New funding lifts concrete recycling efforts in Tauranga and Christchurch

The latest investment targets the pressure point by increasing recovery systems that turn used concrete into reusable material instead of disposal waste.

Thousands of tonnes of concrete from construction and demolition sites will soon be kept out of landfill across the Bay of Plenty and Canterbury after Envirocon secured nearly $700,000 in funding from the Waste Minimisation Fund. The support will help the company process about 38,000 tonnes of additional waste concrete each year through a new facility in Tauranga and an expanded operation in Christchurch, strengthening the country's ability to deal with growing construction waste streams that usually end up as landfill material.

Environment Minister Nicola Grigg highlighted construction and demolition waste as one of the biggest contributors to landfill in New Zealand, with estimates suggesting it makes up around 70 per cent of total landfill volumes nationwide. The latest investment targets the pressure point by increasing recovery systems that turn used concrete into reusable material instead of disposal waste.

Building stronger recycling systems for heavy construction waste

Envirocon has been working in concrete diversion for years, with earlier funding from the Waste Minimisation Fund in 2015 and 2017 helping set up the initial infrastructure needed to process excess ready-mix concrete. That early stage created the foundation for handling leftover material from construction sites that would otherwise have no recovery pathway.

The new funding extends that work by scaling up processing capacity in two high-demand regions. Tauranga will host a new operation designed to manage growing volumes of waste concrete from surrounding construction activity, while Christchurch will see an upgraded facility capable of handling larger quantities and improving material recovery rates. Both sites are expected to work in coordination, creating a wider network for concrete processing that supports contractors looking for practical alternatives to landfill disposal.

Turning construction waste into reusable material

Envirocon operates as an accredited product stewardship scheme provider under the Waste Minimisation Act 2008, placing responsibility on the system to recover and reuse materials that would otherwise become long-term waste.

The expanded facilities will focus on processing excess concrete from construction sites, breaking it down and preparing it for reuse in new building applications or infrastructure projects. This reduces demand for raw materials while keeping heavy waste out of landfill systems that are already under pressure. The Waste Minimisation Fund continues to support projects that strengthen recycling infrastructure across New Zealand, with a focus on reuse and recovery solutions that keep materials circulating in the economy rather than being discarded.