Don’t trash the planet, refuse rubbish

From kayaks to vintage woollen blankets to cane furniture, tool boxes, and an antique mirror, Resource Recovery Officer Ray and his team have been busy intercepting items at the transfer station before they get thrown into the landfill pit.

Sometimes things just need a little bit of cleaning up says Ray, who works tirelessly filling the Treasure Truck from the transfer station to unload at the Tip Shop each day.

“We get a lot of satisfaction knowing these items will go on to have another life rather than be buried in the landfill, but it’s unfortunate that they were considered waste and made it to the transfer station in the first place.

“Customers are shocked when they find out the things they’re buying were saved before being discarded into the landfill, but nothing surprises me anymore – people throw out great stuff all the time.”

Some of the most common items saved from the landfill are beer crates, baskets, and renovation materials – and these tend to be some of the most sought-after and most sold items at the Tip Shop.

The team wants to encourage people to pop by the Tip Shop before they head up to the landfill, and the team will advise on which reusable items they can divert. Or watch out for the Treasure Truck up at the transfer station and have a chat with the driver about what can be saved from their dump load.

People can often be surprised at what we will take says Recycle Centre Manager Shelali Shetty.

“Customers are generally really happy the thing they were going to chuck out can actually get another life.

“But we know there are amazing items that we miss so encourage Wellingtonians to consider the landfill as the last resort.”

It can seem like an easy solution to throw something away in the tip, but a bit of effort can massively help reduce waste going to the landfill according to Ray.

“Often people don’t know there may be a market for their unwanted items, sometimes they have time constraints, sometimes they just don’t care.

“People can do better if they just pause and think!”

Next time you’re at the Tip Shop look out for the green tags that show items saved from the landfill – and know that when you buy them you’re making a world of difference.