Wellingtonians are pretty great at recycling, but in surveys we’ve done in the past, we found quite a few of us are 'wishcycling' – recycling items we’re unsure of and hoping for the best!
So, to clear up any more confusion, we’re crossing a few things off Wellington’s ‘wish-list’ once and for all.
What’s the beef with plastic meat trays?
As of June 2021, clean plastic meat and food trays with a recycling symbol and a number 1,2 or 5 can go in your kerbside recycling. Just remember to remove the soaker pad and plastic film, these need to go in your general rubbish.
Want to say nay to the tray altogether? Try bringing your own container to the deli counter or your local butcher and fishmonger.
Time to Tetra Pak it in?
Contrary to popular belief, wax lined cardboard milk cartons, juice boxes and Tetra Pak cartons are not recyclable in your kerbside recycling, so please pop them into your kerbside rubbish.
If you’re really dedicated to recycling, you can drop it off at a collection point to be recycled by
SaveBoard.
Squash your can crushing habits
Some of you might be a bit flattened to hear that you shouldn’t crush your aluminium drink cans. A can that’s crushed flat will not be properly recognised by machinery at the recycling processing plant and will end up going to landfill, or getting mixed up with paper and cardboard, contaminating that recycling.
Tin cans? Put a lid on it!
You can actually leave the lids on your tin cans as long as they’re still attached and pushed inside. Loose lids floating in your recycling are too small to be recycled and the sharp edges pose a safety risk to staff, so please wrap them and put them in your rubbish if they come off the tin.