WASTE RECLAMATION

Evening Star, Issue 25426, 6 March 1945, Page 6

WASTE RECLAMATION

GOOD WORK iY OTAGO BOARD MORE USED TYRES REQUIRED During the war, period the Otago Reclamation Board, under Mr J. L. Passmore, had carried out splendid work, said the chairman of the National Council for the Reclamation of Waste Material (Mr J. W. Collins), who is visiting Dunedin. Mr Collins yesterday held a conference with the Otago Board, and in company with the chairman inspected the Waste Paper Depot in. Crawford street, and made calls on garage proprietors who are cooperating in the work of reclaiming used car and truck tyres and tubes, which are urgently required for war and essential civilian purposes. Besides salvaging hundreds of tons of paper and thousands of tyres and tubes, said Mr Collins, the Otago Board had also made an appreciated contribution to New Zealand's war effort by collecting cleaning rags, non-ferrous .metals, and other waste required by local industries. Substantial funds had been earned for the local Patriotic Council, and for the year ending this month the contributions promised to be of record proportion. The total amounts from the sale of waste and handed to the National Patriotic Fund Board had reached £40,000. It was hoped to deliver an additional 50,000 used tyres to the reclamation mill at Woolston, said Mr Collins, and the council was confident that the object would be reached by the end of June. . Dunedin, he said, already had three rail wagons of tyres (10 tons) for despatch, and with school collections now coming to hand, the local and provincial contributions should yield a large tonnage. Reports from 14 local and 15 district schools ' indicated that a widespread search had been made for old tyres. Apparently, Mr Collins continued, more old rubber was being found in the rural areas than, in the city, showing that the drives made in the city during the past three years had resulted in the collection of most of the used tyresheld by householders. The yield from Otago would help the Ministry of Supply and the National Council to reach its objective of 500 tons.

Already 57 gift parcels for despatch to soldiers serving overseas had been earned by schools, and were being sent to men and women nominated by pupils said Mr Collins. Witli each parcel was enclosed a note stating that the amount for its purchase had been earned by collecting tyres for reclamation purposes, and wishing the recipient a safe and speedy return. Mr Collins indicated that with the conclusion of the war with Germany drawing near the council intended to review its policy and to limit its future activities to materials which are considered essential for New Zealand's war effort.