Recyclables stored as new markets sought

Nelson’s recycling collection will continue, despite many recyclable goods now having to be stockpiled.

Nelson’s recycling products, along with the rest of the country’s, used to be sold to China. But with the introduction of China’s ‘‘National Sword’’ programme, recyclables are no longer being bought or processed.

Glass and the plastic used for milk bottles are unaffected by the change as they are recycled in New Zealand, but other plastics and some paper and cardboard are now being collected with no destination in mind.

It will cost the council between $88,500 and $94,500 to collect and hold those materials – funding which is available in council reserves – while alternative recycling buyers, such as Indonesia, Thailand or Vietnam are explored.

Councillors debated the cost against the high value recycling had in Nelson, with a 40 per cent increase in recycling after the introduction of the wheelie-bins.

Councillor Luke Acland said the report was ‘‘really worrying’’ for him.

‘‘Some people in the community have the sense that recycling has always been a bit of a trick, in the sense that it’s never actually been recycled,’’ he said.

‘‘The answer there was that it was, it was sent to China or elsewhere and processed. This, we don’t actually know if it will get recycled.’’

He said it was time to focus on the ‘‘front end’’, to reduce plastic use, rather than on how plastic was disposed of.

‘‘I’m afraid that we’ll lose that behaviour and interest [in recycling] because people feel that they aren’t achieving the outcomes they desire.’’

Councillor Kate Fulton said a focus on reduction would be beneficial.

‘‘It’s ‘reduce, reuse, recycle’, for quite a few decades but the emphasis has been let’s get people recycling, and perhaps we’ve lost sight a little bit on how to get people to reduce their recyclables,’’ she said. ‘‘I think we can all be pleased when we put out our recycling, but how much is in there is important as well.’’

Councillor Tim Skinner said the future seemed ‘‘bleak’’, regarding a new market for recycling. ‘‘ It’s not sustainable for us to keep stockpiling and wearing the cost.’’

Group manager of infrastructure Alec Louverdis said it was ‘‘100 per cent sure’’ that the council could cover the cost of stockpiling in the 2018-2019 financial year, but there would need to be another report at that point to determine the sustainability. Minister of Conservation Eugenie Sage has said that the Government is focused on improving New Zealand’s ability to recycle without on-selling.