Whakatāne District Council is asking its communities for help in avoiding contaminated recycling.

New guidelines around recycling were brought in on June 1 this year, due to changes in international recycling markets. 

Council manager solid Nigel Clarke says while the community has adapted well to the change in plastics collected, significant levels of contamination are still being recorded in kerbside recycling around the Whakatāne District.

"On one day of collection last week, for example, the yellow-lid kerbside recycling included a fleece blanket, food waste, black plastic bags of rubbish, a pillow, plastic roofing sheets, a rag doll and a metal grill," he says.

"Our yellow lid bins should only contain clean grade 1 and 2 plastics, paper, cardboard, tins and cans."

"Plastic grade information is usually found on the bottom of packaging items, so residents are asked to check their plastic waste and look for the triangular recycling symbols. Grades 1 and 2 include plastic drink and milk bottles. The other plastic grades, which include common items such as ice cream containers and yoghurt pots, should be reused or placed in the green, general-waste wheelie bins," Nigel says.

Council recycling trucks are fitted with cameras, which means if operators can see any contamination in a bin before it is tipped, the bin will be stickered and will not be emptied. 

"A contaminated load can cause the whole truckload to be landfilled," Nigel says. "That’s why we need the community's help to ensure we can continue to recycle in a market that is forever demanding cleaner recycling."

For more information about recycling in the Whakatāne district visit our Recycling page.