Far North District Council transfer stations are about to cease accepting some grades of plastic for recycling, thanks to a shrinking global market.
As of January 14 only plastics numbered 1 and 2 will be accepted for recycling. (The number identifying the type of plastic is typically found on the bottom of the container).
The move will bring the Far North into line with Whangārei, which has never taken types 3-7, and Kaipara, which stopped about four years ago.
Until recently, the majority of the world's waste plastic went to China for recycling.
However, that country had drastically limited imports, and the market for plastics numbered 3 to 7 had collapsed, the council's acting general manager — infrastructure and asset management Glenn Rainham said, adding that, like other New Zealand local authorities, the council had few disposal options for plastic waste.