One of Auckland’s largest community spaces for recycling and zero-waste education officially opens in early October.
The Tāmaki Community Recycling Centre in Point England is the 13th site to open in Auckland providing residents with a one-stop shop to take items for recycling or buy pre-loved items.
If the item is beyond repair, it could even find a second lease on life as part of a robot or artworks.
Chair of the Planning, Environment and Parks Committee Councillor Richard Hills says the network of CRCs is vital to creating Auckland’s zero-waste, circular economy.
“As the 13th CRC, Tāmaki is an important link in Auckland’s expanding Resource Recovery Network. The community groups at Tāmaki are diverting valuable resources away from landfill in creative ways. As the network grows, we expect to see more opportunities for innovation benefiting residents, the environment and the economy,” says Cr Hills.
Operated by social enterprise localised as a Zero Waste Hub, the Pilkington Road site has operated for more than eight years as a drop-off point for Auckland Council’s inorganic collections. It processes around 90 tonnes of items every month, including fridges, tools, furniture and appliances.
Six community groups work on-site repairing and recycling many of the items brought in. One of these is the Octalien run by Sean Boyd, a junk artist, whose robot artworks have captivated many. He also teaches art at a local school.
Others include Tardigrade World which specialises in sustainable projects in art, design and community workshops to support a zero-waste lifestyle, and the Upcycler who repairs and restores bicycles for sale.
Glen Innes Family Centre also has a presence at Tāmaki giving families in need access to good quality pre-loved items.
Localised Zero Waste Hubs General Manager Carla van Walen says the furniture and even the plants in the office and warehouse at Tāmaki CRC were upcycled from unwanted items that were dropped off.
“We wanted to create an attractive space that showcases what can be achieved with sustainable practices. We want to change the perception that second-hand is second-best,” says Mrs van Walen.
The Tāmaki Community Recycling Centre is open to the public from Thursday to Saturday, between 9am and 3pm. Items can be purchased or dropped off for recycling and reuse.
Where: Tāmaki Community Recycling Centre, 153 Pilkington Road, Point England, Auckland.
To find out more information visit https://localised.nz/our-enterprises/tamaki-zero-waste-hub
To find out more about the CRC network, visit the Auckland Council website and search for ‘community recycling centres’.
