A scheme designed to make it easy for tourists and other visitors to Otago to recycle their waste was launched in Hampden on Saturday.
The scheme will be introduced progressively in Otago towns this summer "On the road recycling" is an initiative of the Community Recyclers of Otago, with the support of the Otago Regional Council.
It offers a bag and sticker system which can be used by visitors to recycle and keep the local environment clean and green, Community Recyclers of Otago project manager Sue Coutts, of Wanaka, said at Hampden on Saturday.
The scheme is so simple that any community can create a station and be offering a recycling service to its residents within weeks - and very cheaply.
In addition, the more communities that adopt it, the more successful the scheme will be within Otago for all travellers, chairman of Hampden Community Energy, Dugald MacTavish, said yesterday. The initiative includes ensuring recycling drop-off points are included on the major tourist maps and establishing a user-pays bag system for waste drop-off at participating Otago recycling centres.
Recycling bags costing $1.70 each can be obtained from Hampden Motors and Palmerston retailers.
Recycling collected at the Hampden and Palmerston drop-off points will be taken to the Waitaki Resource Recovery Park in Oamaru once a week.
The Hampden drop-off point will be at Hampden Motors.
The Palmerston drop-off point will open opposite Warrens Garage today.
Other drop-off points in the recycling scheme at Queenstown, Wanaka and Alexandra will open over the summer.
It is hoped to have all major Otago towns covered under the scheme by the end of June, Ms Coutts said.
