Councils overseeing the deconstruction of properties damaged in severe weather events last year are aiming to recycle up to 80% of salvaged material.
From timber, concrete, and everyday household items, Trow Group is working to salvage as much as possible at Auckland’s Muriwai.
"Every house, 80%, that's our minimum, 80% salvage of all material,” said community innovation lead Lili Kawaguchi.
The company is one of 11 contracted by Auckland Council to take apart homes purchased under a property buy-out arrangement in the wake of last year’s severe weather events.
Auckland Council’s deconstruction programme manager Kris Bird said you would be “really amazed” at what could be repurposed from the building.
"Right through from the roof, windows, doors, flooring, bathrooms, kitchens, right down to concrete, where we crush it up and can use it for things like forestry roads."
Most of the material from Muriwai is being sent to the Helensville Recycling Centre to be repurposed.
More than 60 properties in the coastal community are scheduled for deconstruction or demolition —a process expected to take around 2 years.
Bird said around 400 properties have been categorised in this way, with that number expected to grow to over 600.
"We're busy in the background forming those relationships with other community recycling centres just so we've got places for the stuff that's removed to go."
Other cyclone-hit regions are also making an effort to recycle as much as possible.
Councils in Hawke's Bay said "recycling is an important aspect of the demolition process", and pledged a similar 80% target as they get underway.
Gisborne District Council says it is "currently working through our policy position for removal or deconstruction", but there will be "a focus on salvaging and re-use of materials where possible".
As piles of salvaged material build up in Muriwai, Trow Group is setting some aside to send to Tonga, which is still recovering from its own cyclone.
"In 2018, we had Cyclone Gita,” said Kawaguchi.
"They've given us their wish list, so we work closely with them to make sure what we're sending over to Tonga won't just end up in the landfill."
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