"We must be the change we hope to see in the world."
Mahatma Gandhi

Batteries

Car and truck batteries can be dropped off for recycling at any of the District's Transfer Stations. Approximately 85% of a vehicle battery can be recycled. These batteries contain plastic, lead and sulphuric acid. Around 500,000 vehicle batteries are sold in New Zealand each year, with less than 400,000 returned for recycling. The remaining batteries, when dumped in the environment, can cause significant damage when the contents leak.

Most mobile phone batteries can be returned to Vodafone or Telecom. These batteries contain nickel and cadmium, both of which can be extracted for recycling, although the only factory that currently does so is in France. Dry cell and disc or button batteries contain heavy metals such as silver, nickel, cadmium, lead, mercury, lithium, manganese and zinc, all of which can accumulate and concentrate in water, wildlife and humans. If not recyclable, put in red bin.

Car and truck batteries can be dropped off at Transfer Stations.

Mobile phone batteries can be returned to Telecom or Vodafone.

More info: http://www.timaru.govt.nz/index.asp?sidenav=servnav.html&mainpage=services

Computers and Electronic Waste (E-waste)

E-waste can be described as anything with a plug or battery. Increasing amounts of e-waste is ending up in landfills as technology changes and equipment quickly becomes redundant. E-waste contains significant hazardous materials such as mercury, lead and cadmium. There are several ways to get rid of unwanted equipment:

• If it works, drop it off at the Reusable Materials Drop Off, Redruth landfill, Timaru
• PC's, monitors, cables and consumables etc to: Gary Gluyas, Ashburton: 03 308 7519
• Molten Media, Christchurch 03 377 1154, http://www.molten.org.nz
• Ezy PC, Christchurch 03 322 9358
• Dell Computers 0800 440 603

More Info: http://www.mfe.govt.nz/issues/waste/special/e-waste/

Food and garden waste - Compost

Compost is food for the soil that grows our food, and it is made of leftover plant and animal matter. The addition of compost to your garden soil replenishes organic matter, which in turn improves soil texture, nutrient content, moisture retention and encourages earthworm and micro-organism activity. 80% of the agricultural land in the developed world contains only 1-3% organic matter. Good healthy soil should contain at least 6 - 10% organic matter.

Making compost is easy, and very educational. Once started, you will be responsible for managing a little ecosystem, with hundreds of interdependent creatures, and billions of unseen activators. There is more life in a single teaspoon of good compost than there are human beings on earth.

More Info: TDC compost info pages

Glass - some recyclable

All glass bottles and jars are recyclable. The only factory in NZ that makes old glass into new is in Auckland. South Island local authorities are investigating alternatives such as using the glass as a roading aggregate. Lightbulbs, window glass, pyrex and windscreen glass is not recyclable.

More info: TDC glass info pages

Hazardous Goods

Many household products contain ingredients that may be harmful to health as well as the environment. If a product is corrosive, flammable, reactive or toxic it can be hazardous. Examples are turpentine, drain and oven cleaners, chlorine bleach, batteries, pesticides and insecticides, chemical fertilisers and pool chemicals. We can reduce household hazardous waste in several ways:

• Don't buy it in the first place!
• Less is best - buy only what is needed.
• Donate paints, paint products and other leftovers to community groups or charities.

A booklet on Keeping Your Rubbish Toxic Free is available from the Timaru District Council for more info on alternative cleaners.

More Info: http://www.ecan.govt.nz/home/ and http://www.arc.govt.nz/