Recycling offers new support for bus passengers

Heather Haselgrove, Colin Merritt, Nick McKim

Recycling has delivered better support to Hobart’s bus passengers, with recycled plastic used to make new bus stop seats.

The Minister for Sustainable Transport, Nick McKim, and Metro Tasmania Chief Executive Officer, Heather Haselgrove, today unveiled one of the seats, which has been made from recycled plastic which equates to approximately 1,625 two-litre plastic milk containers.

“Not only is this new seat a winner for the environment, it’s giving added comfort to people waiting for buses,” Mr McKim said.

“The recycled plastic used in this seat has saved 3.25 cubic metres in landfill.

“Another advantage over the traditional timber seat is that it doesn’t need painting, and people waiting for the bus also won’t get splinters.

“It’s great to see Metro adopt an environmentally-friendly solution to bus stop seating that offers both improved passenger comfort and lower maintenance costs.”

Mr McKim said Metro is trialling the new material to ensure that it can continue to meet the needs of both the company and passengers over the longer term.

“This means ensuring it can survive different weather conditions, and remain stable after prolonged exposure to ultra violet light,” he said.

Ms Haselgrove said Metro was negotiating with Councils to install re-cycled plastic bench seats in and around suburban areas.

She said the first recycled seat has been installed in Adelphi Road near the corner of Boxhill Road at Claremont.

The second seat was installed and unveiled today at bus stop 13 in Park Street, New Town.

“The best test of the new seat is for passengers to use it and tell us what they think,” Ms Haselgrove said.

“To date the recycled seat has met with a positive response and we plan to install more as the need arises as part of our routine maintenance and replacement program.”

The seats are supplied by Australian company Replas who make recycled plastic products using 100 per cent Australian waste which has been diverted from landfill.

Ms Haselgrove said the seats arrive in a flat pack, are easy to assemble, replacement slats can be purchased and any off cuts are returned to Replas for further re-use.
Nick McKim, MP, Minister for Sustainable Transport And Alternative Energy