Glass recycling a hit at Coromandel holiday hotspot

New glass recycling facilities in the beach town of Matarangi, Coromandel have proven a hit with residents and holiday makers after being installed just before Christmas.

This came after the Glass Packaging Forum (GPF) awarded a $20,000 grant to the Thames-Coromandel District Council to help install a glass recycling container.

“We are thankful for the support of the Glass Packaging Forum in the funding received towards the new glass bin at our Matarangi Refuse and Recycling transfer station. The new bin was in place in time for holiday makers and residents to use over the busy Christmas and New year period,” says Thames-Coromandel District Council Solid Waste Manager Anna Stevens.

She says they have proven very effective, having collected some 4.5 tonnes of glass in a month.

Anna added the bin gives the public the ability to colour-sort their glass into clear, green and brown when they recycle it. Glass needs to be sorted by colour before it can be recycled at Visy Glass in Auckland.

GPF Scheme Manager Dominic Salmon says helping councils future-proof their glass collection systems is a focus for the scheme. “This area was hard hit by the severe weather last year, which brought a number of challenges – including completing this project. Well done to the council for installing the recycling container in time for the summer holidays. We’re really pleased people have already started making use of it.”

The collected glass goes for recycling in Auckland. “This is truly a circular economy solution, which New Zealand should be very proud of,” Dominic says.