Reuse Shop at Otaihanga Zero Waste

We’re building a new retail outlet for secondhand goods to replace the existing Tip Shop at the Otaihanga Transfer Station. The new Reuse Shop at Otaihanga Zero Waste will open in August. 

The new site will bring together waste diversion efforts and community-led waste minimisation groups into one safe, accessible space. By consolidating these activities, we’re creating a central hub for reuse, repair, and education that supports both environmental outcomes and community collaboration. 

The new outlet will be a fully accessible resource recovery centre. It’ll focus on stocking and selling building materials, electronics and household appliances (there will be a charge to drop off some items). It’ll also be a drop-off point for the Sustainability Trust’s curtain bank.  

A Tip Shop is based at a landfill or transfer station and recovers items directly from the waste stream. It focuses on diverting materials from landfill. 

A Reuse Shop operates higher up the waste hierarchy. It typically sources goods before they enter the waste system and makes them available for reuse. It aims to prevent waste in the first place. 

Council owns the transfer station and other sites on the old Otaihanga Landfill (including where Composting NZ, Brian Perry Civil’s pre-cast yard, now Otaihanga Zero Waste are located). 

In 2021 Council resolved to utilise the wider Otaihanga site for resource recovery operations. In 2022, Council approved waste levy funding for an operator to run the site next door (now Otaihanga Zero Waste). This business case and funding agreement stated the plan to transfer shop operations next door.  

A new ’Reuse Shop’ is opening on the site next door. The Tip Shop as-is will close.  

The new Reuse Shop is part of a bigger plan to provide safer, more effective resource recovery through a purpose-built facility that allows for larger scale waste diversion from landfill. The Transfer Station is designed to handle and dispose of general waste, not for resource recovery. 

The existing transfer station site is congested with a high volume of heavy vehicles. Moving the Reuse Shop to Otaihanga Zero Waste will provide a safer location for people to drop off their usable items, or non-standard recycling at one location. 

Council owns the land and leases the site to Midwest Disposals, who sublease to WM, (Waste Management), as site operators.   

WM operate the Tip Shop as a joint venture with Midwest Disposals.

WM employs one part-time staff member to run the shop.  

The new shop is 100% funded from Ministry for the Environment waste levy funding and has no impact on rates. 

You can find more information about the waste levy on the Ministry for the Environment website. 

The existing building housing the current tip shop will remain in Council’s property portfolio and may be repurposed. Moving the building was investigated and found to be uneconomic. 

It was a commercial decision between private contractors and Council to provide safer, more focused resource recovery opportunities by moving it to a dedicated site next door.  

Council’s waste levy spend is guided by the regional Waste Management & Minimisation Plan (2023-2029) which was consulted on in 2024.  

Accepted free of charge:

• Tools

• Garden equipment

• Bikes

• Household appliances

• Electronics – (excluding TVs and printers, monitors)

• Metal – all (BBQs, outcuts, screws/nails, sheet iron etc)

• Plastic and metal lids

• F&B liquid paperboard cartons (Tetrapak®)

• Polystyrene block – clean residential

• Reusable outdoor furniture

• Reusable building materials – insulation, fittings

• Curtains

• Curtain rails

• Phones

• Laptops

• Computers

• Car batteries

Accepted at a charge:

• Timber – over 600mm length, reusable ($20 m³)

• PVC guttering, pipe and fittings ($20 m³)

• Whiteware – fridge/freezer/heat pumps $25

• Oven/washing machine $10

• Plate glass – 20c kg

• Electronics – TVs $20

• Printers $10

• Monitors $2

• Fluro lightbulbs – $2.50

• Aluminium windows and doors $5–$20 (covers deconstructing and glass recycling)

• All doors – $5

• Bathroom units – $5

• MDF/particle board 

• Black water pipes  

• Toilets  

• Asbestos and ACM 

• Business polystyrene, polystyrene beads 

• Bric a Brac  

• Books  

• Clothing  

• Household furniture 

By focusing on larger waste streams, we can take steps to reduce the largest amounts of waste to landfill. Construction and demolition materials make up approximately 50% of all waste disposed, and it is a priority to ensure these resources are reused and not thrown away. Fewer types of items will be accepted at the new Reuse Shop, but a lot of what is donated to tip shops countrywide is ultimately landfilled as it’s not suitable for reuse. 

The site will test and tag usable electronic items and make them available for resale, straight off the shelf whereas the current tip shop could only sell decommissioned electronic items. This means they can be made available to the community at affordable prices.  

The Kāpiti Coast boasts a vibrant network of second-hand and op shops, offering a diverse range of pre-loved items. These shops collectively contribute to the community by promoting sustainability, supporting local charities, and providing affordable shopping options. For a comprehensive and up-to-date list of op shops in the area, you might consider visiting directories such as the Op Shop Directory NZ , Visit Kāpiti's pre-loved shopping spots, or Trademe and Marketplace. 

Focus on High-Impact waste streams 

OZW was designed primarily to divert the largest waste stream from landfill - construction and demolition materials, which make up about 50% of all waste. By prioritising larger waste streams, they are tackling the biggest contributors to landfill volumes.  

Existing local infrastructure 

Kāpiti already has a strong network of charity op shops (at least 10+ across Paraparaumu, Waikanae, Raumati, and Paekākāriki) which specialise in clothing, books, and general household items. The new site aims to complement, not duplicate, these services and support donations of good quality household items to existing community outlets. 

Cost and waste risks 

Items like furniture, books, and clothing often come in poor condition, are difficult to store, and frequently require landfill disposal when unsellable. A Reuse Shop is designed to handle priority waste streams with a clear reuse, resale, or recycling pathway. 

Limited indoor space 

Items must be stored and displayed efficiently in the available space. Providing undercover shelving or indoor storage for low-value items like $1 books or sub-$10 furniture is not economically or practically viable on-site. 

 Still supporting the community 

Otaihanga Zero Waste is actively connecting with local op shops to redirect items they don’t take themselves, helping to keep goods in circulation and accessible to those who need them most. 

The Reuse Shop will be run by Otaihanga Zero Waste at 200 Otaihanga Road, Paraparaumu (next door to Otaihanga Transfer Station). 

Otaihanga Zero Waste works with the community to revalue, reuse and repurpose construction and demolition waste.