Takapuna business recycling trial a success

An eight-week recycling trial in the Takapuna business district involving plastic, glass, aluminium, steel, cardboard and paper being collected in wheelie bins, is being hailed as a success.

Sixty-one businesses on the west side of Hurstmere Rd participated in North Shore City Council's trial, which resulted in more than double the usual volume of paper and cardboard being collected and greater numbers of other recyclables being put out for good use.

Feedback from participants shows that 79 per cent would be interested in using a permanent wheelie bin recycling collection service that combined recyclable plastic, glass, aluminium and steel with paper and cardboard. In the meantime, 31 per cent will now use the existing 45-litre recycling bin compared to only 15 per cent who used the bin before the trial.

North Shore City's works and environment committee chairperson, Joel Cayford, says the council is committed to reducing landfill rubbish and recycling is one simple way businesses can help.

"In moving toward our goal of zero waste to landfill we rely heavily on the community to play its part. The results of this trial indicate that businesses may be even more willing to recycle if we provide an improved service," says Councillor Cayford.

"This is another North Shore City Council pioneering innovation in recycling which will also make the city a cleaner place for us all to live in.

"The next step for us is to consider the results and look at implementing a service like this citywide."

North Shore City Council's waste minimisation team leader, Michelle Kaczor, says an estimated 54,000 tonnes of business waste currently go to landfill every year, a figure that has to change. "The results show a wheelie bin recycling service is more convenient and better suits the needs of the business community, and if implemented citywide could be a good first step in reducing the amount of rubbish businesses send to landfill," says Ms Kaczor.

"Indications are that we can also expect to see improved safety, street cleanliness and efficiency as well as fewer traffic problems if one collection truck is used instead of two."

Over the trial period, businesses were provided with 240-litre or 120-litre wheelie bins and where there was limited storage space, bins were shared. The current collection service relies on people bundling up cardboard and paper and using a separate 45-litre bin for other recyclable material.

The results of the trial will be presented to councillors for consideration as part of the city's waste services review, which after further consultation, may see a number of new collection services implemented citywide from mid-2005.

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