An average Aucklander sends around one tonne of rubbish to landfill each year.

Fortunately, improved recycling services and new facilities that prioritise sustainable living are progressing Tāmaki Makaurau’s journey to being a zero-waste city by 2040.

Thanks to the $16.6 million central government-funded upgrade at Visy Onehunga Materials Recovery Facility, a more accurate sorting system has enabled the facility to increase its capacity by 28 per cent, from 140,000 tonnes to 180,000 tonnes of recycling per annum.

Items you no longer need or that are broken and aren’t suitable for your recycling bin – things like an old computer monitor, worn-out clothes, a broken fridge or wood offcuts – can go to one of Tāmaki Makaurau’s 10 community recycling centres.

The newest of these facilities is Onehunga Community Recycling Centre (OCRC) at 37 Victoria Street. As well as diverting waste from landfill, it’s also creating new jobs and volunteer opportunities for locals – and it’s the first Māori-Pasifika-led recycling centre in Aotearoa.

For more information, check out OCRC’s website at onehungacrc.nz or visit Auckland Council’s website to find your local recycling centre.

Image: Auckland Council