Myth-busting tours of Palmy’s recycling centre are back
Published on 02 December 2024
We'll be running more tours on Saturday 11 January 2025. Bookings will open at 10am on Monday 6 January. Check back then to secure your spot.
Ever wondered what happens to your recyclables once they're whisked away from outside your house? Now's your chance to find out!
Following the overwhelming success of previous tours, the Awapuni Resource Recovery Centre is reopening its doors for a limited time during the upcoming school holidays.
This is a rare opportunity for locals to step inside and see what happens to your recycling first-hand.
Council's Acting Manager of Resource Recovery, Natasha Hickmott, invites all Palmerston North people to take part in this eye-opening experience.
“Our team at Awapuni sorts through a whopping 20 tonnes of material daily, with 30 to 35 truckloads arriving each week. If you’ve ever been curious about where your recycling ends up, this is your chance to see it all in action.”
There’s a growing sentiment across the country that recycling is pointless, with people saying things like, “It’s a waste of time” or “It all ends up in the landfill anyway.”
Mrs Hickmott acknowledges this concern and stresses that "our goal is to shatter these myths – recycling is not a waste of time, and it certainly doesn’t end up in a landfill. This couldn’t be further from the truth."
Our tours reveal the real story – from sifting through the good, the bad, and the downright surprising, including items like dirty nappies, needles, and even the occasional animal. It’s an experience that’s both educational and eye-opening.
During the tour, you’ll witness recycling trucks emptying their compartments and watch as both staff and machines work together to sort materials. The effort and dedication of the sorting team, who handpick through materials daily, is a testament to the commitment to ensuring recyclables are processed properly.
Once sorted, recyclables are baled and sent off to be transformed into new products and packaging that benefit our communities.
“For instance, our glass is shipped to Visy Glass in Auckland, egg cartons and paper head to Hawkes Bay to become fruit trays, and plastic bottles are repurposed in Wellington into packaging like meat trays.”
Weather permitting, the tour will also include a visit to our compost site.
“We’re excited to showcase the hard work that goes on behind the scenes and explain exactly where your recycling ends up. Recycling is far from a wasted effort – it’s a crucial process in transforming waste into something valuable.”
