New recycling service will be a big hit for coffee lovers

Published on 30 May 2022

Palmy's avid almond milk drinkers and juice fiends can now tread a little lighter on the planet, thanks to the Council's new recycling service.

Teaming up with SaveBOARD, the Council has introduced a new drop off point at the Ferguson Street recycling centre, where people can recycle their used food and drink cartons, or other forms of liquid paperboard.

Council’s Group Manager of Resource Recovery, Bryce Hosking, says liquid paperboard is often known as Tetra Pak and is used for long-life milks, juice, stock and other food items found at your local supermarket. 

“Palmy residents and businesses can now drop off their used Tetra Pak food and drink cartons at the Ferguson Street recycling centre during opening hours. This is a real milestone for Palmy as up until now, this sort of packaging has been sent to landfill.”

Liquid paperboard packaging is typically made up of several different materials which are difficult to separate. For years there was no option to recycle this type of packaging within New Zealand, and so it was either sent to landfill or sent offshore.

Mr Hosking says, “We’re pleased that we can now offer this service, and even better, we’ve partnered up with a Kiwi business. This means all recycling from Palmy continues to be recycled here in New Zealand.” 

Palmy’s cartons and containers will be sent off to SaveBOARD’s manufacturing plant in Te Rapa, Hamilton, where it will be processed. The company specialises in creating healthy, affordable, high performance, low carbon building materials such as ceiling tiles and panels. SaveBOARD’s innovative technology uses only heat, pressure and time to make the final products, and the plastic in the packaging serves as glue.

Mr Hosking asks that people follow a few steps to prepare their used cartons for recycling.

“Please open and flatten each carton and make sure they’re clean and dry. Then drop it off in the appropriate bin at Ferguson Street. This will ensure there is no contamination before being shipped off for processing.”

Thanks to this partnership, Council will be further reducing waste to landfill and by recycling these food and drink cartons, residents will be doing their part in protecting our planet.

Soft drink and milk bottles must continue to go in your kerbside recycling bins with their lids off and glass bottles are to go into your crates. At this stage, liquid paperboard cartons can’t go in your kerbside recycling, so these must be taken to Ferguson Street.

For more information on the Council’s rubbish and recycling, visit pncc.govt.nz/rubbishandrecycling 

Ferguson Street Recycling Centre opening hours:

• Monday to Friday 7.30am to 4.30pm
• Saturday 8am to 4.30pm
• Sunday and public holidays 10am to 3pm