Polystyrene from domestic sources is accepted at the Innovative Waste Kaikōura (IWK) transfer station, but businesses are required to dispose of it themselves.
In a report to the Kaikōura Zone Committee meeting on Friday, Kaikōura District Council operations senior manager Dave Clibbery said polystyrene could be recycled, but there were risks associated with commercial polystyrene.
The domestic polystyrene was transported to Expol in Christchurch, which manufactures insulating materials.
‘‘As a recyclable material polystyrene has little value, and because of its low density the transport costs are high, and as such the disposal service has a significant net cost.
‘‘IWK absorbs the cost on behalf of the community, recognising that for these domestic customers there is not a practical alternative and environmentally sound disposal option available.’’
But the service was not extended to businesses because the transfer station did not have the capacity and there was potential for contamination, Mr Clibbery said.
‘‘Unlike domestically sourced polystyrene [packaging of new items], commercially sourced polystyrene from activities such as building demolition or renovation has significant potential to be contaminated with other materials.
‘‘And is likely to be delivered in large loads that would make it difficult for IWK staff to identify how much contamination was present within it and to make decisions on whether or not the material should be accepted.’’
Because of the low value of the materials, recycling companies did not accept those which had any contamination, he said.
Any rejected material was subject to a fee of $6000 per tonne to transport it to the Kate Valley Landfill.
Mr Clibbery suggested businesses liaise directly with Expol, which a number of local builders already had.
- By David Hill
Local Democracy Reporter
Public interest journalism funded through New Zealand on Air.
