Solving a recycling challenge

Mitre 10 has partnered with EXPOL to help solve a tricky waste challenge – what to do with expanded polystyrene (EPS).

Expanded polystyrene (EPS), is the stuff that looks like white boards made of little beads and is often used to protect fragile goods and appliances.

The programme encourages customers to recycle EPS polystyrene (whether from us or not) as it’s difficult to dispose of responsibly. EXPOL then repurposes the material into new products including EXPOL Tuff Pods, Quick Drain, Under Floor, Therma Slab Sheet, StyroDrain and Earth Green Beans Bean Bag Fill, which is made of 100% recycled polystyrene. EXPOL diverts over 400 tonnes of polystyrene from landfill each year.

Mitre 10 and EXPOL’s polystyrene recycling trial began in August 2019 at Mitre 10 MEGA New Lynn. Early adopters Henderson, Takanini, Botany and Onehunga quickly joined the programme. As of June 2022, Mitre 10 had helped divert 17,920 cubic metres of polystyrene. While this service isn’t yet available nationwide, we are working behind the scenes to scope expanding our service and add more stores.

Non-commercial use only

The recycling cubes at Mitre 10 stores are for domestic use only. They may not be used for commercial polystyrene waste. Anything more than two rubbish bags in a single drop-off needs to be managed through EXPOL, which also operate a commercial recycling service. Please call: 0800 86 33 73 for your solution.

Please note, we do not have a consistent service. Some stores are only able to support this programme with small volumes, in this case we only take polystyrene packaging received from a Mitre 10 purchase.

Polystyrene recycling cubes are located at:

• Albany – 260 Oteha Valley Road, Albany, Auckland
• Botany – 9 Bishop Dunn Place, Flat Bush, Auckland
• Cambridge - (only packaging received from a Mitre 10 purchase) – 1 Oliver Street, Cambridge
• Cromwell – 20 Elspeth Street, Cromwell
• Dunedin – 350 Andersons Bay Road, South Dunedin, Dunedin 9012
• Ferrymead – 1005 Ferry Road, Woolston, Christchurch
• Gisborne (only packaging received from a Mitre 10 purchase) - 24 Derby Street, Gisborne
• Gore - 15 Irwell Street, Gore
• Henderson – 186 Lincoln Road, Henderson, Auckland
• Hornby – 370 Main South Road, Hornby, Christchurch
• Invercargill - (only packaging received from a Mitre 10 purchase) - 12 Elles Road, Strathern, Invercargill
• Manukau – 61 Lambie Drive, Manukau, Auckland
• Mt Wellington – 72 Lunn Avenue, Mount Wellington, Auckland
• Nelson - 99 Quarantine Road, Annesbrook, Nelson
• New Lynn – 5 Astley Avenue, New Lynn, Auckland
• Onehunga – 1 Princes Street, Onehunga, Auckland
• Papanui – 54 Harewood Road, Papanui, Christchurch
• Pukekohe – 12 Wrightson Way, Pukekohe
• Queenstown – 46 Brookes Road, Frankton, Queenstown
• Rangiora – 1 Southbrook Road, Rangiora
• Rotorua - (only packaging received from a Mitre 10 purchase) – 1542 Amohau Street, Rotorua
• Ruakura (Hamilton) – 41 Ruakura Road, Hamilton East
• Takanini – 230 Great South Road, Takanini, Auckland
• Te Rapa (Hamilton) – 41 Ruakura Road, Hamilton East
• Tauranga - (only packaging received from a Mitre 10 purchase) – 1066 Cameron Road, Gate Pa, Tauranga
• Wanaka – 100 Sir Tim Wallis Drive, Wanaka 9305

Strategy to reduce polystyrene

Additional to this, Mitre 10 has introduced a comprehensive Sustainable Packaging Guidelines Policy, which all suppliers need to comply with by 2025. The policy requires the removal of unnecessary packaging and that any remaining is fully recyclable or home compostable in New Zealand. This will see a further reduction in the use of polystyrene packaging in products we sell.

We are on a journey to making a real and sustainable impact on the environment, our operations, and the communities we are part of for the better.

EPS polystyrene only

There are two types of polystyrene (plastic ID code 6). The recycling cubes are for EPS expanded polystyrene only. The EXPOL programme does not collect polystyrene foam, which is smooth in texture. It’s often used for take-away food packaging but with no alternative pathway, it must go to landfill.