Are you recycling right?

Between 35 and 40 tonnes of unwanted steel tools and appliances are ending up at Christchurch’s EcoSort plant each month because people are incorrectly putting them in their recycling wheelie bin.

“Old steel tools and appliances don’t belong in the recycling bin as they cannot be processed at the EcoSort plant in the same way empty tins or bottles can,’’ says Christchurch City Council Solid Waste Manager Ross Trotter.

“If they accidentally get into the EcoSort plant they can damage the machinery and cause it to breakdown. If you have unwanted steel tools or appliances, it is best to take them to either a commercial scrap metal recycler or to the EcoDrop recycling centres at the transfer stations.

Mr Trotter says other troublesome items that routinely turn up in the kerbside recycling collection include shoes and clothing.

"The recyclables we collect at the kerbside aren’t manually sorted – the sorting is all done by machines. If shoes or clothes get into the machinery, they can get wrapped around it and cause major problems.

“If you have good quality clothes that you no longer want please take them to a charity clothing bin so they can be put to good use. They are unable to be reused once they have been in the collection truck,’’ Mr Trotter says.

Other items you shouldn’t put in your yellow wheelie bin include:

• Disposable coffee cups
• Plastic film, wrap, strap, or newspaper wrap
• Plastic bags other than supermarket checkout bags
• Foil or other metal objects including machinery
• Light bulbs or window glass
• Liquids or food
• Disposable nappies.
• Wet paper or used paper towels
• CD, videos and cases they come in
• Bubble wrap
• Fireworks, ammunition and gas bottles
• Vehicle and domestic batteries
•  Polystyrene
• Drinking glasses or crockery

The Council regularly conducts bin audits to check only acceptable materials are being put out for kerbside collection.

If unacceptable items are found in a bin, it will not be emptied. Instead a contamination sticker will be placed on it, advising of the unacceptable items. If the contamination continues, the bin maybe removed.

• If you are struggling to fit all your recyclables into your yellow wheelie bin, you can take them to the recycling centre at the EcoDrop for free. Alternatively you can get an additional 240-litre recycling bin for an extra $39 a year. You can apply for this enhanced service online.