Exciting new step for zero waste in Northcote

Northcote is a Para Kora Zero Waste community. This aspirational goal is part of a programme of activity started in 2019 to support Auckland Council’s aim for Auckland to be zero-waste by 2040 (this means little or no landfill waste), and establish Northcote as an exemplar community.

The zero waste programme in Northcote is led Kaipātiki Project, with funding from us, Auckland Council and Kaipātiki Local Board, and working in partnership with mana whenua.

A key initiative of the programme was the establishment of a Zero Waste Hub on Pearn Place in June 2021. The hub created a highly visible presence in the town centre, to help locals reduce their waste.

The hub and the team, that included more than 50 volunteers, did amazing things over the past two years of operation. Many thousands of items have been collected from locals to be recycled instead of going to landfills. Everything from nearly 200kgs of household batteries to cellphones, tablets, Colgate oral care products, ink cartridges, polystyrene, and curtains. Staff have also been inspiring, educating and encouraging locals on their own zero waste journeys.

The success of the Zero Waste Hub has now allowed the Para Kora Zero Waste Northcote programme to shift into an exciting new phase. The hub has now closed, so that staff can work more directly within the community, to grow the commitment to zero waste across the whole of the Northcote neighbourhood.

Rather than having a fixed Zero Waste Hub in the Northcote Town Centre, there will more community-focused events and activities within the neighbourhood to better connect and respond to locals’ needs. The team will be reaching out to the schools, community groups, churches, and local businesses, to support and collaborate on local zero waste initiatives. The aim is to provide knowledge from experts and create fun events to help make it as easy as possible for everyone to get involved.

Eke Panuku’s Placemaker Roxanne Haines said, ‘The Zero Waste Hub was a great starting point, and we can see many people in Northcote are embracing zero waste principles and practices, which so is wonderful to see. Our next step is to reach out into the community more, to target the people that are harder to reach and spread the zero waste message wider.’

Locals can still maintain their recycling habits. You’ll find details of how to do this here.

Another key local initiative includes implementing the principles of zero-waste during the construction of Northcote’s new town centre. The staged construction of Northcote's new town centre, due to start in 2027, is being led by us. This will be our largest para kore zero waste project to date and will include recycling and reusing construction material wherever possible.

Exciting times ahead!

For more information about zero waste events, check out Kaipātiki Project’s website.