A nationwide glass recycling crisis is forcing a rethink on managing waste tonnages, including a call to drink more beer from cans not bottles! P Ruddock, waste minimisation officer for Carterton & Masterton DC, said the problem facing councils across the country has grown steadily worse since late last year when a voluntary glass importation levy was removed. Its removal came after several previous years of increasing national usage of glass containers for food & drink. About 60/t green, brown & clear glass are recycled each month from the Masterton & Carterton districts, he said, which is transported to Owens Illinois in Auckland, the only recycled glass smelter in NZ. The firm have reached capacity & while they are still taking glass, the price paid for the resource has plummeted from $70 to $10/t. See: times-age.co.nz/localnews/storydisplay.cfm?storyid=3684444
