Plastic Free July!

Ready to take on the Plastic Free July challenge?
Plastic Free July isn’t about perfection, it’s about progress. It’s a global movement that empowers individuals, communities, and businesses to rethink their relationship with plastic and take meaningful steps toward a lower-waste future.

From swapping single-use coffee cups for reusables, to rethinking packaging, to saying “no thanks” to plastic-wrapped produce, every action adds up.

At Wāhi Tukurua we’re proud to support initiatives that help reduce plastic use in our everyday lives. Whether it’s offering mug libraries, promoting refill stations, or helping businesses reduce waste at the source, we believe that local actions can drive global change.

This month, we’re encouraging our community to:
-Reuse before recycling
-Support local cafés and shops that say no to single-use
-Get curious about where your waste goes
-Start with just one plastic-free swap and build from there!

cloud with computer loading bar

As we gear up to open the doors to this new space, we want to take a moment to acknowledge the vital role that Pub Charity plays in local development. Their ongoing investment in community-led projects is making a real difference—not just for us, but for many groups across Aotearoa working towards more sustainable, connected futures.  A call out to local Pub Charity contributors:  #Smitty Bar and #Coroglen Tavern.

Keep an eye out for more updates soon—we can’t wait to welcome you into this next chapter with us.

Together, we’re turning waste into action, and action into opportunity.

Thanks to Pub Charity, We’re Going Online!

Plus our interim Resource Recovery Centre is on its way to Whitianga!

We’re thrilled to share that we've recently received funding from Pub Charity, a generous supporter of community-driven initiatives like ours. This funding is helping us take a big leap forward—developing our online sales capability in preparation for something we've all been waiting for…

Our interim Resource Recovery Centre is on its way to Whitianga!
While we’re not quite ready to reveal the location, wheels are turning fast, and this funding means we can start building the digital shopfront to complement our physical one. It will help us connect with our community in new ways—making it easier for people to browse, buy, and support waste reduction efforts from wherever they are.

Get involved!

Join a growing team of locals focused on ensuring community-driven waste minimisation for Mercury Bay. Come along and find out more about Wāhi Tukurua.

2025 Projects include:

  • Whitianga Interim Resource Drop-off centre

  • Single Use Cup (SUC) Free Whitianga campaign

  • Liquid Paperboard collection (saveBOARD)

  • E-Waste Drives at WhitiCity Market

  • Construction and Demolition Waste Recovery Pathways

  • Inaugural Whitianga Repair Café.

Food Waste Focus

The Wahi Tukurua team are really focused on ways to throw away less food.  Follow our Food Waste Focus Month to learn more!

Meaning: Place of Recycling

Wāhi: (noun) location, locality, place, part, piece, portion, section, share, segment, allocation.

Tukurua: (verb) (-tia) to repeat (an operation), do a second time, replicate, recycle, redo.

Many thanks to our partners & supporters