Recycling caps for Natureland
Sue Wilson with bags of bottle caps and jar lids that can be recycled as scrap metal with the funds going to Natureland Wildlife Trust. Photo: Supplied.
Stop putting your wine and beer bottle tops and jar lids in the bin for landfill; instead, collect them up for Sue Wilson who will ensure they are recycled, all while raising funds for Natureland Wildlife Trust.
“I started to collect bottle caps and jar lids a few years ago as I knew they were a scrap metal that can be recycled, but I had no idea what to do with them,” Sue says.
Sue found a national charity collecting them; however, she thought it would be nice to somehow get the caps recycled with the funds made staying local.
“I grew up going to Natureland, I used to sell them guinea pigs. When I visited when I first returned to Nelson and saw their guinea pigs, I thought they are probably descendants of my original guinea pigs.”
Sue says that Natureland Wildlife Trust has had funding issues over the years, so she was pleased to be able to choose them as a charity to support.
“I found a scrap metal place in Annesbrook where I take the caps in big animal feed bags, they pay for the metal based on weight and that money then goes to Natureland.”
In November last year, Sue put a post up on social media to encourage others to join her in recycling bottle caps for a good cause.
“It was taking me forever to collect much on my own, so I put it out there and had a good response, which was great.”
Living in Glenhope means Sue can collect bottle caps and lids from others on her trip to the scrap metal yard in Annesbrook. Sue says that she has individuals as well as bars and pubs get behind her, however, she would like the blokes to step up and get involved with their beer caps.
“The blokes need to pull their weight,” Sue laughs.
“I have lots of wine caps but not many beer caps, so the blokes and bars need to step up as it would be great to stop more of these going to landfill.”
She says Natureland Wildlife Trust also now has a collection bin for people to drop them off.
“If you put your caps in the bin they head to landfill and that’s the end of it,” Sue explains.
“However what I am doing is a great option to recycle them. It’s free, easy, and will help Natureland.”