful drive to reduce waste. Over the past seven years Christchurch residents have reduced waste going to landfill by almost 30 per cent, with a drop from 764 kilograms per person in 2005 to 524 kilograms per person in 2012. The Council is aiming to reduce waste going to landfill to 320 kilograms per person by 2020.

City Water and Waste Unit Manager Mark Christison says “Christchurch residents have embraced the Kerbside recycling system and Saturday’s open day is a great way of learning more about the processes involved and how we can all become more environmentally friendly. The open day is a good opportunity for the public to view the site, see the machinery and ask about the processes used in recycling and reusing materials.”

During the open day machinery and equipment will be turned off to ensure visitor safety but staff from Council and EcoSort will be onsite to talk with visitors and answer questions about the recycling process.

“The open day is for everyone with a sense of curiosity. We’ve got some complex machines to do this job and people are interested in how our ‘rubbish’ can be reused and recycled,” says Mr Christison.

The EcoSort site is similar to an industrial worksite, so visitors should wear sturdy shoes to the open day and follow all safety instructions.

The open day runs Saturday, 16 March, from 9am to 12pm at the EcoSort facility, 21 Parkhouse Road, Sockburn. There is limited parking on site with further parking available along Michelle Road.

For more information about recycling and the Council’s Kerbside Collection service visit the following websites:

• www.loveyourrubbish.co.nz
• www.ecocentral.co.nz/services/ecosort
• www.ccc.govt.nz/homeliving/rubbish/kerbsidecollection/index.aspx

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