School still wants recycling removed

The council has "gone out of its way'' to keep a recycling station outside Omakau School tidy but the community would still prefer it to be moved, the school board of trustees chairwoman says.

Last month, Wastebusters placed about 20 wheelie bins on a reserve beside Omakau School and Blacks Cemetery on Deaker St, to replace wooden recycling crates.

The crates and a recycling container were moved there by the Central Otago District Council in February as a six-month trial, as trucks at a previous site posed a public health and safety risk.

The Omakau School board of trustees sent a letter to the council saying the move would create a health and safety hazard for pupils due to the potential for broken glass, wasps and increased traffic.

Omakau School board of trustees chairwoman Trina Armstrong said the site seemed tidy last time she went, although she did not have a good look.

"I have to give them credit, they are going out of their way to keep it clean.

"They seem to be emptying them more often than they used to.''

The council also put a shade cloth on the fence, which was "fantastic'', she said.

"Because it's still outside the cemetery, I think the community would still prefer it to be moved.''

Council waste minimisation officer Sophie Mander said the change to wheelie bins was part of a move to replace wooden crates at all drop-off stations across the district.

The wheelie bins would reduce the risk of broken glass, decrease wasp numbers, eliminate access to glass in open bins, minimise risks from handling heavy crates for Wastebusters workers during transportation, and reduce maintenance costs.

Recycling from the Omakau station was collected fortnightly, and additional collections were scheduled if required, she said.

The council would consider whether to move the site at the end of May, she said.

jono.edwards@odt.co.nz

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