Over the summer holidays, Kiwis generate around 30 percent more waste, with an additional 400 percent in seaside areas. The Packaging Forum is urging New Zealanders to rest and recycle during this season, making good use of the 2000 Love NZ recycling bins installed throughout the country.
The amount of glass recycled doubles in January, but sales of glass and cans go up three times over normal levels, according to the Packaging Forum, which also provided some tips for a greener summer vacation.
There is still a lot to do on this front. Most of the packaging, for example, cannot be recycled simply because it has been placed in the wrong bin. Kiwis recycle only half of 700,000 tonnes of packaging they consume annually, and every year 284 million coffee cups and 26 million boxes are thrown away, without mentioning the 4.3 million plastic bags going to landfill every day. If you are after a non-selfish New Year’s resolution, as the Forum suggested, ‘reduce, reuse and recycle’ could be a suitable one.
‘REST AND RECYCLE’ DURING THE HOLIDAYS
