Soft plastic recycling to return to select Countdown stores
The soft plastic recycling scheme returns to some Countdown stores across the North Island on Monday.The Love NZ Soft Plastic Recycling Scheme has been suspended due to the coronavirus lockdown.
Lyn Mayes, manager of the soft plastic recycling scheme, said collection bins would be back in participating Countdowns in Northland, Auckland, Hamilton and Wellington from May 11.
Mayes said the May 11 date was to allow partners Future Post and Second Life Plastics to restart their operations.
She said it was also a "great boost" for people to be able to recycle their soft plastics again, as many people had been saving individual plastic bags and wrappers during lockdown.
"A lot of recycling — not just soft plastics — around the country stopped during lockdown so it’s great to get going again."
However, Mayes warned people to "recycle carefully" when dropping off their soft plastic at Countdowns.
"When you are dropping off your soft plastic bags, please follow guidance from store personnel and maintain social distancing.
"If the collection bin is full, please do not put your bag of soft plastics on the floor. Please take your recycling away with you and return to recycle it when the bin has been emptied," she said.
"Please remember we only accept clean, dry and empty soft plastic bags and packaging.
"Food scraps and liquid will contaminate all the other bags in the bin. Hard plastic and metal objects will damage our processing plant."
