Resource Recovery Centre FAQs
Can I get paper rubbish bags?
No. They cost more to produce, handle and store so Council has decided to use only plastic rubbish bags.
Can I recycle chip packets?
These look like aluminium foil but are actually plastic. They are a non-recyclable plastic so should be placed in your rubbish bag for disposal to landfill.
Can I recycle egg cartons?
Yes; take egg cartons to the Resource Recovery Centre in Blenheim.
Can I recycle my phone book?
Yes; take it to the Resource Recovery Centre in Blenheim.
Can I recycle plastics without a recycling triangle?
If your plastic rubbish doesn’t have a number in the recycling triangle, it means that the item isn’t recyclable and should be placed in your rubbish bag for disposal to landfill.
Do my steel cans need to be squashed?
No; it's actually easier for us to bale the cans when they are un-flattened. The paper labels can be left on, but it is really important that the cans are clean.
What about empty automotive oil and chemical containers?
Even if these containers have a recycling triangle and number, we can't accept them for recycling at the Resource Recycling Centre. This is for health and safety reasons as well as the fact that residue oils and chemicals can contaminate clean recyclable materials.
What do I do with my rubbish when I have been boating in the Marlborough Sounds?
Port Marlborough provides rubbish facilities for boaties at the Picton and Havelock marinas. Alternatively, you can take your rubbish to any Marlborough transfer station.
What happens to the glass bottles?
Glass bottles and jars are taken to a company called Visy, based in Auckland. The glass has to be sorted and delivered in separate colours - clear, brown and green - with any lids or tops removed. The company then crush and melt down the glass material and remake it into new bottles and jars.
Which plastics are actually recycled ?
All plastics are recycled. The value of the recycled plastic to the end processor of the material varies dependant on the type of material. HDPE (1) and PET (2) are regarded as high value and high demand. The remaining plastics (3 to 7) are regarded as lower value and consequently have a lower demand.
Which plastics can be recycled?
Any clean household container with the recycling triangle and number 1,2,3,4,5,6 or 7 can be dropped off at the Resource Recovery Centre.
Why can't I recycle polystyrene?
Polystyrene requires specialised recycling technology, which means that it can’t be mixed with other plastics for processing. We do not have access to that technology here in Marlborough and we are not able to collect and process polystyrene in the quantities that would make it worthwhile to handle.
Why can't I recycle Tetrapaks?
Tetrapaks™ are a composite packaging material which is made up of a mix of plastic, paper, aluminium and wax. Larger countries have the technology to be able to separate these layers at the recycling stage. Here in New Zealand, we do not have access to that technology and we cannot supply the quantities needed to make sending to those countries worthwhile.
However, a new scheme introduced by Fonterra as part of their 'milk in schools' programme does collect their Tetrapaks™ from the participating schools for recycling.
Why do I need to remove lids?
We process plastics, paper, cardboard and metals by squashing them into bales through our compacting machine. When plastic bottles with lids on go through the process, it is difficult to compact them and they can end up like bubbles in the bales. Removing bottle lids makes it possible to compact plastic to a much tighter and heavier bale than is possible if the bale has air pockets. Waste plastic buyers won't purchase light bales as it costs too much to transport them.
Why do my recyclables need to be clean?
All the materials that you throw through the wall slots at the Resource Recovery Centre are handled by staff. The recyclables are sorted and baled and then the bales are stored on site for various lengths of time. Contaminated recyclable materials can make this work very unpleasant – particularly unrinsed milk bottles, which quickly become smelly and are potentially a health hazard. We also experience problems with un-rinsed plastic, aluminium and glass drink containers as bees and wasps are attracted to the sugar residues.