NZ Recycling Week 21st - 27th October 2024
Recycling Week is an annual initiative to raise awareness and educating New Zealand on best practices for waste minimisation and recycling. Encouraging conscious procurement, and disposal of items, creating a waste free future for New Zealand.
Launched in 2013, an ever-increasing number of organizations (schools, corporates and everyone in between) are having fun and learning by taking part in the week.
Each day of Recycling Week features an easy-to-remember theme that will challenge and encourage you to re-think your waste minimization and recycling behaviours. Each of these themes has plenty of activations, interactions and games to select from.
Procurement Monday
Only purchase what is made able to be recycled, reused or repurposed.
When we buy a product, we also buy any waste associated with the product. We are all responsible for waste, it starts with us and ends with us. Any item that is recycled helps reduce the need for new products to be made from virgin material.
Choose products with minimal packaging - Cardboard, paper, glass, and aluminium or plastic types 1 (PET) and 2 (HDPE) or 5 (PP) as they are the most readily recyclable plastics to recycle in New Zealand.
Waste Free Tuesday!
Today the focus is on reducing the amount of rubbish that we send to landfill. According to MfE estimates, New Zealand generates 17.5 million tonnes of waste per year, of which an estimated 12.6 million tonnes is sent to landfill!
Sadly, about three-quarters of this waste could have potentially been recovered, reused or recycled.
Materials can take an exceptionally long time to break down in a landfill. The best way to avoid this is to strive to live as much of a zero-waste life as possible.
Challenge yourself to use your landfill waste bin as little as possible, and instead be sure to recycle or compost any items that have an end-of-life solution. Can you go a full day without producing general waste?
Reusable Wednesday
Avoid single-use waste by opting for long lasting reusable alternatives. On Reusable Wednesday we encourage you to ditch single-use items in favour of longer lasting reusable alternatives.
Whether it is in your morning coffee run, your takeaway lunch, your water bottle or supermarket bags, most single-use materials have reusable alternatives that are better for the planet 🌏
What are you going to phase out of your life in favour of a more sustainable option?
Single-use products make up a significant amount of waste going to landfill, and a good proportion of waste found in our marine environment. To help tackle this problem you can support businesses that produce goods with minimal and/or recyclable packaging by choosing their products. Or try going for zero packaging and only use reusable container.
Rinse & Clean Thursday!
Contamination is the enemy of recycling. Ensure all recyclables are adequately cleaned before disposal.
Contamination is any material which is in the wrong recycling stream.. When food ends up in a plastic recycling bin or vice versa, big problems arise and in some instances whole batches of recyclable materials are sent to landfill due to contamination.
So cleaning and separating are ESSENTIAL for successful recycling. A quick rinse is usually sufficient in removing most of residual waste that causes problems down the line.
Make sure you find the tap before disposing!
Reflection Friday
Reflect on what was learnt and make a commitment to minimise waste at work, school and at home.
When it comes to recycling and waste minimization there are many different things that can be done to reduce waste destined to landfill.
Reflection Friday is a great opportunity to brainstorm and commit to new recycling initiatives for your office, classroom or home. Take the time to set recycling targets, make pledges and kickstart initiatives that address New Zealand’s waste problems through long term sustainable solutions.
New Zealand urgently needs to shift from a take – make – waste linear model to a circular economy. A circular economy will help us protect our unique and beautiful environment while creating new business opportunities.
Spring Clean Weekend
A long weekend is the perfect time to identify all that can be reused, repaired, recovered or repurposed around the house.
Recycling is great, but turning your unwanted items into something new and useful is even better.
Get the whole family involved and rid your home of all unwanted items that others may be able to use or indeed be grateful for.
Take all unneeded items to your nearest Salvation Army, City Mission or Hospice shop. Ensure these items are still in good condition and you are not simply passion on the waste problem.
You can also make some money through listing it on Trade Me, social media platforms, Neighbourly apps, etc. Before resorting to landfill, seek out whether your unneeded items can be recycled through local clothing bins, resource recovery centres, or other specialty recyclers.
Follow Recycling Week to find out more and take part in…
⭐ Procurement Monday
🚫 Waste Free Tuesday
♻️ Reusable Wednesday
💧 Rinse and Clean Thursday
💭 Reflection Friday
🌻 Spring Clean Weekend