Jobs with junk on agenda

Council solid waste manager Ian Stupple says up to 12 sites will be developed in the long term. Photo / Thinkstock

High hopes for creating jobs from rubbish are pinned on a community-run recycling hub which has opened in South Auckland.

The Waiuku Community Recycling Centre aims to have five paid positions as well as drawing on volunteer labour in its aim to sell materials reclaimed and repaired.

It has been bankrolled by Auckland Council, which is developing other community enterprises in Helensville, Devonport and central Auckland.

Hubs for communities to leave useful items as well as rubbish are part of the council's waste minimisation plan and, if successful, could replace the inorganic rubbish collections from the roadside.

Council solid waste manager Ian Stupple says up to 12 sites will be developed in the long term.

A five-year contract was let for operation of the Waiuku transfer station to a joint venture between Waiuku and District Community Workshop Trust and Raglan-based Xtreme Zero Waste.

Although the cost of starting the first hub is confidential while other hub contracts are being negotiated, the council's proposed long-term budget shows $4.86 million total spending on operating all transfer and recycling stations in the network over 11 years.