Kerbside recycling set to re-start

Residents will need to make sure only the right recycling goes into their yellow bins from now on as Christchurch's recycling processing plant gears up to re-start next month.

The processing plant that sorts the items put out for kerbside recycling is planning to re-start operations on May 4 under the alert level 3 restrictions, which come into force at 11.59pm on Monday

Due to the changing market conditions, there will be some temporary changes to what material people can put in their yellow bins, said Christchurch City Council resource recovery manager Ross Trotter.

He said paper and cardboard materials are likely to be sent to landfill until an overseas market wants to buy it.

Video: Newsline/CCC

Trotter said if there is waste, dirty material, liquids, or other contaminants in the recycling bins, the plant will be unable to process some material and markets will not buy it.

"For the Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) to operate successfully under alert level 3, we need everyone to take extra care with their recycling and only place the right materials in the yellow bin."

Mt Trotter said it is vital that only the right material goes into the yellow bins because if there is too much contaminated material in a truckload, the load will end up going to landfill.

“None of us want to see that happen, but it is going to take a collective effort to avoid that situation.

"It is more important than ever that you take care with your recycling and only put accepted items into the yellow bin."

“We have domestic markets though for clear rigid plastics, like soft drink bottles, frosty or opaque plastics like milk bottles, and coloured rigid plastics like tomato sauce bottles or yoghurt containers.

"So as we move to alert level 3, we are asking people to only put these types of plastics in the yellow bin."

Mr Trotter said it is also important people continue to space their bins apart when putting them out for kerbside collection.