What do we collect for recycling?

We really enjoy the programme, and meeting our neighbours who come to be part of it. It is really helpful for us when everyone sorts their recycling properly and only bring items that we accept.

But please remember – recycling is not just getting rid of rubbish – it is actively sorting the items, so that the recyclers receive what they are set up to process and are therefore able to efficiently prepare it for reuse.

Our programme started as a way to collect items from our members, that are recycled through the Wellington Sustainability Trust. Its not always feasible to run a few metal caps into the city, but if we can collect recycling here from across the suburbs, then we quickly get enough to make a run into town. worthwhile. While we have aimed to keep the regular collection at a level that can be easily managed by a small team of volunteers, we are also keen to expand the items we collect.

We are therefore now starting a schedule of collecting larger items, one type each month, that our group can manage to get to appropriate recycling programmes. This schedule is below in this post. Please note that we will only be able to accept these items in the month that they are scheduled.

It is also a good time to update our information on what it is that we are able to accept for recycling, as there have been several changes over the last year. The Sustainability Trust has made some changes as processors come and go, and we have been happy to add other collections that are already happening locally that we can work in with.

What we accept for recycling each month

• Plastic lids type 2. These lids must be marked with the type 2 recycling symbol. Anything without a symbol will need to be sent with your household rubbish. The plastics will need to be separated into individual buckets, so we do recommend separating at home.
• Plastic lids type 5. These lids must be marked with the type 5 recycling symbol. As above the type 5 plastics will be separated into individual buckets, so we do recommend separating at home.
• Metal Lids –including for eg Crown caps, metal screw tops, sparkling wine wires, metal jar lids, ring-pull caps.
• Razors and shaving equipment including blades, blade cartrdiges, refillable or disposable razors and packaging
• Oral care products and packaging including brushes, floss containers, tubes. Make sure excess product is removed, and that all is dry. Electric toothbrush heads are not recyclable.
• Household and hearing aid batteries.
• Curtains – must be mould free so they can be re-purposed.
• Wool balls of wool which Crafty Volunteers, can use in their knitting for charity.
• Bread bag tags.
• Rubber bands from delivered Dominion Posts

Schedule of larger item collections for 2022: