Nappies In The Recycle Bin 'Not On'

Lazy recycling habits are not impressing Tararua’s solid waste manager Jeremy Hirst.

“The majority of people recycle responsibly but when someone dumps a bag of used nappies into a bin containing paper for example, I get grumpy.”

A small number of people are spoiling it for the majority but lazy recycling behaviour is noticeably on the increase,” he says.

Users of the Dannevirke bins in the Allardice St carpark are the main culprits, he says.

Rubbish stacked against the bins is another example of lazy urban behaviour in the four main towns and a cause for public complaint – particularly when the wind blows.
And complaints don’t stop there. Waste from the recycle bins goes to Palmerston North for sorting and reallocation and when inappropriate items turn up then unhappy staff advise Mr Hirst of what they’ve found.

So what products are accepted and where are the recycle locations?



Red bins are situated in Dannevirke, Woodville, Pahiatua, Eketahuna, Pongaroa, Akitio, Norsewood, and Weber, which currently alternates, fortnightly with Herbertville in the summer season.

Recyclables are tins including aluminium, paper, cardboard, glass and plastics. Glass which accounts for 50% of the district’s waste is sent from Palmerston North to be crushed and used as aggregate by Higgins Roading Co.

At the bins the collection of plastics involves numbers 1-7 including yoghurt containers and some meat trays (check the numbers first), whilst numbers 1-2 only – milk containers, pump water and coke bottles for example, are accepted for weekly kerbside collections.

Polystyrene packaging is a ‘no no’ and must go to the transfer station.

Waste audits at the Dannevirke and Pahiatua landfills are a new information seeking exercise to be introduced.
“By randomly inspecting trailers, trucks and refuse bags we can ascertain the quantity and type of material being deposited. If 50% is green waste that can be mulched this may offer another recycling service and potentially free up landfill space,” Mr Hirst says.

Meanwhile he is resisting calls from the public to provide extra bins and more education.
“Unfortunately the district just can’t afford it.”