Glass bottles and jars from Matakana Island face a unique journey to recycling, requiring transport by barge to the mainland before reaching Auckland.

A new trial using skip bins instead of fadge bags for glass collection is proving successful, with just over 2.3 tonnes transported for recycling in January.

The Glass Packaging Forum (GPF) has awarded a grant of $11,400 to support the initiative, making the process safer and more efficient.

In 2015, the Matakana Island Marine Club, a charitable trust representing the five hapū of Matakana and Rangiwaea Islands, established a recycling centre to protect the local environment. Due to the island’s lack of road access, all waste, including recyclables, must be transported by boat. Collections occur only a few times a year, placing a strain on local efforts.

Jason Murray, a Matakana Island resident and one of 28 volunteers maintaining the recycling centre, explained that while most recycling is manageable, glass presents a significant challenge.

“This works fine for most of the recycling, but because the glass is heavy and the fadge bags start to perish in the sun, they can split open and spill the glass – which is obviously a safety issue,” he said.

Western Bay of Plenty District Council Solid Waste Planning and Behaviour Change Lead Ilze Kruis said the council has been working with the club to transport glass from the island to Te Maunga Transfer Station in Mount Maunganui. There, the glass is colour-sorted to ensure high-quality recycling.

“The disintegrating fadge bags cause a safety issue when loading and unloading the glass. The transfer station has indicated they won’t accept the glass in the fadge bags anymore,” she said.

Seeking a safer alternative, the council collaborated with the recycling centre to trial a skip bin system. The trial, which began in December 2024, aims to eliminate safety incidents while improving efficiency.

“The skip bins are clearly marked to assist and educate users to promote correct glass recycling,” said Kruis.

GPF Scheme Manager Dominic Salmon praised the initiative, particularly given the island’s seasonal influx of returning family members and visitors.

“The community may not be far from a large city, but they are still fairly isolated. They are doing a great job colour-sorting their glass and getting it sent over to Mount Maunganui so it can go to Auckland to be recycled into new containers,” he said.

With the trial already demonstrating positive results, stakeholders hope the initiative will lead to a long-term solution for glass recycling on Matakana Island.