Wāhi Tukurua – Mercury Bay Resource Recovery Centre Trust

What are we working on? - SUC Free Mercury Bay campaign

In 2024 our Waste Prevention project focuses on the not-so-innocent takeaway coffee cup. 

SUC (Single Use Cup) : The Packaging Forum estimates that in NZ 295 million beverage cups (including coffee cups) are used every year. We refer to these as single use cups. Buy, drink, toss.

We estimate that Mercury Bay alone send 250,000 cups to landfill each year!  Imagine a trail of takeaway cups, end on end from Whitianga to the Tairua Hill - that's an estimate of how many single use cups go to our landfill each year, just from the Mercury Bay! 

If you can have your takeaway coffee poured into a reusable cup then the waste problem disappears – it’s really that simple! Find out more by following our SUC Free Mercury Bay socials and website.

Whitianga Seagull Centre

Mercury Bay Resource Recovery Centre Trust (MBRRCT) is a charitable trust created in 2020 to plan, establish, maintain and operate a waste reduction and recycling centre in Whitianga. The Centre is based on the successful business model of the Seagull Centre in Thames and will be located at the new Refuse Transfer Station (RTS), which is due to start construction on Moewai Road in 2024/25.

Purpose of the Trust

Our core purpose is to build the awareness, passion, capacity and confidence of our community to accelerate waste minimisation locally & be a leading voice in change nationally. We will do this by reducing the amount of waste going to landfill, creating employment opportunities within our community, on-selling reusable items at affordable rates, and developing or supporting educational activities on sustainability and environmental management.

We will work in conjunction with Thames-Coromandel District Council to construct a drop-off site at the new Refuse Transfer Station (RTS) site, where staff will go through what is being delivered and remove anything that can be reused or recycled before you move on to the landfill area. Our initial focus will be building and demolition waste, eventually expanding to any and all items which can be reused, recycled or repurposed. There will then be a shop established which will on-sell reusable items at an affordable rate. As the Centre grows, we aim to create opportunities for employment and for volunteers to contribute to waste reduction and repurposing.

Who are we?

Our team comprises six trustees and one committee member who volunteer their time and skills, and who are passionate about reducing, recycling, and reusing. In attaining its purposes, the trust is committed to RESPECT/Guardianship, INTEGRITY/Leadership and INCLUSION/Heartfelt Connection. We will also be working closely with local iwi Ngāti Hei, in a consultancy role, to ensure the project aligns with Te Ao Māori principles.