Auckland Council Warns Residents About Incorrect Recycling Practices
Households in Auckland are being warned by the Auckland Council about the consequences of incorrectly recycling their waste. Since the implementation of new recycling rules in February, the council has been monitoring bins to ensure compliance.
Parul Sood, the council’s general manager waste solutions, expressed concern over the contamination of recycling bins with general rubbish. Items such as aerosol cans, lids, and aluminium trays, which were previously allowed for recycling, are now prohibited. However, the council’s recovery facility in Onehunga has been finding a variety of non-recyclable items in the bins, including dirty nappies and old shoes.
Repeat offenders will first be educated and given three warnings before facing the removal of their recycling bin. The council emphasizes that the recycling bin is meant for packaging materials only, and anything else should be disposed of properly.
Workers at the recovery facility manually sort through the recycling before it is processed by machines. The new recycling rules require the removal of all items less than 50mm before placing them in the recycling bin. This includes bottle caps, which were causing issues with the sorting equipment.
It is important for residents to follow the guidelines to avoid contamination, as the cost of sorting out non-recyclable items affects everyone. Soft plastics, like plastic bags, should not be included in the recycling bin, as they can cause issues with the machinery.
As people adjust to the new recycling guidelines, the council urges residents to be mindful of what they are putting in their bins to ensure a smooth recycling process. Remember, proper recycling practices benefit everyone in the community.