Hawke's Bay kids putting used-up pens to good use

Kereru School's (back) Tilly and Selby Jowsey and (front) Nivarah Meehan, Kate Warner and Ralph Hunter in used pen pursuing mode. Photo / Supplied

There will be no more used and dried up old pens and markers being thrown into the bins at Kereru School in rural Hawke's Bay.

They are now embracing the ground-breaking new environmental initiative Writing Instruments Recycling Programme which has been sparked through a partnership between stationary company BIC and recycling giant TerraCycle.

The programme has been welcomed by both parents and pupils, and parent at Kereru School, Emily Hunter, said they had been searching for a suitable programme to environmentally dispose of used writing gear for years.

What has been launched fits the bill perfectly for schools like Kereru which have adopted the Enviroschools programme to enlighten and encourage young people about protecting and sustaining the environment.

"We were searching for a recycling solution for pens because they are such a part of modern-day life that everybody uses," Hunter said.

"Minimising our waste is more important than recycling but, if these products are able to be recycled in a meaningful and sustainable way then that can only be a good thing."

She said it was hugely encouraging to see sectors like TerraCycle and BIC working together to implement change, and she hoped the programme would grow.

"I really hope the Writing Instruments Recycling Programme becomes widespread in New Zealand — all schools and workplaces should have it set up," she said.

"It's just a matter of spreading the information."

To recycle in the programme people simply need to visit the TerraCycle website to sign up and join in, and then collect up used writing instruments.

Once they filled a box with some they could download a free shipping label from their TerraCycle account and drop the box off at New Zealand Post.

TerraCycle is geared to sort, shred and melt the items down into plastic pellets to be used in the manufacture of new products like garden beds, park benches and playground equipment.

BIC Asia-Pacific general manager Mark O'Sullivan said they were thrilled to be part of the programme as they were committed to reducing their environmental footprint so being able to forge an opportunity alongside TerraCycle for Kiwis to be able to recycle used writing instruments was extremely valuable.

"Educating current and future generations about sustainability is an important focus for us, and our TerraCycle partnership not only allows us to do this, but also provides the opportunity to use our recycled materials to give back to local communities in the form of parks and playground equipment."

* To learn more and join the Writing Instruments Recycling Programme visit terracycle.com/en-NZ/brigades/writing-instruments-recycling-nz