[Photo: Bales of recyclable materials]

All About Waste

An ever-increasing problem in Northland – and in fact New Zealand - is that we don't have enough landfills to cope with the escalating amount of rubbish we're throwing away.  There is also much resistance and opposition to the development of new and efficient landfills.

While we do need landfills to dispose of our rubbish, up to 70% of what goes into our rubbish bags can be recycled or composted - the more recycling and composting we all do, the less we will need landfills to provide a 'final' disposal point.

Less rubbish means existing landfills last longer, which saves us money. Landfills are expensive to operate and are not good for the environment. A lot of recyclable material that is disposed of in landfills can take tens, hundreds or even thousands of years to break down, particularly metal and plastic.

Food and gardening waste produce methane when they break down in a landfill. This is a potent greenhouse gas which is known to be 20 times more toxic than carbon dioxide (the main greenhouse gas).  Methane can also reach explosive strength in enclosed spaces. The methane, combined with rain and other landfill fluids also creates a liquid called leachate, which is collected and treated in a well managed and efficient landfill.

Zero Waste

We at Waste Works are proud to be involved in and support local councils with the Zero Waste concept. More information regarding this can be found at http://www.zerowaste.co.nz

The immense benefits to recycling the bulk of your waste include such things as:

  • Recycling uses less energy and creates less pollution than original production processes.
  • A ton of recycled paper saves about 17 trees.
  • Recycled steel, aluminium, paper and plastic is sold overseas earning New Zealand valuable export dollars.
  • The average New Zealander creates approximately 1000kg of waste each year; 45kg of plastic, 107 bottles, 160 cans and the equivalent of two trees worth of paper.
  • New Zealanders use over 1 million aluminium cans per week (and only 50% are recycled!!).
  • 25 plastic drink bottles can be used to make a fleece jacket.
  • Used paper and cardboard can become corrugated cardboard, egg cartons, apple trays, recycled envelopes and paper, toilet and tissue paper, serviettes, paper towels.
  • Glass can be crushed and heated to make new glass products.  It is also used for swimming pool filters, sandblasting, paving and texture coating.
  • Steel cans are used to make sheet steel and reinforcing rods.
  • Aluminium can be melted down and used to make new cans, boats, ladders, joinery and car parts.
  • Plastic bottles are turned into raincoats, umbrellas, spouting, fleece jackets and new bottles.