Council curtains recycled into Boomerang Bags
Reducing waste going to landfill is a growing priority for communities around the country, and recently the Hastings District Council did its part, finding a novel way to recycle the curtains that used to hang in the chambers.
The drapes, measuring four to five metres in length, were replaced about a year ago and in an effort to re-purpose them, the Boomerang Bags Hawke’s Bay community was asked if it could use the fabric for its “borrow and reuse” shopping bags.
Boomerang Bags is a global initiative to reduce plastic pollution. The Hawke’s Bay branch was founded in 2017, and now has eight distribution points across the region, with a further seven planned in 2019.
The branch is self-funding via a small "Bought to Support" range of bags made by volunteers at home or at working bees.
The initiative encourages people to use reusable recycled fabric bags that are made by volunteers in the community and available at shops, businesses, and community organisations.
Boomerang Bags Hawke’s Bay founder Lisa Eagle said fabric donations were always welcome, and the organisation was happy to accept the offer of the curtains.
She said they were taken to Hawke’s Bay Regional Prison where inmates in the prison’s laundry and sewing industry modules have transformed them into reusable bags that have been given to the Heretaunga Women’s Centre.
“The Hastings District Council has been supportive right from when we launched and it shows it is forward-thinking about sustainability,” Ms Eagle said.
Hastings mayor Sandra Hazlehurst had been a fan of the Boomerang Bags initiative right from its introduction in Hawke’s Bay, and said that there was a growing awareness in the community about reducing plastic use.
“We’re delighted to be able to recycle these old, strong curtains rather than have them going to landfill.
“Reducing waste going to landfill is a priority for this council and this was an excellent way to divert this fabric and put it towards something useful that other people can use to minimise their plastic waste.”
Heretaunga Women’s Centre service manager Margot Wilson said the bags would be useful for women who came in without carry-bags and picked up clothes and other items from the centre.
“We also want to talk about how the women’s centre’s volunteers could get involved with Boomerang Bags by donating fabric or helping out with sewing.”
People interested in getting involved with this initiative, or who have fabric and threads to donate, can visit the Boomerang Bags Hawke's Bay Facebook page for further information.
