For some months now I have noticed that one of the new large concrete motorway ramp supports at the Pt Chevalier junction appears to be supported by two large metal props. It is the only one thus supported. This worries me deeply. Do they think the support is going to fall over? Are they worried? Should I be worried? What is the purpose of those two metal props?
Tim Meadowcroft, Euan Macduff, and George Makene, Auckland.
Fear not. The Transport Agency (the "they" to whom you refer) says the props, or supports, are temporary and are part of the planned construction of the Waterview Connection's Great North Rd Interchange. They are there to support the largest of the piers or columns while Super-T beams are lifted into place either side of them. The beams are heavy - they weigh around 60 tonnes each - and their ends rest on the piers. Once all the beams have been placed and the central section - that's where the beams and piers meet - concreted, the props will be removed.
When compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) appeared I swore never to buy another incandescent, and I haven't, and now that we have light-emitting diodes, the house has about one-third of each despite the astronomical price of the LEDs. The surviving incandescents never wear out, despite what the advertisements for the CFLs and LEDs say, because they are the ones we rarely or never turn on. My question is: is anyone making any effort to recycle the incandescents?
David Rowarth, Auckland.
The short answer appears to be no. When I addressed the question of light bulb and battery disposal last year, the Ministry for the Environment website advised that incandescent bulbs (both the old-style tungsten filament and more efficient tungsten halogen ones) and other halogen lamps can be disposed of with household rubbish. You should wrap any broken glass in newspaper to prevent injury during handling of rubbish bags. As the website still contains the same information, I surmise that the same situation applies, and that recycling seems not to be an option.
I have noticed little gadgets attached to the light poles over the causeway on the Northwestern Motorway. These appear on every second or third light and are about five metres off the ground. Do you know what these are for?
Andrew Philson, Henderson, and Romina Marinkovich, Auckland.
