Buller’s popular polystyrene recycling programme to expand

Mitre 10, EXPOL, Smart Environmental and Buller District Council’s free polystyrene recycling initiative will grow to include two new collection points, located at the Westport and Reefton Transfer Stations from 9 June 2025.

The project, which began in September 2023, enables Buller residents to recycle their polystyrene for free, preventing it from going to landfill.

Previously, the only collection point was a cube available in Mitre 10’s trade drive-through, where households could drop off small quantities (up to 240 L, or a standard wheelie bin full) of clean polystyrene.

Group Manager Infrastructure Services Anthony Blom says: “The programme will now be extended to include additional collection cubes located at the Westport Transfer Station and Reefton Transfer Station and managed by our operator Smart Environmental. Since the polystyrene recycling programme began, Westport residents no longer have to pay to dispose of bulky polystyrene as refuse.”

Buller residents who want to recycle their polystyrene are reminded they can drop off up to 240 litres of polystyrene at a time. It must be free of dirt, food waste or residue, stickers and tape. Please note, this is a domestic waste recycling initiative, commercial waste cannot be accepted.

Mr Blom continues: “Buller District Council funds the transportation costs for sending the collected polystyrene from Westport to Christchurch for recycling, using Waste Minimisation Funds received from the Ministry for the Environment’s Waste Levy Fund, meaning there is no cost to ratepayers.”

Mitre 10 will continue to coordinate the programme and store the returned polystyrene prior to it being transported to Canterbury for reprocessing.

The polystyrene waste is recycled in Christchurch by EXPOL and is used in a variety of products such as EXPOL Timber UnderFloor Insulation, EXPOL Earth Green Beans Bean Bag Fill and EXPOL Tuff PODs.

-ENDS-

For further information please contact:
Community Engagement Team
Buller District Council
Media.Enquiries@bdc.govt.nz

Disclaimer
The information in this media release was correct at time of publication. Changes in circumstances after the time of publication may impact on the accuracy of the information.