An almost total rebuild of Visy’s Auckland material recovery facility, and installation of new sorting technology, has seen an increase of capacity by 30 per cent.
The facility is now equipped for precise and comprehensive sorting, strengthening recycling in the region. It allows Visy to create higher quality output and capture more resources from NZ’s mixed household recycling.
Nick Baker, New Zealand general manager at Visy Recycling, said the significant investment and the efforts of the Visy Recycling team has resulted in a highly successful upgrade.
“An incredible effort from our team has resulted in on-time delivery and an excellent standard of operation,“ he said.
“The team continues to fine-tune the new kit, and I’m proud of what we’ve achieved in a critical timeframe.”
The $16 million upgrade, which took over eight weeks to complete, was made possible with the support of Auckland Council and the Ministry for the Environment.
Earlier this month, the associate minister for the environment, Rachel Brooking and representatives from Auckland Council visited the facility to inspect the new equipment.
Education space redesign recognised in national awards
The facility has also benefited from the redesign of its education space.
The recycling education team has created an engaging and multi-functional space for education, events, collaborative work and meetings.
The team uses it to deliver one hour education sessions to businesses, community and school groups.
Key features include:
- Tiered seating that hides large furniture;
- Mobile display units that can change space with various configurations and allow interaction with objects; and
- A mobile PPE access unit, which can divide the room.
The design references Visy’s role in creating a circular economy – showcasing stacked cardboard and displaying products made from the facility’s processed materials.
Over 80 per cent of materials used were recycled or recovered, including the old cabinetry, board made from milk cartons and benchtops made from plastic waste.
The project, led by Greer Larsen-Compton, Visy’s marketing and education manager, and completed by Atelier Jones Design, was a finalist in the New Zealand 2023 Interior Awards.
