Getting Marlborough’s recycling sorted
Solid Waste Manager Mark Lucas says every item of recycling collected kerbside is hand sorted
Most Marlburians are doing a great job, but some could do more to get Marlborough’s recycling sorted.
Council’s kerbside collection switched from rubbish bags to wheelie bins last July so it was a good time to revisit what could and could not go in the recycling bin, Council’s Solid Waste Manager Mark Lucas said.
“What some people may not realise is that every item travels on a conveyor belt across a sorting table and is checked by a real human being,” he said. “That’s why when WM New Zealand (contractors) staff come across items such as a bundle of fishhooks or maggot-infested food, it creates a safety hazard.
“All staff wear high quality protective gloves but that is no match for sharp objects such as fishhooks which can cause a nasty injury. It’s just not acceptable.”
All recycling collected in the yellow wheelie bin and the maroon crate for glass goes to the Resource Recovery Centre in Wither Road, Blenheim.
Plastic material displaying recycling symbols 1, 2 and 5 is accepted as well as steel and aluminium cans. Newspaper, other paper and glossy magazines can be recycled as well as cardboard, including egg trays and pizza boxes, cleaned of all food scraps. Everything should be clean and the tops removed.
Mr Lucas said another issue with the kerbside collection was people overfilling wheelie bins.
“Our contractor cannot collect bins that are filled to overflowing with so many items jammed into them the lid won’t close. Your bin will not be collected if this is the case. It’s important the lid closes so that items do not blow away and the truck can pick it up and tip it safely,” Mr Lucas said.
For more information go to our kerbside collections section:
