Christchurch events trial eco-friendly packaging

A trial of disposable food packaging and cutlery that can be composted begins at three major events in Christchurch over the next month.

The trial will see around 200,000 people using compostable food packaging and cutlery, a Christchurch City Council press release says.

Food vendors at the Sparks event, the Christchurch Lantern Festival and the Night Noodle Markets are required to use the compostable service-ware where possible, to reduce the amount of waste going to landfill.

Christchurch City Council events production team leader Drew Urlichs says in the press release, until now, the council has not been able to put packaging or cutlery in the recycling bins because it contains plastic coating.

“In Christchurch our recycling and composting facilities don’t currently accept products with a plastic coating. We wanted to trial a range that didn’t have a plastic coating and see just what difference it would make to the amount of waste going to landfill at events,” he says.

Mr Urlichs says the goal is to get 80 per cent of the waste from the events being composted or recycled, and kept out of landfills

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