Outrage over recycling changes

The collection of glass items as part of kerbside recycling will cease from March next year.

A Bay of Plenty woman is disappointed about announced changes to the collection and processing of glass in Tauranga and Western Bay areas.

The changes, announced by Waste Management to residents last week, mean the collection of glass items as part of kerbside recycling will cease from March next year.

Bethlehem resident Sharee Vlietstra is frustrated.

'I got the letter and normally I would just screw it up, but this time around it's really annoyed me,” she says.

'People who produce a lot of glass waste will now have to put recyclable waste to the side, wait and then take it down to the Bins for Better Communities being placed around.

'They used to do this years ago and people would throw their bottles at the bins, not in them.

'What's going to happen is there's going to be a lot of people that are going to walk up to their general waste bins, open the lid, chuck their glass in and it's going to end up going back into the landfill.

'I already hear from people they can't be bothered with recycling and it ends up in the general bin, but this is going to make that tenfold.”

She pays around $450 a year for three bins including a waste bin, green bin and recycling.

'Our recycling bin is the biggest one because it gets the most stuff put in it, our bin is full every fortnight.”

She believes a better solution is to imitate other communities and introduce a dedicated glass bin.

'They've said the changes are being implemented basically it's because people leave beer in their bottle and it gets all over the cardboard, I'm thinking why can't they get a separate bin,” says Sharee.

'We could quite happily fill a dedicated glass bin.

'We're trying to keep this stuff out of the landfill for the next generation and now I know, no one is going to be able to be bothered to get in their car with all their glass items smashing around in the back to take them to a recycle centre or bin.”

In a letter distributed to Tauranga and Western Bay customers Waste Management says the changes have been implemented due to a number of factors.

'The changes reflect our desire to increase recycling volumes, improve safety for our team, divert more recyclable materials from landfill and make recycling more sustainable,” says Waste Management.

'The current system has become unsustainable as including glass in mixed recycling means less glass is recycled and leads to considerable contamination of other materials.”

To make up for the changes, the company is implementing a new initiative called Bins for Better Communities which will involve participating community groups hosting specifically designed recycling bins.

Residents will be able to deposit glass recycling into the bins around the region free of charge.

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13 comments

Backward step

Posted on 28-11-2017 08:07 | By Alan123

Does this also mean they will bring the price down for the bin? I doubt it.


We'll be cancelling our recycling

Posted on 28-11-2017 10:26 | By Ohauiti

We also received a letter and glass is our biggest recycling item. We will be cancelling our recycling for 2 properties and our neighbours and people I have spoken to have said the same. This will result in a loss of a lot of revenue for Waste Management. Might be time for you to review your thinking.


Already

Posted on 28-11-2017 11:36 | By simple.really

in process of changing recycling companies. Easy done, cheaper too. Suggest others follow suit..


Sometimes the Recycled Bin has gone in With General Rubbish.

Posted on 28-11-2017 12:15 | By tabatha

This firm has no integrity, they are not NZ owned and should not have the right to TCC thoughts on rubbish. WE changed from them when they forgot to empty our bin on a Monday and said could not do anything until Thursday. Gone back to our old bin firm who if it is missed usually empty that day after being called otherwise the next. Also keep a liner in the bin. Was told that the waste management would clean bin and in the time we were with them never cleaned once in about 3 months.


Disappointing

Posted on 28-11-2017 12:48 | By Nick220

I hate to say it but there is no way I will be driving down to a bottle bin. Will be switching to a bin that takes all waste and doing away with the Pay bags and Recycling all together.


Oh dear

Posted on 28-11-2017 12:58 | By joan king

I have always recycled and pay the $450 per year for the 3 bins. I can imagine that with these changes glass will now end up in the general rubbish. Are people going to get in their cars using their petrol to drive around to find where they can deposit say one or two bottles made of glass. I dont think so. As for the prices of bins coming down that will never happen I suspect.


Wasteful

Posted on 28-11-2017 13:26 | By Nash

How ridiculous! We should be encouraging people to recycle, not make it even harder for them. Much better to provide a separate glass bin - people aren't as stupid as you seem to think Waste management. Now I won't be bothering to sort my beach house neighbour's rubbish into recycling and waste after their renters leave. (It was a filthy job but I couldn't bear to see the bottles, plastic and paper going out with the landfill rubbish.)


Less recycling

Posted on 28-11-2017 13:26 | By Raeleen

They say it will increase recycling which of course it wont, some people will just put the glass in their household waste bin rather than take it elsewhere. Give us a seperate container for glass if they are really serious about recycling.


No attempt to consider customers

Posted on 28-11-2017 13:37 | By waxing

I totally agree Alan 123. As they won't have to sort out glass they'll have lower costs. Yet my bill this year has gone up by 6.2% - much higher than the rate of inflation!Environmental Green Bins/Waste Management NZ (they are an Australian owned company) say the increase reflects "current operating costs and continuing investment into our waste collection network" - the same reason they used last year when they increased my bill by 5%C'mon on Weekend Sun. Get stuck in and sort this out please. Are they simply doing this as a ploy in response to the TCC looking at taking back rubbish collection services? I was opposed to the council doing so but not anymore!


brainless idiots

Posted on 28-11-2017 16:33 | By A.Campbell

Im sick of hearing and organisations changing the rules that aren't even common sense or even practical, (bit like our council), may as well get my money worth out of rubbish and throw general into recycle too? sick of trying to do the right thing for them to make dumb stupid decisions like this.


Recycling

Posted on 28-11-2017 18:10 | By sangrae

Is it not about time our councils took the bull by the horns and told these companies to start towing the line re recycling or leave town ,other areas do not seem to have this problem.


More rubbish from this company.

Posted on 29-11-2017 09:43 | By Cottkins

A couple of years ago this company combined the paper and glass recycling bins and repeatedly said that this system would be OK and would not lead to contamination of the paper despite it being obvious it would. Now here we are they want us to pay the same and basically do the work. I already take all paper and card myself to the local school (so they can make a bit of money) so once I am dealing with my own glass I can just cancel the whole bin.


Mostly emotive and factually bollocks!

Posted on 29-11-2017 11:38 | By Murray.Guy

Steady on term, the companies aren't charities with subsidies from the tax or ratepayer!How about Central Government recognize the unsustainable present approach and put in place regional recycling facilities, perhaps looked at 'incineration' options and bit the bullet. Convert Huntly power station perhaps (and others). In 2017 and forward their are many waste treatment and recycling options that may require taxpayers and or ratepayers to subsidize operations, BUT it is certainly NOT the responsibility of the 'private sector'.


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