Waste expert wants firms to pay 5c for returned bottles

A recycling expert wants the Government to require 5c refunds for used bottles.

The market price for used glass was falling, with the South Island facing the biggest problems when it came to transporting unwanted glass to the recycling market because of freight costs, Sheryl Stivens says.

Requiring breweries and drink manufacturers to make a 5c payout on all returned bottles, as happened in South Australia, would solve New Zealand's glass recycling problem overnight, she said.

"If we could do that here it would be great. The big manufacturers wouldn't like it, but at the moment they're walking away scot-free.

"Since 1973 in South Australia the manufacturers have had the responsibility of supporting the processing and transportation costs and they're not allowed to use bottles that cannot be recycled."

In New Zealand the only bottles that can be recycled are large beer bottles.

Mrs Stivens manages the Wastebusters organisation, which runs recycling operations in Ashburton district.

She said the group was footing the bill for transporting used glass to Auckland in an effort to clear the product from Mid Canterbury.

"The market price is falling so it's a cost to us, doing this, but it's an even greater cost if we dump it," Mrs Stivens said.

Increasing use of stubbies and designer alcoholic drink bottles created an escalating problem in terms of the massive amounts of glass that could not be recycled.

- NZPA