Keep up the good recycling, that’s the message from auditors checking kerbside recycling bins in the first weeks of 2023.

Infrastructure and Open Spaces Group Manager Neil McCann said the auditors travelled ahead of Council’s rubbish and recycling collection trucks to ensure non-recyclable items did not end up contaminating a whole truck-load of recycling.

“Early reports are that Ashburton District residents are recycling with our basic messaging in mind. They are putting out clean glass bottles and jars in their green crates, and sticking to hard plastics 1, 2 and 5, and cardboard and paper for their yellow bins.

“People also seem to have got the message that they can’t recycle leftover food or food in takeaway containers. It’s a good day when the auditors don’t find any maggots in their recycling checks.”

The most frequent recycling issues are pizza boxes with leftover food in them and container lids, of any size or shape.

“Neither of these can be recycled in kerbside collections. The pizza boxes are contaminated by the leftover food and the lids jam the automated sorting machine in Timaru, where our recycling is separated and processed,” Mr McCann said.

Persistent kerbside recycling offenders are put on a watchlist and offered educational material to help improve their knowledge of what can and can’t be recycled - Council’s education contractor works hard to raise awareness and encourage good habits.

“We have people going into schools to help students learn about the importance of recycling and sustainability, and we hope they take that message home to their parents because when rubbish contaminates recycling it means the whole lot has to go to landfill, which in turn costs ratepayers more money.”

Ashburton Resource Recovery Park is open seven days a week – 8am to 6pm on weekdays, 9am to 6pm Saturdays and 9am to 5pm Sundays.

Rakaia Resource Recovery Park is open Mondays 10am to 12pm, Wednesdays 3.30pm to 5.30pm, Fridays 2pm to 4pm and Saturdays 9am to 3pm.

The Methven Recycling Drop-off Facility is open 24 hours for the free disposal of recyclables. Methven also has a greenwaste facility open Wednesday 12.30pm to 2.30pm and Sundays 12pm to 4pm.

Rural recycling drop-offs are available at 12 other sites around the district.

Need more info? Read our Bin It Right booklet, or see Council’s rubbish and recycling webpage.