The horticulture industry in Hawke's Bay is being given the chance to recycle container waste for free, giving the environment a helping hand in the process.
Vineyards, stonefruit, kiwifruit and apple growers, as well as farmers, will be able to make the most of a new rural recycling site on Station Road at Whakatu.
Horticentre Hastings regional manager James Cropper said the company was supporting the push to clear more rural waste and support sustainable farming by joining the list of Agrecovery container collection sites throughout the country.
Empty triple-rinsed containers, up to 200 litres in size, from participating brand owners could be recycled free of charge.
"We're all about providing solutions, and Agrecovery is a solution for our growers. So whether that means visiting clients or advising them on which product to buy - when it gets empty, they can bring it back to us.
"If we can take it back off their hands, then it's a service we provide that helps them."
Mr Cropper said the recycling station would provide an important service for growers.
"Some go through a hell of a lot of containers and bring a truck and trailer load of them back for recycling."
A lot of growers, such as grape growers, are members of a sustainable programme – part of this involves recycling containers.
"They cannot take it to landfill, and they can't keep it at their property, due to auditing process, so they've got to get rid of it somehow."
Horticentre Hastings' customers were "all on board already" with the importance of recycling, Mr Cropper said.
"Most of them are schooled up – they know containers have to be triple-rinsed. They know they can't bring containers that still have chemical in them or are dirty."
"If anything, they want more recycling options."
