Join the Mobile Recycling Centre Custodian Squad

Fly-tipping is a continuous problem at our Mobile Recycling Centres based in our rural villages, so we are looking for community custodians to join the squad!

If you have a small amount of time up your sleeve each week, and care about the environment and your local community, this volunteer role could be for you.

Your job would be to visit the Mobile Recycling Centre in your community on a regular basis and report issues or required maintenance to Manawatū District Council. You’d have close ties to Council’s Waste Minimisation Team to regularly give updates and report any issues.

Your support would be fundamental to Council being able to provide a clean, safe and quality Mobile Recycling Centre for your community.

You would not be expected to pick up fly-tipping that you identify, nor do we expect you to interact with or educate any customers at the Mobile Recycling Centres. Your role would be to report issues to Council that we would then address via our formal processes. For example, fly-tipping is managed by our Compliance Team who work to identify offenders.

However, Council will provide you regularly with Council rubbish bags to use should you wish to pick-up smaller items of rubbish to help us care for the facility. For example, sometimes we see recyclable items blowing out of the containers after being dropped off by a customer.

Where are Mobile Recycling Centres are located?

We have Mobile Recycling Centres in:

  • Āpiti
  • Halcombe (excludes glass)
  • Himatangi Beach
  • Kimbolton
  • Pohangina
  • Rongotea
  • Sanson
  • Tangimoana.

Why not just install cameras?

Council is looking into the use of security cameras and other measures to prevent this issue in the worst hit locations, but we have heard from the impacted communities that nothing works better than community ownership and guardianship.

That’s why we’re seeking a volunteer for each community to join the Squad of Mobile Recycling Centre Waste Custodians.

Does this sound like you?

Contact our Waste Minimisation Team via infrastructure@mdc.govt.nz or 06 323 0000 and mention your interest in the Mobile Recycling Centre Custodian role in your community. We would love to work with you!