25/01/2026
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Whanganui Resource Recovery Centre - offering a range of services
While the Kerbside Collection service mean many of us no longer need to take recyclables to the Whanganui Resource Recovery Centre at 79-83 Maria Place Extension, the Centre has other services which are extra to receiving plastics, bottles, cardboard and paper.
A reader Larry Tasker was so impressed that he sent us a list of some of these services. They include:
• Food and Beverage packaging such as juice and alternative milk boxes. Please cut the carton open and rinse it, you can leave the lid on. These are made into wall boards similar to Gib Board.
• Soft plastics. This can include plastic bags with an aluminium lining (chip packets). These are made into fence posts (the posts positioned in the parking area to stop people driving too close to the bins are made from this soft plastic). You can also drop your soft plastics off at the Woolworths stores and the Warehouse.
• Polystyrene. Can be recycled at a small cost. Manager Jess Feist advises that it is 70cents per 100 grams which would be less that putting it all in a rubbish bag. This is made into picture frames overseas and look like wooden ones.
• Batteries. Most types can be recycled. People are asked to put tape over the terminals of all batteries to prevent any likelihood of fire even though they go into a steel fireproof container.
• Lids – both metal and plastic. These can be recycled but are not permissible in the kerbside recycling programme due to nationwide regulations.
• E-waste recycling (including cell-phones). These are sent to an e-waste recycling place in Palmerston North
• Tyres. You can drop off up to five tyres at a time free of charge
Another new venture thanks to Jess, who started her role as manager about 18 months ago, is a free community book library. “I noted that people were dropping off books for recycling, but I thought it would be good if they could be re-used. The supply has expanded and some people pick up one or more, read it and drop it back to be re-read by someone else.” At a quick glance there are plenty of novels, children’s book as well as non-fiction. They are all free.
You can of course bring in your green waste for a charge.
Larry commented – “The other thing that impresses me is how helpful the staff are there.”
Time to check it out?
Photo: Jess at the Centre.
