Changes made to recycling collection service

12 June 2013

Waipa District Council has made some changes to the way kerbside recycling is collected in order to provide a more efficient, consistent service.

The Council has recently renewed its recycling contract with Smart Environmental and in the process introduced changes to bring it into line with the best practice of recycling collection, Waipa District Council Group Manager Service Delivery Barry Bergin said.

The changes we've made will ensure recycling is collected in a safe and efficient manner, and provide the best-value service for Waipa households, Mr Bergin said.

The changes include:

• New recycling trucks are being introduced with greater capacity, to make the collection process more efficient.
• Glass will no longer be accepted unless it is placed in an official recycling bin. This includes bottles that have previously been restacked in cardboard boxes.
• Paper and cardboard need to be in a bag or box alongside the bin, not mixed in with the other recycling.
• Recycling bins must not be overflowing as this is a safety hazard for collection staff. Additional bins can be purchased from the council, or excess recycling can be taken to a transfer station.

The Council has been progressively replacing damaged recycling bins with newer ones. Since this started, there has been some instances of theft of the newer bins. In order to reduce the risk of theft, householders are encouraged to write their address on their bin and remove it from the roadside as soon as possible after collection.

If bins are damaged or no longer usable, they will be identified by Smart Environmental as part of the collection process. A sticker will be placed on them and these bins can be taken into the council office and exchanged for new ones.

Other important points to remember are that the recycling bin needs to be on the kerb by 7am on collection day and that only acceptable items are put out for recycling.