New recycling sorting centre set to open in Waipā
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Metallic Sweeping staff at the new centre
A newly-minted recycling sorting centre that will process recycling in Waipā is set to open in Te Awamutu at the end of the month.
Waipā District Council recycling contractor, Metallic Sweeping Ltd, will officially open the site on 25 March, marking the start of localised sorting in Waipā. The site is currently being tested and staff trained in the lead up to the opening day.
Council operations team leader Jennifer Braithwaite said a local sorting centre would benefit the Waipā community.
“Not only do we expect the centre to create new jobs, it will also provide very specific data and statistics on the quality of the recycling we collect.
“We’ll know just how much of the different plastic types are being collected, as well as how much contamination is being placed in the recycling bins. This information will assist us in developing recycling education programs, which are aimed at teaching people proper ways to recycle.”
Since the launch of Waipā’s kerbside recycling service in July last year, the recycling has been transported in bulk as mixed material to a recycling centre in Auckland for sorting.
Mixed recycling will now be separated into cardboard, paper and plastics and transported directly to the market. Glass recycling will continue to be transported to Auckland for processing.
Braithwaite said the new centre meant recycling could be sorted automatically by machine or manually by workers.
“Mixed recycling is put onto a conveyor belt where it is sorted. Any items that can’t be recycled are removed, then at the end of the line, a magnet removes any metal items.
“Once the recyclable material is separated into cardboard, paper and plastics, it is put through a baler which compresses and packs them into bales that are easier to store and transport.”
Braithwaite said it was vital residents put their recycling into the correct wheelie bins and ensure all items were empty and clean.
“Staff have to deal with and touch dirty recycling and contamination directly so it can be really unpleasant for them if people have put landfill items into their recycling bins. We have had several occasions where people have put dirty nappies into their recycling which staff then have to dispose of.”
Recycling will only be collected from the yellow and blue wheelie bins provided to households as part of Waipā’s recycling service. Residents are not permitted to drop off their recycling directly to the centre.
For more information on what can and can’t go in your wheelie bin head to www.waipadc.govt.nz/recycling.
Metallic Sweeping staff at the new centre