|
Reduces consumption
of fossil fuels
- Making new products
uses energy, usually
in the form of fossil
fuels which are fast
depleting and non-renewable.
|
| |
| Lowers the toxic
load on the planet
- Many materials dumped
in landfill leach harmful
chemicals and create greenhouse
gases. Reducing and recycling
what we use reduces the
need to mine for new raw
materials, which often
damage the environment.
|
|
|
| What
can you recycle? |
| |
| Organic
waste About half of
what we throw away as
'rubbish' can actually
be composted. The food
scraps, pruning litter
and lawn clippings put
into your rubbish bin
create methane gas once
they're dumped into landfill.
This is one of the harmful
greenhouse gases that
cause global warming.
Composting organic waste
at home frees up scarce
landfill space and reduces
methane gas. |
| |
| Solid
Waste Kerbside
recycling takes care of
glass, some plastics,
aluminium and tin cans,
paper and cardboard. Your
local council can provide
a list of exactly what
can be collected and recycled. |
| |
| Plastics
Technically all plastics
can be recycled but for
a variety of reasons it
varies from area to area.
Check the bottom of bottles
and containers for their
plastic identification
code. For a breakdown
on different types of
plastics and how they're
recycled click
here. Your local council
or Plastics NZ will be
able to tell you what
plastics are recycled
in your area. |
| |
| Water
Why not recycle water
from your bathroom or
laundry to flush your
toilet or water the garden?
Garden irrigation is one
of the biggest household
water users along with
the toilet and shower.
A grey water system can
reduce the amount of water
you bring onto your property,
as well as reducing the
volume sent to the wastewater
treatment plant. |
| |
| Used
appliances Some
companies take back their
appliances for recycling
e.g. Fisher
and Paykel. Try contacting
the appliance company
and asking about their
recycling policy - consumer
demand often creates new
services. For those appliances
that cannot be recycled
but that are still in
working condition, donate
them to a local second
hand store. Some stores
will collect goods at
no charge. |
| |
| Hazardous
waste Items that
are particularly harmful
to the environment (lead
based paint, motor oil,
garden chemicals and used
energy saving light bulbs)
need to be disposed of
separately. If you live
in Waitakere City, the
Council's Transfer Centre
has a hazardous waste
area, otherwise the Hazmobile
(a mobile unit) collects
from various drop off
points around the Auckland
region. |
- Low energy light
bulbs (fluorescents)
are filled with neon
or argon gas, mercury
and coated with a
fluorescent powder.
This small amount
of mercury makes these
bulbs very energy
efficient but, as
it's toxic to our
environment, must
be disposed of carefully.
If you're a large
facility (like a factory,
school or community
centre) considering
a major lighting refit,
Interwaste
offers a collection
and recycling service
for all forms of mercury
lamps.
|
- Batteries - these
portable power sources
are packed with toxic
heavy metals and need
to be disposed of
correctly. If you're
serious about reducing
your environmental
impact, switch to
rechargeable batteries
for your portable
electronic devices.
|
- Leftover paint can
be dropped off at
either Enviropaints
or a Resene
paintwise store. Enviropaint
recycles unwanted
paint to make Enviropaints,
and Resene 'Paintwise'
programme redistributes
paint in good condition
to community groups
for re-use.
|
| Electronic
waste (or E-waste)
is one of the fastest
growing hazardous waste
streams. Electronic equipment
- computers, mobile phones
and ipods - contain toxic
heavy metals such as cadmium,
lead and mercury and even
the plastic casing and
wiring can contain hazardous
materials. These metals,
particularly cadmium,
are also mined at great
cost to the environment.
|
- Computers - computers
and equipment can
be reused and recycled.
Visit www.computerrecycling.co.nz.
If your computer is
still working consider
donating it to a charity
or for a small cost
your computer can
be taken to www.rcn.co.nz.
E-waste collections
are made very sporadically
and are normally organised
by individual councils.
The
Ark refurbishes
used computers and
sells them at low
cost to schools, charitable
organisations, and
directly to the public.
|
- Mobile Phones -
over 90% of the materials
in mobile phones can
be recycled and used
to make new products.
Telecom and Vodafone
both have collection
schemes. Just return
your mobile to your
local store.
|
- Toner cartridges
can be recycled for
reuse. There are several
companies now that
recycle toner cartridges
and remanufacture
empty inkjet and toner
cartridges from businesses,
schools, universities,
government departments
and home users. Check
you local yellow pages
for suppliers.
|
|
|
| Not
sure what to do with it?
Polystyrene? Carpet? Bitumen?
Type the material you
want to recycle into Zero
Waste's Buy
It Back Guide to find
a list of companies that
are recycling that material
into their products. |
| |
| Plastic
shopping bags Return
clean plastic supermarket
bags to collection bins
at your local Progressive
store (Foodtown, Woolworths,
Countdown, Fresh Choice
and Super Value) to be
recycled. Companies like
Enviroreel
then recycle the plastic
into large reels, underground
cable covers and garden
edging. You can also deliver
plastic bags, wrap and
sheeting directly to them. |
| |
| Other
helpful websites |
| Recyclers
of NZ |
| Reduce
your rubbish |
| DonateNZ |
| Freecycle |
| Waste
Exchange |
| WasteMINZ |
| |
