Where can I find out where to take my waste?
The BRANZ Resource recovery map is a searchable map that lets you know of resource recovery, recycling, circular and waste management services (including product stewardship drop off locations) for waste construction and demolition materials near you.
Here are a few suggestions to assist you:
- Visit the BRANZ Resource recovery map page to learn more about how to use the map.
- If you wish to know more about landfills and clean fills visit the Ministry for the Environment.
- For more local information you may wish to contact your local council’s waste team.
- Network with businesses and councils with an interest in sustainability. Join organisations such as the Sustainable Business Network or WasteMINZ.
- Do business with recycling operators and manufacturers that are accredited to a nationally recognised environmental management programme such as ISO 14001 or Toitū envirocare. This way you can have greater assurance that they are working to good environmental standards and are ‘doing what they say they do'.
Understand the requirements of waste recyclers and any industry-accepted specifications
Each market will have its own specifications for recycled or reusable materials - it's best to obtain specifications from recycling operators for the storage, sorting and handling requirements for each material type before you start and make sure you operate according to the specifications. Getting it wrong can cost you.
Things to check with the resource recovery facility or service:
General
- material type, source of material, particle size. Options for composite or combined materials products
- acceptable and unacceptable types of contamination (level of both cleanliness and/or chemical or hazard contamination ie. soil contamination or asbestos), condition, or damage and allowable percentage of contamination or damage
- minimum or maximum quantities accepted, including suitable containers or transportation requirements
- sorting, storage, and handling requirements for each material type (including where there is a potential for contamination ie. asbestos)
- documentation required, including waste-tracking forms. (Use the REBRI Waste transfer form to confirm to clients the source and nature of the C&D waste provided)
Concrete
- types of concrete and rubble, size of concrete pieces and amount of preprocessing. Some old concrete products are too hard-wearing on some crushing machines and some concrete products are too soft to meet reuse specifications after crushing and will not be accepted by operators.
- acceptable levels of bricks and tile and contamination such as glass, metal, soil, etc.
- minimum or maximum quantities accepted
Metal
- metal types accepted
- condition or contamination tolerances such as plastics, leftover product in containers, etc
Plasterboard
- whether demolition plasterboard is acceptable
- minimum and maximum sizes of chip or powder particles
- condition or contamination tolerances, such as screws, nails, paint, glues, etc
- moisture tolerances
- minimum and maximum quantities
Timber
- types of timber acceptable – treated or mixed treated/untreated, composite materials, untreated or native wood etc
- minimum and maximum sizes of board and lengths of timber
- minimum and maximum quantities
- contamination tolerances, such as nails, paint, concrete, etc
- any preprocessing requirements such as sorting or grading, and if validation for untreated wood is required
- how timber is to be received (for example, loose, stacked in containers or on pallets)
Enabling a circular economy: one approach is product stewardship
Enabling a circular economy for construction materials and products is important in helping reduce their environmental impact and promote their sustainability. A circular economy keeps resources in use for as long as possible to maximise their value. Products and materials are recovered and regenerated at the end of their service life.
The Ministry for the Environment considers that “product stewardship helps put responsibility for a product’s life-cycle and waste management on manufacturers, importers, retailers and users rather than communities, councils, neighbourhoods and nature”. Product stewardship aims to reduce a product’s environmental impact by taking care of it throughout its life cycle.
It is important that in the construction sector we are taking responsibility for waste.
Some responsible action could include:
- considering the environmental, social, and economic impacts of the use, re-use, recycling, or disposal of a product
- designing a product that is long-lasting, which can be broken down into recyclable or reusable components
- working collectively with a sector to design an effective framework to better design products and collect and upcycle them at end of life
Visit the Ministry for the Environment website to find out more about product stewardship.
Updated: 18 July 2024