New Zealand’s Ministry for the Environment are focused on reducing the amount of waste we produce as a country. They’re keen to work towards a circular economy approach. The concept of a circular economy ōhanga āmiomio is to ensure we can unmake everything we make by, designing out waste and pollution, keeping products and materials in use, and regenerating natural systems.
We’re all familiar with doing our part to help the environment and keeping up with household recycling. Items such as plastic bottles, aluminium cans and cardboard are recycled widely across the country, but we wanted to share with you some recycling and reuse tips you might be less familiar with.
Colgate have partnered with TerraCycle to manage a toothbrush recycling service. Set up a free account with them and you can send back your used toothpaste tubes, toothbrushes, toothbrush plastic packaging, dental floss containers and mouthwash bottles. The old items are cleaned and melted down to become new plastic products.
Recycle your toothbrush with TerraCycle and Colgate
For women in disadvantaged communities a bra is often unobtainable or unaffordable. Uplift Project collect new and second hand bras to send to wherever they have requests for them.
Find out where to send your unwanted bras with Uplift Project
Dulux created their Paint Take-Back scheme in 2009, you can send your unwanted, unused paint and paint packaging back to them. They then sort the products for further use or recycling. Water-based paint can be sent by them to community groups for uses such as graffiti abatement. Accepted solvent based paints are sent for solvent recovery or responsible disposal and the packaging is then recycled.
Recycle your unwanted paint with Dulux
All vehicles come to the end of their life at some point. Your old car can be recycled… and you can get paid to do so! CarTakeBack gives you the best price for your scrap car, their recycling centres aim to reuse and recycle as much of the scrap cars as possible. Using methods to remove any hazardous materials from the scrap car and disposing of them in a safe way.
Recycle your car with CarTakeBack
ReBicycle is a charitable organisation which repairs and upcycles donated second hand bikes into safe, practical commuter bikes to gift, or loan to people who need them. They’ve rehomed over 850 bikes across Wellington!
Give your old bike a new lease of life with ReBicycle
Specsavers launched a nationwide glasses recycling program in partnership with Lions Recycle For Sight. The program delivers glasses and sunglasses to people in need overseas. Simply take your old glasses into your local Specsavers store and place them in the glasses recycling box.
Find out more about Specsavers recycling program
