Size Matters!

How big is your plastic container?

18 September 2020

Whether you are trying to use less plastic by purchasing larger containers or saving money by purchasing in bulk, size matters when it comes to recycling!

Too big or too small means that an item cannot be recycled. The recycling centre in Christchurch, where Westland District recycling is sent, uses optical sorters that can recognize objects’ colour, size, shape, structural properties and chemical composition. Items larger than 3 litres are recognised as too big for the machines as they cause a jam.

Staff at Westland transfer stations try to prevent this problem by removing the obviously large items from collected recycling before it gets sent over the Pass. This waste then goes into the landfill.

If you are keen to recycle, consider the size of the packaging the next time you purchase something that comes in a plastic bottle and remember that it needs to be less than 3 litres in size.

The pictured bottles could not be recycled because they’re too big.