Information on the Solid Waste Services commencing February 2014:

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1 Information on the Solid Waste Services commencing February 2014: Q: What is the new kerbside collection service and when does it start? A: Buller District Council is introducing a new kerbside collection service for refuse and recycling for households and businesses. The new service uses one 240 litre wheelie bin and one 60 litre crate for all listed recyclables and retains the use of bags for refuse (rubbish). The new services commence on Monday 3 rd February Q: Why is the Council changing its service? A: To provide a simple, cost effective and easy to use collection service that makes it much easier for people to recycle a wider range of materials, and therefore reduce our impact on the environment. Q: How will the new service affect me? A: There will be little change to the current black rubbish bag that is still collected weekly from the kerbside. Some collection days will be altered. A map will soon be on the Buller District Council website and information packs which will be delivered with wheelie bins. Each eligible dwelling in Buller will be given a new yellow lidded wheelie bin and a 60 litre crate. The new bin and crate will come with an information pack about how to use the new service and what recycling goes in which bin/crate. A sticker on the outside of the bin will show the day and the fortnight to have recyclables left at kerb. This information will also be available on the Council website Q: What week will the wheelie bin be picked up and what week will the crate be picked up? A: Recyclables (both crates and wheelie bins) will be collected every 2 weeks on the same day as refuse bags are collected. A calendar will be in information packs with an associated map identifying collection days and whether you are Week 1 or Week 2 the Council website will also provide information. Q: When will the new wheelie bins/crates be delivered? A: The new wheelie bins/crates will be delivered between 13 th of January and the 23 rd of January 2014 in time for the new service to start the week beginning 3 rd February Q: How big will the new bins be? A: Primarily the wheelie bins will be 240 litres. A smaller 80 litre bin will be available and will be provided as an exception, for valid requests. Glass crates are 60 litres.

2 Q: What happens if I change my mind on what size bin I need/want? How do I swap the bins, who do I contact? A: There will be a transition period for the bins where no changes will be made. After that time wheelie bin sizes may be changed to suit the resident s requirements. Contact Smart Environmental Ltd. Q: I have rental properties, Will that property still get a wheelie bin and crate? A: All eligible dwellings will receive the wheelie bin and crate. You can contact Council to confirm if your dwelling is eligible or not. Q: What if I lose my wheelie bin? A: Each wheelie bin will have a serial number on it, so this will help identify if another resident has taken it from your property. Should you require another wheelie bin or crate, they are available from Smart Environmental Ltd. Q: What can I put in the recycling bin? A: There will be an information pack attached under the wheelie bin lid advising you of what you can put in the bin and what goes in the crate. Items that may be collected for recycling are What can go in the wheelie bin Paper, cardboard, newspaper, magazines, office paper, envelopes Plastics numbered 1 to 7, drink bottles, shampoo bottles, spray and wipe bottles etc. (rinsed out, squashed and tops off) Aluminium and Tin cans (rinsed out and clean) What can go in the crate Glass bottles and jars only (Lids removed and washed out) What is not wanted in wheelie bin Shopping bags, and bread bags Meat trays, Foils No glass of any sort bottles, jars, pyrex, ceramics, window glass, mirrors, light bulbs or other broken glass No food contaminated recyclables No wax coated cups or cartons e.g. coffee cups or juice cartons No hazardous materials. e.g. pesticides, batteries or used oil No general waste No cloth or clothing No food waste No green waste No Liquids What is not wanted in crates No lids No Pyrex, ceramics, window glass, mirrors, light bulbs No other recyclables or refuse

3 Q: Why is glass collected separately? Frequently Asked Questions? A: For safety and to maximise recyclability glass needs sorting at the collection site before bottles are broken. Glass is sorted by hand into three different colours, this must happen at the kerbside collection point. It improves the value of both the glass and the other recyclables when they are sorted and sold to processors to be remade into new glass products. To recycle and remake glass products in New Zealand, glass is required to be separated by colours. Q: How are new wheelie bins and crates being delivered? Buller District Council is introducing a new recycling collection service, which will start in the week beginning 3 February Participating properties will receive one wheelie bin and one crate. Smart Environmental will arrange delivery of the new yellow lid recycling wheelie bins and glass crates to eligible properties in Buller. Each new wheelie bin will come clearly labelled with your property address and collection day. An information pack is being delivered with the new wheelie bin and crate. It will tell you: How to use the new service What items can go in each bin Where to place your bin for collection, and Which week to put out your bin or crate (Week 1 or Week 2) The new collection day for refuse bag collection and for wheelie bin/crate collection. Please take the time to read this information on how to use your new bin and crate and please do not put the new bins out for collection before 3 February 2014 If you have not received your new wheelie bin and crate by 23 rd of January 2014 please call the Council on (03)

4 Q: Is there any change to the Transfer Station operating hours? A: No, there is no change to the current Transfer Stations operational hours. Opening time will be as normal, however will be reviewed annually and any decisions to change hours will be in conjunction with Council. Q: What will the bin sticker look like? A: The sticker on you wheelie bin lid will look similar to this: The sticker will tell you what day and week your pick up will be e.g. TUE1 means Tuesday of Week 1 on information pack supplied calendar. Q: I am a commercial business and want to start recycling, can the residential collection trucks pick up my recycling? A: Yes, we can collect commercial businesses phone (03) Q: I have a non conforming label on my wheelie bin/crate? Why? A: This sticker details that you may have non complying recyclables in your wheelie bin or crate. Please remove the non complying recyclable items and place your wheelie bin or crate out at your next scheduled collection day. Q: How do all the collections go into one truck? A: Smart Environmental has designed bespoke vehicles for the Buller District. The truck that will be utilised in Buller is called a Tri Combi, this has space for: 1. Refuse( rubbish) from bags 2. Mixed Recycling ( plastic, paper, cans etc..) from wheelie bins and 3. Glass (colour sorted) from crates. Q: How many people operate on the vehicle? A: There is only one person on the Tri Combi. The vehicle is dual steering, which allows the driver to operate from the left side of the vehicle. The cab is known as an LEV (low entry vehicle), this allows the driver to safely step out to service wheelie bins and crates.

5 Q: The collection truck went down my street, my wheelie bin was late and I put it out. The truck came back down the street on the other side but did not collect it. Why? A: The contractor cannot collect your refuse bag, wheelie bin or crate from the other side of the street as their traffic management plan does not allow them to cross the road. They are only allowed to collect from the left hand side ( other than one way roads). The new contractor vehicles have GPS, so they are able to confirm their collection times and where they have collected. Example scenario In this scenario we have already collected along the left side of the image (crates A&B). Our vehicle is now travelling back down the opposite side of the street. During this period, someone has noticed we are coming back down the street and placed their crates back onto the street (Crates A & B). Despite being on the same street, we are not allowed to cross over and collect the crates as this is not allowable in our traffic management plans. Refuse bags: Q: Can I use my existing Council refuse bags still with the new service? A: Yes you can use your existing bags. Existing supplies of bags will be used up before new Smart Environmental bags are introduced into the region. The Smart Environmental bags will be the same size as the current BDC bags.

6 Q: Where can I buy refuse bags for the new service? A: Bags will continue to be sold at the Council offices in Brougham street Westport and the Reefton service centre. The Westport and Reefton transfer stations will also sell bags after the 3 rd February. Existing outlets are still planned to continue selling bags (those being): New World Supermarket, Westport Countdown Supermarket, Westport Millhouse Dairy, Westport Luffy s Corner Dairy, Westport Reefton Four Square Store Reefton Supervalue Punakaiki Beach Camp Wild Coast Café Q: Why do I need to wash and squash my recycling plastics? A: Recycling is collected fortnightly. A 240 litre wheelie bin gives ample storage for an average family of four. Clean recycling doesn t create odours and is more hygienic for Smart staff to handle. Squashing gives more capacity in your wheelie bins. Q: Why do I need to take the tops of container? A: Recycling is collected and firstly compacted in our trucks. Next it is processed and compressed into bales to be sent for recycling. When containers are compressed with tops on, it can create a hazard to our staff.