Mangere Bridge Boutique Market Bin Trial

The introduction of a three waste stream bin station (compost, recycling and landfill) has been successfully trialled at the weekly Mangere Bridge Boutique Market.  Friends of the Farm carried out the trial to address the issue of overflowing rubbish bins at the market and to further our vision of a connected, caring and wastewise community. The trial was supported by the Mangere Bridge Progressive Business Association, who committed in their 2016 strategic plan “to encourage businesses to reduce their waste, promote recycling and avoid unnecessary packaging, and continue with progress to making the market a zero-waste event”.

We connected market co-ordinator Donna Hansen with local composting champion Steve Rickerby (We Compost), who supplied and collected a food waste/ compostables bin on a weekly basis during the trial.  Friends of the Farm volunteers were rostered on to monitor the bin during the five weeks of the trial, to trouble-shoot and ensure market-goers knew how to use it correctly.  A recycle bin was already in use at the market and working well, thanks to the efforts of market vendors (and Friends of the Farm members!) Dawn and Denise (Oddbits). 

During our first week, we experimented with the location of the bin and observed how it was used.  We concluded that the bin station needed a fixed location, with a public information board and sample items attached to each bin to ensure correct usage.   We also noted that the fixed general waste bins around the market needed to be covered up so that people didn’t continue to use them during the market.

We noticed that while some of the market vendors had switched to compostable packaging, others still needed some support around this.  By the end of the trial, 90% of food vendors were supplying wholly compostable packaging. The takeaway cups from the cafes, which were also being deposited into the market bins, caused some confusion, as they were a mix of compostables, recyclables and landfill waste.

We measured the diversion of waste from landfill between week two to five of the trial and found that a whopping 94% of market waste was able to be composted (66%) or recycled (28%)! Huge thanks to the vendors for their choice of packaging, which made this exceptional result possible, and to the public who enthusiastically embraced the new bins.

With the impressive results of the trial, we’d strongly encourage the market to continue utilising the three waste stream bin station.  Without monitors, the bins may need some sorting at the end of each market, but as awareness increases this need should reduce over time.  We’d also recommend that the cafes switch to compostable cups, to reduce waste (and confusion!) even further.  Huge thanks to the market for supporting the trial and for your commitment to reducing waste.  And especially to Denise and Donna for your patience and support in driving this initiative forward.