Recycling trial at Bexley tip ‘disappointing’

Press, 3 June 1982, Page 6

Recycling trial at Bexley tip ‘disappointing’

A week-end recycling experiment at the Bexley tip has so far proved “very disappointing" for the chairman of the Christchurch City Council's resource recovery committee. Cr G. D. Stanley.

During the experiment, all vehicles visiting the dump on Saturdays and Sundays are being channelled through the recycling depot's set-down area, and drivers are being asked whether they are carrying any materials that might be reused.

Before the experiment, only between 4 per cent and 5 per cent of tip visitors were using the recycling depot.

During the first week-end of the experiment, in May, the depot gate was supervised. and 12 per cent of the vehicles (133 of 1099) used the recycling facilities. During two recent week-

ends, 6.2 per cent and 6.5 per cent of tip users also had materials for recycling. Cr Stanley said the statistics so far at least illustrated the importance of asking drivers to think about whether some of their loads could be recycled.He would try to have a comparable survey made of materials going into the metropolitan refuse disposal committee’s station in Parkhouse Road. Bexley tip statistics will be discussed at next week's meeting of the resource recovery committee. Cr Stanley said he was optimistic about negotiations on the sale of waste paper. The City Council has been having trouble getting rid of newspapers collected during recycling rounds. Negotiations over import markets for newsprint were also continuing, he said.