Hutt City recycling works
By Chrys Ayley
Hutt City Council environmental sustainability advisor Sandy Beath-Croft said the council reviewed recycling services during the annual planning process last year. Ratepayers voted overwhelmingly to keep recycling services as they were and also agreed to a rise in fees for kerbside recycling and community recycling bins. Recycling fees from last July increased from $11 to $36 a year. ?That?s what we put to our public and they voted overwhelmingly to keep recycling as it is,? she said. Ms Beath-Croft said wind can be a problem if recyclables are not packed properly but ?There are solutions if you live in the Hutt.? Recyclables can be packed in plastic bags and tied at the top so the contents are contained. The concept of nets to stop waste blowing away was trialled and the public were interested but the producer was unable to raise the capital, she said. Some people prefer to drop their recyclable material at one of the five community recycling stations such as Alicetown, Kelson or Naenae and they are very well patronised, she said. ?Wellington did away with community recycling years ago so we?re not comparing like with like.? The Hutt City Council contractor is responsible for recycling materials collected from ratepayers. Some recyclable material is sent overseas with a small amount of plastic going to Otaki. ?Being a tiny, tiny country it?s difficult to be able to afford the equipment to be able to do these things,? Ms Beath-Croft said.
