We represent community enterprises across Aotearoa New Zealand who are working towards zero waste.
Our mission is connect, educate, enable and inspire them to reach their zero waste goals and to be a unifying voice at local, regional and central government levels.
As a country we can show leadership, and invest in innovation, by working together to develop a more resourceful approach to providing for our wants and needs
Community resource recovery has a long history in New Zealand. From the late 1980’s communities like Kaitaia, Kaikoura, Wanaka, Waiheke and Raglan decided that they wanted a more resourceful approach to waste, setting up recycling and reuse projects that gave jobs to locals. In 2006, a group decided to formalise the sharing and collaboration that was happening between these diverse groups, spread across the country and set up the Community Enterprise Enterprise Network Trust (CENT). The stated purpose of CENT is to “support to a network of community enterprises, where this sector is involved in the areas of promotion or practical implementation of Zero Waste, waste minimisation, environmental education, resource efficiency, resource conservation, local employment and local community development”. Most of our members were focused on delivering recycling projects so we took up the trading name of the Community Recycling Network. For over 10 years CRN supported members and worked on several shared projects including developing resource recovery training, a national e-waste collection network and advocacy on issues like increasing the waste levy and the need for real recycling. In 2017 we changed our trading name to reflect our priorities and the work of our members – and the Zero Waste Network was born. You can read more about the CENT story here.
A truly circular economy, where resources are made to be used again and again and, ultimately, there is no waste. Governments, councils, businesses and communities have an opportunity to build a more resourceful New Zealand. As a country we can show leadership, and invest in innovation, by working together to develop a more resourceful approach for providing for our wants and needs.
The Zero Waste Network is comprised of various groups around the country all working with their local community towards Zero Waste. If you belong to a community group who you think have a place within the network then please feel free to get in touch.
Click on the icons on the map below to see contact details for our members – if you are a member and want your details updated please email us through the info and we’ll update it quick smart.
