Waste Minimisation Learning Centre

The Waste Minimisation Learning Centre is located at the Refuse and Recycling Transfer Station, 50 The Concourse, Henderson.

The Centre's education programme (which is aimed at primary and intermediate school children) offers a wide range of information on waste minimisation and presents a number of alternatives to waste disposal.  Your visit may include:

	Worm Farming		Composting
	Transfer Station Tour		Minimising Waste
	Litter		Book your visit

Worm Farming

View a variety of worm farm designs, feed the worms food scraps brought from home, 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 and accessories) for the development of their own worm farm.

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Composting and worm farms - how to reduce your domestic refuse (Size 313K)

Composting

Compare the composting of organic material with worm farming.  Look at the different types of composting bins and compost developed in them.  Compare compost with vermicast and identify the benefits of composting organic waste and food scraps.

Minimising Waste

Learn the key points for reducing the volume of waste put out for weekly household collection and how to sort items into re-useable resources.  Learn where residual waste is deposited and conceptualise the growing volume of waste collected and disposed of.

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 45-minute tour of the facility wearing hard hats and sturdy shoes.  View the vertical composting operation for green waste, the resource recovery centre, abandoned vehicles, steel recycling, 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.

Litter

Litter is an increasing problem facing all cities.  Gain knowledge of what constitutes litter, the advantages of different types of litterbins, how to combat litter at school, and the role of the city's Waste Minimisation Officers.

Waitakere City Council spends in excess of $400,000 every year removing litter and illegally dumped rubbish!

Just think where else that money could be spent - swimming pool upgrades, parks, library books, events...

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 in Henderson.  All school groups who visit the Refuse Station will learn about the cost of litter to society, and who pays.  Children and parents are encouraged to think about ways to reduce litter and are invited to sign a pledge for the BATK wall at the Learning Centre, committing to keeping their school and community litter free.  BATK T-shirts, hats and drinks bottles are supplied to the schools as prizes for litter and rubbish related projects.

Out on the streets of Waitakere our Council litter pickers will be wearing BATK hats and T-shirts.  Look out for them - they may have goodies to give away when they see people putting rubbish in the litter bins!

Find out about the Come On: Be A Tidy Kiwi campaign.

Book your visit

To make a booking contact us.  Bookings are essential.  For schools outside Waitakere City, please contact your local Council.