Bottling sustainability flag by flag

Published: 19 April 2022

Napier City Council is saving thousands of plastic bottles from landfill and oceans, reducing its environmental impact at the same time.

From this year, every street flag promoting events in Napier will be made from recycled plastic bottles.

Kevin Murphy, Event Manager, believes the initiative aligns well with Napier’s environmental objectives.

“We want to be environmentally responsible and proactive in everything we do. That’s something we look for in all our initiatives and partnerships,” says Kevin. “We’re always looking for ways to become more sustainable and reduce our environmental impact so this is a great fit.”

“It’s fantastic to be part of something that celebrates what we can achieve when we work with others to explore and support alternative ways of doing things.”

Napier has 250 flag sites, and the move to use this new product will save about 15,000 plastic bottles every year from going to waste. Using recycled plastics for flag fabrics means less waste for landfill and less pollution. It avoids the use of virgin fibres, reduces the consumption of water and energy in production, and lowers the demand for colorants and dyes.

Over the summer, flag supplier OneSource Ltd trialled the 100% recycled, more earth friendly fabric in Napier. While the advent of recycled polyester yarns is not new, Bernie Riley, managing director for OneSource, says the trial of the fabric has been so successful, he expects to roll it out to many more places around the country.

“It has only been in the last couple of years, following numerous longevity trials, including more recently with Napier City Council, that we have found the ideal option.”

Once they have served their purpose, the flags can be returned to the supplier. The fittings will be removed and the fabric recycled a second time into weed matting or fence posts.

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