A returnee staying in an Auckland managed isolation facility says he's shocked at the number of plastic food containers he's received during his stay.
He's received 52 plastic containers so far during his stay at the Grand Millennium, according to a photo supplied to Newshub, and says he expects to get more before he leaves this week.
The man, who has asked to remain anonymous, says he was stunned by the amount of waste.
"I was quite shocked, to be honest. There are thousands of Kiwis coming home at this time of year, so imagine the amount of plastic containers that will come and go just through this one hotel," he told Newshub.
The number of plastic containers received at each meal depends on what food you order, he says, with residents having different options for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. From what he received staying at the Grand Millennium, each meal came in a new container.
For breakfast, he'd receive one large, empty, and clean plastic container. Inside that would be two smaller containers: one with cereal and another with a type of spread in it.
Lunch would come in a large container with food in it and a small container with a sweet or dessert. Dinner would also be in large and small containers - the same as lunch - but sometimes it would come in two big containers.
He said he missed some of these meals because he made a supermarket order or purchased food online, where "not once" did he receive plastic containers.
"I understand why the hotel can't take the plastic containers back and recycle them due to contamination reasons, which is understandable due to the current COVID-19 situation," the returnee said.
"I just think it wouldn't be that hard to use card, paper, or many of the other bioproducts to pack the food into."
The letter he received welcoming him to the hotel mentioned the containers can't be recycled there due to the risk of COVID-19 contamination, so he's taken it upon himself to save all his containers, take them home, and recycle them himself.
He said his other friends currently in managed isolation in other facilities received their food in card containers, not plastic.
"I'd love to see this hotel and all other hotels using plastic containers to really make a conscious effort, as we only have one Aotearoa, and it's so beautiful and green."
A managed isolation and quarantine spokesperson said its priority is the safety of those staying and working in facilities, so all waste must be disposed of according to Ministry of Health guidelines.
"All managed isolation and quarantine facilities operate at level 4, to ensure that people staying and working in them are kept safe, and that there's a safe transition of people back into the community after their isolation period," they said.
"To reduce the risk of infection meals are provided in disposable containers and with disposable cutlery. We are always reviewing systems and processes to ensure we reduce waste where possible."
