Street recycling bins on the way

The Far North's first purpose-designed street recycling bins will be installed in town centres at Doubtless Bay, Paihia and Russell this week.


The bins are part of the government’s Recycling in Public Places initiative which aims to encourage recycling in public places. The Far North was one of four local authorities selected by the ministry to participate in a pilot scheme.


Environment Minister Trevor Mallard said that the government very much relies on Far North District Council and other pilot councils to make recycling in public places a reality.


“New Zealand as a country must go the extra mile to prove its sustainability credentials in order to attract international visitors. The Far North is one of our major tourist destinations and so the council is an obvious choice to work with us,” Trevor Mallard said.


The project was initiated after tourism industry surveys identified a lack of good public waste disposal options as a common criticism by overseas visitors. If successful the ministry's intention is to seek to expand the street recycling bin programme across New Zealand.


FNDC General Manager for District Facilities Alastair Wells said today the pilot bins were being installed at the Cable Bay Beach Reserve, Scout Park at Mangonui, the Village Green at Paihia and at the Russell Wharf.


The bins will be marked to take specific recyclables such as aluminium cans and glass and plastic bottles and containers. They can be recognised by their ‘Love NZ – Recycle with care’ brand.


"We have deliberately targeted locations which traditionally have attracted high visitor numbers to enable the best possible assessment to be made of the success of the pilot programme.


"However it must be emphasized that local residents also have a very significant part to play in encouraging and promoting the correct use of these facilities. The success or failure of the pilot will determine whether or not the initiative is expanded to town centres and high profile visitor locations across the rest of the Far North," he said.


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The street recycling bins were designed as a convenience for visitors and locals alike, to augment existing recycling facilities at Refuse Transfer Stations and the new Resource Recovery Parks currently under development.


"The easier we can make it for people to recycle, the less chance that New Zealand's clean, green image can be tainted by indiscriminate littering. The project is also directly in keeping with both local and national environmental sustainability initiatives," he said.