‘Symbolic’ campaign on waste

The Kiwi Bottle Drive is asking organisations worried about the future of the environment to send a message on a (plastic) bottle to Coromandel MP Scott Simpson.

The associate minister for conservation has so far received about 100 plastic bottles at his Wellington office, as a symbolic drive for more action to reduce plastic waste.

It’s being headed by The Kiwi Bottle Drive and backed by groups in rural Waikato, such as Transition Matamata. They want government to reinstate the bottle deposit scheme, a national collection where people can deposit plastic bottles for 10 cents.

They also want to raise awareness of the damage plastic bottles inflict on oceans and waterways.

Scott Simpson confirmed plastic bottles had arrived at his office in the capital for several weeks.

‘‘I understand the symbolic nature of the campaign but I have to say that I would prefer to receive an email, rather than plastic bottles.

‘‘It’s much better for people to put the plastic bottles in the recycling bins and use the recycling facilities that are in place already.’’

Simpson said the bottles had been stored in a box in the corner of his office. He declined a request for a photo of the collection.

‘‘What I am going to do, when this campaign finishes or peters out, I will take the bottles to recycling a facility and dispose of them accordingly.’’

He was not sure whether the campaign would prompt government to look at re-introducing the bottle deposit scheme.

But there were already a number of initiatives underway to reduce waste.

‘‘I am looking at making an announcement about the recycling of PET plastic bottles, that’s soft drink bottles and so on. It relates to a Wellington-based company which made an application to the waste minimisation fund some time ago and it’s about to come to fruition.

‘‘I think many of the people who sent me plastic bottles would be interested in this.’’