Sharing your waste

ShareWaste is downloaded as an app on your phone, connecting people who wish to recycle their food scraps and other organics with their neighbours or people nearby who are already composting, worm-farming or keeping farm animals.

It is used nationwide.

Kelly Northover of Kells Kitchen in Amberley uses the app to tell customers when she has coffee grinds available, which people take away for free and use for their gardens, or even making body scrubs and soaps.

“We always have coffee grinds to give away, about 60 kilograms a week.”

Northover encourages more people to use it, whether they want to dispose of or use items, adding that cardboard will be the next feature she’ll add to the app to giveaway.

“It’s just about getting the service out there.”

Hurunui District Council’s Waste Minimisation Educator Serina Linton discovered ShareWaste when she was on holiday in Tasman, seeing a display at the Nelson market.

Always keen to minimise waste wherever she is in New Zealand, Linton now uses the app on holiday to responsibly get rid of the family’s food waste from their house bus. She uses the app to look up drop off locations nearby.

“It’s so simple to load up, and so easy to use.”

Both women agreed it’s a great way to meet people in your neighbourhood, or in other parts of New Zealand.

To learn more about ShareWaste, visit Hurunui District Council’s website and refer to ‘Food Waste Recycling’ - https://www.hurunui.govt.nz/property-rates/rubbish...