Get a bargain and stop waste going to Wellington landfill
A pre-loved Apple iMac computer is going for $120, but there are other items looking for a new home. From laptops, heaters and donated fabrics to even a pet hair dryer or microwave turntable plates, Te Aro Zero Waste has got it covered.
The new joint venture between the Sustainability Trust and Wellington City Council to reduce waste heading to the landfill opened its doors yesterday.
Located at the Sustainability Trust’s building in the city centre, Te Aro Zero Waste also hosts repair stations and sewing machines. People can borrow the equipment to fix household items, ask experts for help during repair cafes, or learn skills to repair things at workshops instead of throwing them away.
As well as offering a place to score a bargain or get things repaired, the new resource recovery centre picks up items like batteries for recycling, and acts as a collection point for items going to the council’s tip shop.
The Sustainability Trust’s chief executive Georgie Ferrari said the partnership with the council was a complete change from the trust’s previous eco-shop, with the centre a scaled-up operation. “This model is where we get the expertise and years of experience that Wellington City Council bring from operating Southern Landfill and the tip shop,” she said.
The idea behind Te Aro Zero Waste went beyond minimising the need for new purchases and waste through repairing, Ferrari said. It was about educating Wellingtonians to prioritise on longevity and whether the item was repairable, rather than following fads and cheaper prices.
The council is funding the resource recovery centre up to $250,000 for three years, with the money coming from landfill revenue that’s ring-fenced for waste minimisation projects. Its tip shop saved almost 1000 tonnes of items from ending up in the landfill during the last financial year.
“The beauty of a space like this is if in case you’re done using it, someone else can use it,” said the council’s resource recovery
Wellington City Council resource recovery manager manager, Shelali Shetty. “We get to learn about various products that are being introduced into the market ... but the question is, do you really need it?”
She also said the trust and the council’s values on waste had always aligned. “It’s about zero waste, it’s about reducing waste, it’s about behavioural change. Now we don’t just recycle. We can fix it, we can sell it, and we have the skill sets for this.”
“It’s about zero waste, it’s about reducing waste, it’s about behavioural change ... Now we don’t just recycle. We can fix it, we can sell it, and we have the skill sets for this.” Shelali Shetty