Christchurch To Consider “Glass Out” Recycling
Two Christchurch City Councillors have submitted a notice of motion to bring the garden city’s recycling efforts up to speed with the rest of the country, by separating glass from Christchurch’s recycling.
Councillor Phil Mauger submitted the notice of motion, seconded by Councillor Aaron Keown, asking council staff to complete the review of the council’s service delivery review of kerbside collection of waste, so the options for separating glass can be considered as part of the 2022-23 Annual Plan.
Speaking on the motion, Phil Mauger said it was important for “glass out” to be included in the 2022-23 Annual Plan so that ratepayers have an opportunity to have their say on what happens to their glass.
“Most people in Christchurch believe if they place a glass bottle in their yellow bin, then it will be recycled into a bottle again. But that isn’t the case,” says Mauger.
“Glass collected from our recycling is sent to EcoCentral where it is crushed, mixed with shingle at a quarry and then it is used in a road subbase. That is not recycling.”
Out of the 67 councils in New Zealand, 47 of them have separate glass collection or are in the process of moving towards implementing one.
Most councils in the South Island (not including Christchurch and Invercargill) who already have the “glass out” system, send glass to Christchurch where it is processed by The Stake Glass. It is then sent to Auckland to be melted down and made back into glass bottles.
“Why we don’t have a separate glass collection is beyond me, especially when we already have a processing plant in our city that our council doesn’t use,” says Aaron Keown.
“Christchurch collects approximately 14,000 tons of glass each year, which is roughly 100kgs per household.”
Mauger and Keown believe that the costs to include the glass recycling system will not be large.
“I am all about keeping rates low and spending money carefully so I have done my research and crunched the numbers and believe that this would be a sustainable move for the city in all senses of the word,” says Mauger.
“I am looking forward to Council staff finalizing their work so we can have a conversation with the public on impacts, both environmentally and financially. By using glass again and again, we are saving the energy required to make new glass from scratch, giving us a true circular economy and a reduction in carbon emission compared to our current glass system.
“Aaron and I want this to be included in the annual plan so that Christchurch residents can have their say on what happens to their glass – we think most ratepayers do not know our glass is not recycled.”
For further information, contact: Phil Mauger on 027 481 2900 or Aaron Keown 021 822 766