 Waste Minimisation Learning Centre
The Auckland Council Waste Minimisation Learning Centre is located at the
Refuse and Recycling Transfer Station, 50 The Concourse,
Henderson.
The Centre's waste minimisation education programme is run
by the Solid Waste Unit of the Auckland Council. The
programme, which is aimed at primary and intermediate school
children (but can also accommodate early childhood centres,
secondary schools and community groups), offers a wide range
of information on waste minimisation and presents a number
of alternatives to waste disposal.
Your visit may include:
Minimising Waste
 Learn
the key points for reducing the volume of waste put out for
weekly household collection and how to sort items into
recyclable and re-useable resources. Discover which natural
resources everyday items are made from and the importance of
the 3Rs (reduce, re-use and recycle). Learn where residual
waste ends up and conceptualise the growing volume of waste
collected and disposed of across the region.
Kerbside recycling is covered in depth, including what items
are collected in the kerbside bins, how they are sorted,
where they go to be recycled and what they are turned in to.
Recycling and Refuse Transfer Station
Tour
 Take
a 50-minute tour of the facility wearing hard hats and
sturdy shoes. View the green waste disposal area, the
resource recovery centre, the steel and tyre recycling
areas, and the main tipping floor and recycling areas.
See staff sorting out recyclable items from the general
refuse, and the unloading and loading of refuse and
recycling trucks. Visit the hazardous waste collection area
and gain knowledge about the products that are harmful to
the environment.
Worm Farming
 View
a variety of worm farm designs, feed the worms food scraps,
identify worm eggs and observe the vermicast developed by
the worms from food scraps.
Information can be expanded to look at the characteristics
of worms and the differences between tiger worms and
earthworms. Schools have the opportunity to take away a
recycled bath complete with worms for the development of
their own worm farm (by prior arrangement and depending on
availability).
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Tips.
Composting and worm farms - how to
reduce your domestic refuse (Size 313K)
Composting
Find out what composting is, how to get started and what
kind of organisms live in a compost bin. Compare composting
with worm farming and have a look at the different products
they produce. Learn what to compost and what not to compost,
how to trouble-shoot common composting problems and the
benefits of composting organic waste and food scraps.
Litter
 Council
spends in excess of $1million every year removing litter and
illegally dumped rubbish.
As part of the regional Be a Tidy Kiwi campaign, Council is
promoting the litter free message through the Learning
Centre at the Refuse and Recycling Transfer Station. School
groups who visit the Refuse Station will learn about what
constitutes litter, the cost of litter to society, and who
pays. Children and parents are encouraged to think about
ways to reduce litter in outdoor areas and in their
lunchboxes, and are invited to sign a pledge for the BATK
wall at the Learning Centre, committing to keeping their
school and community litter free.
Visit the Be a Tidy Kiwi website to find out about what has
been happening in your community at
www.beatidykiwi.org.nz
Book your visit
Contact
us to make a booking through the Waste
Minimisation Educator, Solid Waste. Bookings are essential.
| Opening Hours |
9.30 am - 12.00pm, Tuesday, Wednesday
and Thursday
Or by appointment |
Cost
(Group Bookings only) |
No cost for schools in
Auckland
Community group bookings subject to
availability |
| Clothing |
Casual clothing is recommended
Closed shoes must be worn
Safety hats provided |
|
