Otago Farmers Market Trust – Waste Minimisation
The result of the Waste Minimisation Strategy is the recycling and organic collection system that operates at the market. The Otago Farmers Saturday Market is the first event in Dunedin to offer public places recycling and it is intended that soon this system will operate in other areas of the city.
We have separate bins to collect, Organic Waste, Plastics and Aluminium Cans, all Glass Bottles and Jars, and Rubbish which is non-recyclable.
At first the recycling system can be a little confusing but if you take the time there are signs on the bins that tell you which bin to put your waste in. You will also see signs on vendors stalls letting you know the correct way to dispose of your waste. By following these instructions you can help us really reduce our waste and the amount of stuff going to the landfill.
The largest proportion of waste generated at the markets is organic waste. This includes food scraps, paper towels, serviettes and bio degradable coffee cups. You will see signs on the bin that let you know what you can and can’t put into the Organic Waste bin.
Coffee cups can go in but the lids can’t,so we have a small bucket on the stand next to the bin to put your coffee cup lids in. Please don’t put in any meat or bones in the organic bins. Waxy paper should be put in the rubbish bins, not the organic bins, and please don’t put bacon buttie bags in the organic waste.
If you have any questions then you can always ask at the Site Office.
If plastic, paper bags with a waxy layer or other inappropriate materials are put into the organic bin, it can’t be composted or sent to a worm-farm,and instead has to go to landfill. This is exactly what we don’t want. The entire waste collection system used by the Otago Farmers Markets is designed to keep stuff out of the landfill so please take the time and read the signs so you “know what bin to put it in”.
The waste minimisation strategy and the system we have in place at our markets would not have been possible if it were not for the help of the Dunedin City Council and Love New Zealand.