Taupō District brings back recycling for number 5 plastics

Taupō District Council's solid waste and storm water asset manager Brent Aitken holds up some examples of number 5 plastic containers that can now be accepted in the recycling.

It's taken nearly three years, but from February 1, Taupō residents can recycle number 5 plastics, along with plastics number 1 and 2.

You need to check the number in the triangle on the bottom of the plastic item, but broadly speaking number 5 plastics include yogurt containers, the liner in cereal boxes, plastic bottle tops and kitchenware such as disposable plates, cups, and cutlery.

In 2018 Taupō District Council's asset manager solid waste Brent Aitken announced the council would no longer be accepting plastics 3 to 7 when it was discovered new recycling facilities in Asia were not disposing of our plastics properly.

This was a New Zealand wide issue, and at the time Aitken said the Taupō District was more affected than other districts as most only offered a recycling service for number 1 and number 2 plastics whereas since 2006 Taupō was recycling the full range of plastics numbered from 1 to 7.

Aitken said the ability for contractors to collect number 5 plastics meant great gains for the district.

"We have been lucky enough to find a New Zealand market for number 5 plastics, which will add a further 17 per cent to the volume of plastics currently recycled in our district.

"Plastic is light but it still takes up a huge amount of room in landfills so this will save space in our landfills and benefit the environment as a result."

Number 2 plastic milk bottles granulated into small chips before being converted into recycled resin. Photo / Dean Purcell.

Since 2018 the waste management team has been searching for alternative avenues to recycle plastics 3 to 7. The number 5 plastics from Taupō District are to be sent to Aotearoa New Zealand Made Ltd which is based in Palmerston North. A spokesperson said number 5 plastics are turned into pallets to be used for durable products such as recycling bins, road stabilisation netting, or reusable seed trays.

Aitken says currently there are no viable markets for the recycling of plastics 3, 4, 6 and 7, so they are unlikely to be added to the council kerbside collection service.

There were some rules around what number 5 plastics can be recycled – only kitchen, laundry and bathroom number 5 plastics could be recycled, not outdoor plastics such as plant pots.

"We need to start small in this instance and see how well the recycling of this group of number 5 plastics goes before we can look to expand.

"The things that can be recycled include lots of single-use plastic such as yoghurt, hummus, icecream and takeaway containers that are number 5."

Aitken wanted to remind people all containers needed to be thoroughly rinsed before being put out for collection to qualify for pick up.

"You can find the plastic type number in the recycling symbol on most plastics, usually on the bottom of the item, so make sure it's 1, 2 or 5."