Councils partner to Deliver Construction Waste Recovery Facilities

Grey and Buller will each get their own facility for recycling construction and demolition waste, thanks to Government funding.

The Buller and Grey District Councils have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that will see the two councils work together to build new Construction and Demolition (C&D) waste recovery facilities in Westport and just outside Greymouth.

In the Grey district, the facility will be built on McLeans Pit Road. In Westport, the facility will be located at the Westport Transfer Station

Both Buller and Grey facilities are expected to open this financial year. Public access and hours will be advised closer to opening.

Up to $900,000 in funding was awarded from the Government’s Waste Minimisation Fund to establish a waste recovery network for construction and demolition waste across the West Coast. Both councils already own the land.

The facilities will take construction waste which can be recovered and recycled.

Grey District Council Assets and Infrastructure Manager Alicia Paulsen said currently, the industry had nowhere to recycle this type of waste.

“Thanks to Government funding, there is very limited cost to ratepayers for the establishment of these facilities.”

The initiative builds on years of collaborative work between West Coast councils to improve waste minimisation and resource recovery services across the region.

Feasibility investigations and design work have confirmed that dedicated C&D waste recovery facilities are viable and can provide long-term environmental and economic benefits for local communities.

The project forms part of a broader effort to support circular economy principles – keeping construction materials in productive use for longer and reducing reliance on disposal.

As implementation progresses, the councils will continue to work closely with waste management contractors, local businesses, construction industry stakeholders and the wider community to maximise the benefits of the new facilities.

The project is supported through funding from the Te Pūtea Whakamauru Para - Waste Minimisation Fund (WMF), which is administered by the Ministry for Cities, Environment, Regions and Transport.

It represents a significant step forward in reducing the amount of construction and demolition waste currently being disposed of in West Coast landfills.