Steel can recycling made even easier

A long-term contract has just been signed between kerbside recycling collector Onyx and Steel Can Recycling (SCR). The deal, signed by SCR program director Bruce Gledhill and Onxy CEO Mike Huddleston, means that it will be even easier for people living in North Shore and Waitakere Cities in New Zealand to recycle their tin cans. The kerbside recycling service starts in July.

The join initiative will help to maximise the recovery and recycling of steel cans used in popular consumer items like food and petfood, aerosols and paint. "We are delight to formalise this agreement because it means that consumers in these two cities will be able to place all their steel cans in the new 140 L mobile recycling bins," says Mike. "Once householders put the cans in the recycling bin no other human contact occurs. The Onyx trucks will be fully mechanised and at the recycling centre a magnet automatically removes them from the sorting line. Then they are crushed into blocks using a new high-tech baler."

"Closing the loop is what it's all about. The crushed can blocks will then go to Pacific Steel in Otahuhu where they will be melted along with old cars and other scrap steel and then made into a wide range of steel products that will be used by almost every industry and household in NZ.

Onyx CEO Mike Huddleston says: " ... the larger capacity recycling bins will enable people to recycle all of the cans they use in their home. This extra capacity, the modern processing plant and the support of SCR provides a strong platform to increase recycling in Waitakere and on the North Shore."

Steel Can Recycling has pledged to Central government that by 2008 it will recover and recycle 43% of the steel cans used annually by New Zealanders.