This month, Auckland’s first official Community Recycling Centre (CRC), Zero Waste Waiuku is celebrating 10 years of operation, recycling and reusing over 10,000 tonnes of materials in a decade, and more than 40,000 customers through the door in 2024.
The centre currently employs 17 locals and volunteers spend over 3,000 hours giving their time every year.
It grew from a community group restoring furniture to the first CRC in 2014, supported by Auckland Council. The centre has grown its on-site services to also include a reuse shop, workshop, tool library, predator trap library, and pataka kai cupboard. It also runs repair cafes and a variety of workshops.
As the only community recycling centre in the Franklin area, Waiuku Zero Waste General Manager Sue Wallis says they recognised early on the need to develop strong relationships to share knowledge and resources.
“In the first few years, we partnered with Xtreme Zero Waste Raglan who supported us with their experience and expertise. Today, for example, we partner with Waiuku Community Gardens and Tuwhera Kai to ensure the Pataka Kai cupboard is well stocked with food for the public and Sustainable Waiuku for the trap library,” says Sue.
And in the same way that the Waiuku CRC receives support, the centre collaborates with other groups to amplify the reach and impact of its Zero Waste vision.
“We’ve reached out to groups in Beachlands, Clevedon and Pukekohe to support events with zero waste activities and collaborated in Pukekohe with Community Networks Franklin to run a sustainability expo for several years.”
Auckland Council’s Waste Solutions team and the Franklin Local Board continue to support the CRC, with the local board funding educational initiatives at the centre.
Sue adds that this focus on collaboration came to the fore during the 2023 Auckland floods, when the CRC played a vital role in supporting the Waiuku community.
“We provided bedding, clothing and other needed items to the Auckland Emergency Management (AEM) site set up in Waiuku and to the local marae. During the clean-up, we received flood waste on behalf of Auckland Council and provided items for locals in need with damaged properties.
“Recognising the value of CRCs as a key part of local resilience means more CRCs are now involved in emergency management planning.”
Waiuku CRC is currently working together with Auckland Council, AEM and has had discussions with Counties Power on how to set the site up to provide communications, power and waste disposal during future regional emergencies.
Franklin Local Board Member Sharlene Druyven is a long-standing supporter of the Waiuku CRC.
“They say that one’s person trash is another’s treasure, and I’m delighted some of what I no longer needed didn’t find its way to the tip because the team found a new use, role or home for it.
“My special gratitude is for the role it has played in changing the way locals think about waste. Zero Waste has helped us all act in more sustainable ways. Sue and her team may not be able to change the world, but they have changed Waiuku.”
There are currently 13 community recycling centres across Auckland with three centres, Waiōrea CRC in Western Springs, Tāmaki CRC in Point England and Wairau CRC on the North Shore, recently having celebrated their first anniversaries.
Sue’s advice to the newest CRCs and anyone considering working towards zero waste is “to enjoy this space making a difference for te taiao and future generations and be part of an amazing supportive community network.”
Location: Waiuku CRC, 5 Hosking Place, Waiuku
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