Recyclable Materials

If it can’t be re-used, the next best option is to recycle. Here is a summary of what materials can and can’t be recycled at the Waitaki Resource Recovery Park:

What can you recycle?

So what has happened?

The Waitaki Resource Recovery Park (WRRP) has been proudly supporting Oamaru in responsible waste management since 2003. Unfortunately, external factors have now forced us to make some changes to what materials our facility can and can’t accept until further notice.

New Recycling Hub

We have added a mini recycling hub in our Get Sorted Shop. For more information on these recyclables visit the Resaleables page. 

New Repair Cafe

Repair Cafés are free pop-up events where people gather helping each other to fix their household, daily and treasured items for free.

Recycling the WRRP accepts:

Plastics

Types 1, 2 & 5

All PET plastic bottles. We can only accept whole bottles such as soda, juice, and water bottles (NO LIDS). Clear clean meat trays.

Harder, less flexible plastic. We accept all type 2 plastic including all milk and cream bottles, shampoo and detergent bottles.

1 litre yogurt containers, Chinese style takeaway containers, some honey/jam/spray/medicine containers, industrial or farm plastics. Please check first. NO Straws

Polystyrene
We are now accepting polystyrene for recycling. There is a charge of $5 per bag. This is only for accepting it at our site.

For more information https://expolearth.co.nz/

Soft plastics
The WRRP can now accept some soft plastics for recycling, check the button below for more info.

Soft plastic must be brought directly to our site and not in any commercial recycling.

Magazines & Cardboard

Brown paper and cardboard should be separated and flattened where possible. Magazines (in good condition) can be taken for the shop.

We are now accepting clean newspaper (Oamaru mail and ODT size papers). We ask that people bundle their newspaper for better storage and transportation to our site.  

Glass

We accept clean glass bottles and jars only. Please do not include drinking glasses, crystal, light bulbs, ceramics, or window glass.

Please wash and remove lids.

Separate colours: brown, green, and clear.

Tetra Paks

We can only accept tetra pak cartons if they have been cut as per the photo and washed. We will no longer be able to accept them if they are not done. This is a requirement from the recycling company they go to

Click the button below for more information on this process.

Foam

Foam underlay, mattress inners, padding, and cushions.

Steel & Aluminium

WRRP recycles steel and aluminium items such as cans, lids, foil, and plates.

Please wash or rinse.

Other Material

We also accept cooking oils, used motor oil, batteries, cell phones and chargers, printer cartridges, fluorescent tubes, and low energy light bulbs. Please note that standard light bulbs are treated as rubbish.

Who takes our recyclables?

Items the WRRP does not accept as recycling:

Plastics

Unfortunately, we are no longer able to accept certain plastics. This includes most trays and punnets, along with plastics marked with number 3, 4, 6, and 7 will be treated as rubbish until further notice.

This includes clear food wraps and packaging, cling film, bread bags, plastic cutlery, polystyrene, and milk cartons. Please ensure that you separate these items from your recyclable plastic items.

Chemical dispensers, packaging, plumbing pipes, and carpet backing.

Cling film such as Glad Wrap, squeezable bottles, bread and frozen food bags.

Meat trays, plastic cutlery, toys.

Sports bottles, baby bottles, lids, oven bags.

Dirty recyclables

It is very important that recyclables are clean to be processed. Even pizza boxes with a little bit of oil or grease cannot be recycled.

Glass

Window glass, light bulbs, drinking glasses/crystal, and ceramics can not be recycled and will be treated as rubbish.

Thank you for continuing to do your bit for our town and planet.

COVID-19 Orange

Orange Level guidelines

  1. Face masks are required to be worn onsite
  2. Contact tracing must be done for anyone coming onto our site, information required Name, and Phone number 
  3. Social distancing is in effect, please keep at least 1 metre away from anyone
  4. If you are sick stay away
  5. Complete your green waste, recycling and rubbish as quickly and safely as possible to allow other customers to come in

Be kind and respect staff and each other, we are all in this together.
Please be patient there may be long waiting times.