Two recycling centres prepare for drop-and-go opening
Recycling centres at Katikati and Te Puke will open for one-off sessions on alternative weeks from Thursday 30 April but will only be taking limited items and strict Level 3 restrictions will apply to ensure staff and public health and safety.
Katikati Recycling Centre at Tetley Road will open for three days from Thursday 30 April to Saturday 2 May, 9am to 4pm. Please access the site from Wills Road.
Te Puke Recycling Centre on Station Road will open the following week for three days from Tuesday 5 May to Thursday 7 May, 9am to 4pm.
Following these dates the recycling centres will be closed again until further information is provided for Alert Level 2.
Both centres will close each day from noon to 1pm to give staff a break.
Western Bay of Plenty District Council Chief Executive Miriam Taris says the centres are opening due to the high demand from communities whose recycling items have been stockpiling.
Each centre will only open for the one-off period of three consecutive days. Physical distancing will be strictly enforced and the sites will be re-organised to enable this separation – no staff will be assisting customers.
Only limited items are able to be taken to the centres – and no plastics of any kind will be accepted as sorting them correctly is not easy. In the interim plastics can be disposed with your general household rubbish. Council will resume taking plastic again in the future but not in the next few weeks due to COVID-19 transmission risk.
No greenwaste will be accepted under Level 3 as the centres are not set up for contactless payment.
Accepted items
| Cardboard (it must be flattened prior to arrival at the centre) |
| Paper – separated from cardboard prior to drop-off |
| Glass (remove all tops from bottles and jars) |
| All glass colours will be collected together under Level Three |
| Aluminium and tin cans (separate before dropping off) |
| No plastic will be accepted due to COVID-19 transmission risk |
“This will be a drop-and-go process – people come to the centre, wait to be ushered in and each person will drop their items in the respective bins and leave,” says Miriam.
“We are asking people to be patient. There will be queues for the first days so please delay your trip if possible so that everyone doesn’t arrive at opening time. We are still under lock-down and residents should only visit the recycling centres if absolutely necessary. If you can hold on to your recyclables longer please do so.”
Limited staff will be on duty. Staff will wear personal protective equipment (PPE) and will be following guidelines relating to hand sanitising. Please don’t talk with staff but follow their instructions. If people don’t adhere to the rules they will be refused entry.
Future opening days will be determined by the success of these two three-day sessions.
Level Three conditions at each site:
| only one person per household can take items into the centres |
| limited number of vehicles will be allowed on site at any one time |
| no trailers allowed |
| please leave pets at home |
| remain in your vehicle while waiting to enter the site |
| no hazardous substances permitted |
| if wet weather conditions make handling unsafe the centres will not open. This will be communicated |
