Ōtara charity eyes community recycling centre to combat waste and empower locals

A South Auckland charity aims to establish a community recycling centre (CRC) in Ōtara-Papatoetoe.

The proposal has been described as a legacy project rooted in sustainability, social outcomes, and local leadership.

All Heart New Zealand, founded in 2016 with a mission to divert quality corporate surplus from landfill while supporting families in need, operates a Resource Recovery Hub on Cavendish Drive in Manukau.

The charity presented its vision to the Ōtara-Papatoetoe Local Board during a public meeting. The charity aims to transform waste into opportunities.

Lindsay Unuia, the Chief Encourager at All Heart NZ, also known as LJ, says the charity has already diverted 7.1 million kilograms of corporate waste from landfills and generated more than $20.7 million in social impact.

He hopes that by operating an official CRC, the group can access council resources and regional support to expand its efforts.

“This kaupapa is not just a proposal. It’s a legacy project for our people, our whenua, and our future,” Unuia says. “This community recycling centre is not just about rubbish. It’s about restoring value to our people, to materials, and to our community. This will be a hub of hope, a place of transformation.”

Unuia says the project is particularly personal to him. “I grew up in this hood. I raised my kids here. I’ve walked the streets you represent, and I see what’s possible when we give our people the tools to thrive.”

Unlike existing CRCs in Manurewa or Henderson, which mostly process residential waste, All Heart focuses on surplus corporate and commercial materials, representing as much as 80 per cent of landfill content.

Surplus commercial waste like this is collected by All Heart NZ and given a second life through reuse and resale. Photo/All Heart NZ

“This is circular economy in action, and it’s being led by the community, not for the community,” Unuia says.

“We’re already doing the mahi, collecting quality goods from corporates like OfficeMax and Air New Zealand, reusing and reselling them affordably to whānau, and training locals in logistics, sustainability and retail.”

The organisation supports local training institutions and is creating employment pathways into some of the country’s biggest brands.

“We’re not just reselling items. We’re building employment pathways into logistics, sustainability and retail, creating real futures for our people, especially our rangatahi,” Unuia says.

Currently based just outside the Ōtara boundary, All Heart hopes to secure a site closer to the community.

Members of the All Heart NZ team. Photo/All Heart NZ

Unuia confirms that All Heart is already in discussions with Auckland Council’s Waste Solutions team and is seeking formal support from the local board.

Apulu Reece Autagavaia, chair of the Ōtara-Papatoetoe local board, supports the initiative.

“You didn’t wait for someone to tell you what to do. You saw a gap and filled it,” he says.

“Too often, things are just chucked away. What you’re offering is a way to restore value, not just to materials, but to people.”

Vi Hausia, deputy chair of the local board, also voiced his approval.

“I just want to start by acknowledging LJ for your presentation. Very well put together and very informative. It's a good kaupapa. I'm always for ways that we can reuse the amount of not just goods, but food that we have. In this case, we're talking about use like hardware and ways that we can reuse that.”

Lotu Fuli, councillor of the Manukau Ward, says the next step would be for the board to formally support the proposal, allowing councillors to advocate at a regional level.

“If the board supports what All Heart is proposing and sends me an email, I can advance that and find the right process to make it happen,” Fuli says.

The proposal comes as Ōtara faces high levels of illegal dumping and lacks infrastructure for large waste items.

Unuia says the current system fails communities like his.

If approved, the CRC would join Auckland’s growing network of community recycling centres as another Pacific-led initiative, following the pioneering Onehunga site and focusing on environmental and social impact through a circular economy model.

“We’re in a waste crisis. Good stuff is going to landfill while our whānau are sleeping on the floor. That just doesn’t make sense. Ōtara deserves better,” he says. “Let’s build it here in Ōtara and show Aotearoa what’s possible when we believe in our people.”

LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.