Local community centre diverts non-recyclable waste from landfill

 

Mangawhai Physiotherapy is diverting ‘non-recyclable’ waste from landfill on behalf of the Mangawhai community, as part of several national recycling programmes operated by global recycling pioneers, TerraCycle.

As part of the recycling programmes sponsored by Colgate, Glad, Nescafe and Fonterra, Mangawhai Physio collects the community’s oral care waste, plastic food storage waste, used coffee capsules and empty yoghurt pouches and sends them to TerraCycle free-of-charge.

The waste will then be shredded, washed and melted down into raw materials to be used in manufacturing. Clair McEntegart from Mangawhai Physio said she became a public drop-off location for ‘non-recyclable’ waste to improve the community’s access to recycling. “People in Mangawhai are very Earthconscious and are strongly against plastic pollution.

When I discovered the closest TerraCycle drop-off location was 1.5 hours away, in Auckland, I decided to become a public drop-off location,” Clair said. “I want to be able to tell my children and grandchildren that I did all that I could to help save the planet.” Additionally, for every piece of nonrecyclable waste sent to TerraCycle, Mangawhai Physio generates $0.02 toward a nominated school or non-profit organisation.

“We’re really inspired by the commitment of New Zealand businesses to recycling, and by their hard work in raising awareness about waste and sustainability,” Jean Bailliard, General Manager of TerraCycle Australia and New Zealand, said. Locals are encouraged to drop their oral care waste, plastic food storage waste, used coffee capsules and empty yoghurt pouches to Mangawhai Physio to be recycled.

To date, across 21 countries, TerraCycle has diverted four billion pieces of waste from landfill and incineration, and has raised US$21 million for schools and nonprofit organisations worldwide.  n To learn more about TerraCycle’s free recycling programmes, visit terracycle.co.nz/ en-NZ/brigades. 
 

How the TerraCycle Programmes work TerraCycle operates several free recycling programmes that help New Zealanders recycle hard-to-recycle waste (such as coffee capsules, toothbrushes and yoghurt pouches) free-of-charge. Collectors simply visit terracycle.co.nz, create an account and join any of the free recycling programmes that suit them. Next, they collect the hard-to-recycle waste in any old cardboard box or container. Once full, they log onto their TerraCycle account, download a free New Zealand Post shipping label, stick it on the box and drop it to their nearest New Zealand Post Office.

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