Local schools are getting on board with a new way to reduce waste which is seeing food and beverage cartons turned into building materials.
Ricarda Scherschel and Merv Hall from Weka Peckers Recycling became a voluntary drop-off location for food and beverage cartons like the Tetra Pak, in May.
Since doing so, they have seen a steady and growing flow of cartons being dropped off and are now in the process of setting up a baler which will enable the cartons to be sent directly to saveBOARD in Hamilton.
Then, saveBOARD turns the waste products into low carbon wall linings, ceiling tiles and other building materials.
“saveBOARD has initiated a fantastic business which shows how a circular business can work with a day-to-day waste product,” Ricarda says.
“Community members can now bring their opened and clean food and beverage cartons to us here at Weka Peckers.”
Ricarda and Merv have seen several loads dropped off by local eateries and say it has now spread to local learning institutes.
Ricarda says MoTec and Motueka High School’s environment group are helping to spread the word and collect cartons.
MoTec have started a competition, recording the number of cartons brought in by students from 13 local schools, averaging the amount per person. At the end of the year there will be a prize for the school which has brought in the most cartons.
Together with Grassroots Recycling in Nelson, Weka Peckers is one of only two collection points in the Top of the South Island.
Ricarda stresses that it is important for the cartons to be prepared correctly - cut open with lids on, cleaned and stacked flat so they can be stored until there are enough to bale and then sent off to Hamilton.
“If they are just rinsed and not cut open, they cannot be processed properly and will still need to go to landfill,” she says. “Please do not leave a stack of just rinsed cartons at our locked gates.”
Processing, storing and baling the cartons at Weka Peckers comes at a cost, and Ricarda and Merv are hoping that community members will volunteer to help with the sorting.
They say there has already been interest from residents in Golden Bay who want to collect the cartons.
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“If someone is coming over to Motueka from Golden Bay with an empty trailer or just an empty boot, then they could call in on their way and drop off a load of the opened and cleaned food and beverage cartons to us,” Merv says.
“Dropping a box full of cleaned, cut and flattened juice containers or other food and beverage cartons in to us instead of putting them in the rubbish bin will mean you’re doing your bit to kick start the circular economy.”
Weka Peckers will also stock the different products offered by saveBOARD to be ordered and purchased, a truly circular initiative for Tasman.Cleaned, washed and cut cartons can be dropped to Weka Peckers, 97 Robinson Rd, Tuesday- Sunday, 9am-4pm.
