Be careful what you recycle

Approximately 30 tonnes of recycling is picked up from Stratford streets every month, with urban residents able to put their recycling waste into a green bin on their kerbside every Wednesday.

But residents need to be careful about exactly what they are trying to recycle, says Services Asset Manager Mike Oien. “This week we had a case where a resident attempted to recycle a large container of oil,” Mike explains. “When the truck collects the recycling it compresses it down so more recycling can be added. You can imagine the oil container becoming more and more compressed, until eventually it exploded over all the valid recycling,” Mike says. “The entire load of recycling was spoilt by this container of oil.”

Mike says you can put newspapers, cardboard, glass drink bottles and jars (clear, green and brown only), plastic milk or drink bottles, steel and aluminium cans in the recycling bins. “If you are ever unsure about whether or not you can recycle something, you can call me at the Council on 06 765 6099, or visit our website, www.stratford.govt.nz,” Mike says.

Residents who do not have a kerbside recycling service can take their recyclables to the Transfer Station on Cordelia Street, Stratford, free of charge.