Published: 27 Aug 2020
Associate Minister for the Environment Eugenie Sage today opened a new waste-levy funded facility making it easier, faster and safer for Redruth customers to sort their waste.
The $800,000 upgrade to the Resource Recovery Park was completed this week with the opening of the second stage. The development was funded through the Government’s $10/tonne levy charged for waste going to landfill.
It significantly improves the facilities for both domestic and commercial users, with the aim of diverting more material from the landfill.
Waste Minimisation Manager, Ruth Clarke, says the new 200 sq metre area, combined with the upgraded cleanfill and green waste areas make it safer and easier than ever for people to sort waste, while saving money at the same time.
“The new greenwaste area has proved popular with an average 57% increase in material dropped off over the past three years. It is hoped the new recycling facility will also prove popular and facilitate better resource recovery.
“The new area at the front of the site will completely separate domestic users from contractor vehicles, making it safer and easier for people to sort and dispose of their recyclable materials prior to going over the weighbridge.
“Many people don’t realise the significant savings that can be made by taking time to sort your loads of waste into single streams. Bringing in a mixed load of rubbish, cleanfill, green waste, timber and recyclables gets charged as rubbish at the top rate of $240/tonne.
“Take the non-charged recyclable material such as cardboard, glass and polystyrene and escrap out of your load and you have an instant saving, sand/soil, bricks and blocks(cleanfill) is only $10 / tonne, and green waste is only $80/tonne. The scrap metal facility open 24/7 at the end of Redruth St allows the diversion of scrap metal for free.
“Other recycling opportunities at a minimal, subsidised cost are TVs, screens, tyres and carseats.
“It’s also a good opportunity to ask if there anything in your load that someone else might want. One person’s trash is another person’s treasure, and you can also check with the staff at the Crow’s Nest drop-off if they can send these goods to a new home.”
Associate Minister for the Environment Eugenie Sage commented: “I’m very pleased to open Timaru’s upgraded resource recovery park. The additional space will make it far easier to keep green waste and recyclables separate from landfill waste.
“This reduces contamination and should enable more materials to be recovered and recycled; instead of going to the tip. It demonstrates the value of the levy on waste to landfill being recycled back into helping fund great waste minimisation projects.”
Last updated: 24 Feb 2021