Ethan Clarke
Hamilton, a city in both Ontario, Canada and New Zealand's North Island, has a history of struggling to recycle certain plastics. In 2017, the Hamilton City Council (HCC) collected plastics 1 and 2 at kerbside, with other plastics being sent to landfill. In 2022, the HCC announced that it would be unable to recycle certain grades of plastics, specifically 3, 4, 6, and 7, due to a collapse in overseas demand. However, the council committed to recycling plastics 1, 2, and 5 through its new rubbish and recycling service. This service aims to reduce landfill waste and increase recycling within the community. Hamilton, Ontario, also has a Blue Box recycling program, which accepts some plastics, and the city collects yard waste separately for composting.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Location | Hamilton, Ontario, Canada |
| Recyclable Plastic Types | 1, 2, 5 |
| Non-Recyclable Plastic Types | 3, 4, 6, 7 |
| Plastic Types Accepted in Kerbside Recycling Collection | 1, 2 |
| Plastic Types Not Accepted in Kerbside Recycling Collection | 3, 4, 6, 7 |
| Plastic Items Not Recyclable in Blue Box Program | Black plastic, coffee cup lids, plastic cutlery, plastic straws, non-stretchable plastics (chip bags, inner linings of cracker and cereal boxes), blister packs from pills, lids from plastic water bottles |
| Plastic Items Recyclable | Plastic grocery bags |
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What You'll Learn
Plastic grades 3, 4, 6 and 7 are sent to landfill
As of August 31, 2022, the Hamilton City Council is unable to recycle certain grades of plastics, including plastic grades 3, 4, 6, and 7. These plastic grades are sent to landfills due to the collapse in overseas demand, particularly from China, which previously purchased 50% of the world's recycling.
The new recycling restrictions in Hamilton are a result of the changing market for recycled materials. Previously, there was a demand for plastic grades 3-7, but this demand has diminished, leading to the current situation where only plastics 1, 2, and 5 can be recycled through the city's new rubbish and recycling service.
The Hamilton City Council's decision to send plastic grades 3, 4, 6, and 7 to landfill is a reflection of the challenges faced by recycling programs worldwide. It is important to note that the recyclability of plastics is not solely determined by their grade but also by the market demand for those materials. When there is sufficient demand, even complex plastics can be recycled. However, in the absence of such demand, these plastics end up in landfills.
To address the issue of plastic waste, the New Zealand Government's Provincial Growth Fund is considering funding investments to build the necessary infrastructure to recycle and reprocess plastics onshore. Additionally, the Hamilton City Council is encouraging residents to reduce their consumption of products packaged in or made of plastics 3, 4, 6, and 7. This shift in consumer habits is seen as the most sustainable way forward for the city.
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Hamilton recycles plastic grocery bags
Plastic bags can be recycled in Hamilton as part of the city's Blue Box recycling program, now managed by Circular Materials. This program encourages residents to separate plastic bags from paper in their blue boxes.
However, it is important to note that not all plastics are recyclable in Hamilton. The city's recycling service has faced challenges due to changes in the international market, particularly a decrease in demand for certain grades of plastic. As a result, the Hamilton City Council has had to adapt its recycling practices. Only plastics 1, 2, and 5 are currently accepted under the new recycling service, which started on August 31.
The new recycling service aims to reduce the amount of waste sent to landfills and increase the recycling rate in Hamilton. The council encourages residents to look for alternatives to buying products packaged in or made of plastics 3, 4, 6, and 7, which are no longer accepted for recycling.
To foster environmental awareness and sustainable practices, the council recommends that residents reuse plastic bags whenever possible. By reusing bags, individuals can reduce their consumption of single-use plastics and decrease the amount of waste they generate. Additionally, residents can opt for reusable bags when shopping, which further contributes to a more sustainable lifestyle.
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Black plastic can't be recycled in blue boxes
In Hamilton, New Zealand, only plastics 1, 2, and 5 can be recycled as part of the new rubbish and recycling service. However, black plastic cannot be recycled in blue boxes in many places, including Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
When plastic packaging goes into recycling, it is sorted into different types of plastics using near-infrared (NIR) technology. Black plastic is difficult for NIR lasers to detect because they cannot "see" carbon black, the pigment used to dye plastic black. As a result, black plastic items often end up in landfills, incinerators, or the environment as litter after just a single use.
In some cases, black plastic can be recycled if it is a special type that can be detected by NIR technology. However, this requires waste management companies to fine-tune their NIR equipment, and even then, it may still be challenging to recycle due to the presence of unregulated amounts of toxic chemicals, including heavy metals and flame retardants, which can pose a hazard to human health if they leach into food.
To reduce the environmental impact of black plastic, consumers can look for alternatives to buying products packaged in or made of black plastic and opt for products made of more recyclable materials, such as cardboard, paper, glass, or aluminum. Additionally, companies should strive to use recycled plastic and avoid using black plastic to "mask" imperfections in their products.
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Coffee pods are not compostable in Hamilton
In an effort to reduce waste, the Hamilton City Council has introduced a new recycling service that will no longer accept certain grades of plastics for recycling. This means that coffee pods, which are often made of plastic, are not compostable in Hamilton.
Coffee pods are small, single-use containers that hold ground coffee beans and are used in coffee machines to brew a single cup of coffee. While they offer convenience and a fresh cup of coffee, they contribute significantly to waste, especially as they are not widely accepted for recycling. It is estimated that it takes at least 500 years for these pods to break down, causing a strain on the environment.
Some companies have started to create compostable coffee pods to reduce the environmental impact. These pods are made from biodegradable materials such as PHA, cellulose, vegetal oils, and cornstarch, which can break down in a compost bin or even in your garden within a year. However, these compostable options are not widely available in Hamilton, and the city's recycling service does not include them.
As such, residents of Hamilton must dispose of coffee pods as general waste, sending them to landfills. This situation highlights the importance of reducing the consumption of products packaged in hard-to-recycle materials and encouraging the use of more sustainable alternatives.
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Hamilton's two-stream recycling system
Hamilton has a two-stream recycling system, which includes one blue box for paper and another for containers. This system was introduced in 2019, when the city began asking residents to stop placing black plastic and Styrofoam containers in their blue boxes. This change was made because overseas markets, particularly China, no longer wanted to purchase these recyclables, forcing Hamilton to send them to landfill.
The two-stream system aims to reduce contamination, as previously, recyclables with black plastic and Styrofoam were causing loads of other recyclables to end up in the landfill. Yard waste is also kept separate and is collected by a different truck, which delivers it to the Glanbrook landfill to be turned into compost.
Hamilton's recycling system has faced challenges due to the collapse in demand for certain grades of plastic. Historically, there was an overseas demand for plastic grades 3-7, but when China stopped accepting these plastics, it impacted the recycling market. As a result, only plastics 1, 2 and 5 could be recycled as part of the new Hamilton rubbish and recycling service that began on August 31, 2022. The Hamilton City Council encourages residents to look for alternatives to buying products made of plastics 3, 4, 6 and 7, which are no longer recyclable through the council's services.
Despite these challenges, Hamilton's new rubbish and recycling service aims to significantly reduce the amount of waste sent to landfills. The council has set targets to decrease kerbside rubbish to landfills by 25% and increase kerbside recycling by 50% within four years. These targets are expected to divert more than 100,000 tonnes of waste from landfills in the next decade.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, number 5 plastic is recyclable in Hamilton, New Zealand. However, only plastics 1, 2, and 5 are accepted as part of the new Hamilton rubbish and recycling service.
Hamilton's new recycling service accepts plastics 1 and 2. Historically, there was also overseas demand for plastic grades 3-7, but that demand collapsed when China stopped accepting them.
Hamilton has a two-stream recycling system, which includes one blue box for paper and another for containers. Yard waste is collected separately and turned into compost.
