The Queenstown Lakes District Council has let the tender for kerbside recycling in Wanaka, QLDC waste manager Dr Linda Wright said.

"I am ecstatic to announce that a dedicated kerbside recycling service will be up and running at Wanaka from September," Dr Wright said.

The full Council voted unanimously on Friday (May 27) to let contract 461 to a joint venture company called Remarkable Recyclers Limited.

"This company brings a perfect collaboration between the Wanaka Wastebusters and a very well respected Northland recycling company called CBEC (Community Business and Environment Centre)," Dr Wright said.

The joint venture company would also use the expertise of Gary Kelk, a kerbside recycling expert currently operating recycling contracts on Waiheke Island for the Auckland City Council.

"This gave us a well considered package utilising both local knowledge and proven methodology, already successfully deployed elsewhere in New Zealand," Dr Wright said.

A dedicated education campaign would now get underway to prepare the Wanaka community for recycling.

"Fortunately, thanks to the Wanaka Wastebusters existing services, a large number of people living in Wanaka are already dedicated recyclers," Dr Wright said.

The contract allowed for recycling plastics 1 and 2, tins and aluminium cans, glass, all types of paper and cardboard.

"The collection will be made on the same day as people's normal refuse collection," Dr Wright said.

Prior to commencement of the service, recycling crates and fridge magnets, complete with a recycling guide, would be delivered to all households.

"In the meantime people can start to get into the practice of recycling by taking their recyclables to the Wanaka Wastebusters depot, which will continue to operate for commercial users in the future," Dr Wright said.

Meanwhile, Queenstown recyclers would not have to wait long for their kerbside service.

"The tender documents for both the operation of the resource recovery park and for kerbside recycling for Queenstown are due to go out in the next two weeks," Dr Wright said.

Smaller communities were not being left out of the recycling loop either.

"I am meeting with them to discuss the best recycling option for those communities, possibly this will be introduced in the form of dedicated, small scale recycling centres, similar to that already established and successfully trialled at the Frankton Transfer Station," Dr Wright said.

ENDS

For further information please contact Dr Linda Wright 441 0499 or 027 223 3058.

By: Tamah