EMPLOYMENT
As a community enterprise, we have more staff than profit-oriented recycling businesses tend to. This is our choice.
In the rubbish revolution, putting people before profit means less haste and less waste; it’s actually people that help the resources go ‘round…instead of into the ground. Statistics show that having healthy staff numbers means more rubbish is diverted from landfill. Plus the money we earn goes back into supporting other local businesses.
There are twelve of us working at Waiuku Zero Waste. Eleven of us live within 20km of Waiuku Town Centre. Together, we earn and spend about $250,000 a year in Waiuku.
Interested in working at Waiuku Zero Waste? Please contact our general manager, Sue Wallis.
LOCAL OWNERSHIP
Our six largest suppliers are kiwi owned and operated. 32% of our supplier businesses are based in either central or rural Waiuku, and 60% within 50km.
At Waiuku Junktion we supply cheap-as household goods for locals to own. This means fewer resources – financial and material – need to be spent on imported items. On average Waiuku Junktion alone generates $5000 a month from goods that would otherwise have gone to landfill. Research has shown that community operated recycling centres like ours feed around 80% of their total revenue back into the local economy.
In other words, what’s ours is yours. We’re in this together.
EDUCATION
Coming soon to Waiuku Zero Waste!: a centre for resource education. Our new on-site building will host the shop and enable us to use the old one for up-cycling and waste reduction workshops for locals. But we’re also educators on a national scale. Waiuku Zero Waste is a pilot scheme partnered with Auckland City Council. We are pioneering new ways to change the way we deal with waste.
All eyes are on us, from council to our mates around the country in the Community Recycling Network. Wanting to know more about how we work? Site tours lead visitors through our general layout and how to get the best out of what we offer.
Contact our general manager to set up a time. Our management team also offers consultations to organisations wanting to reduce their waste.
This might include waste audits, waste containment design and advice on collection services.