From Halls to Hauls: WM New Zealand Saves Over a Tonne from Landfill in Otago Clean-Out

Each year, as over 1,500 students pack up and move out of the University of Otago’s 15 residential colleges, halls of residence are faced with a mountain of unwanted items—many of them high quality, unused, or still in excellent condition. From tagged designer clothing and near-new textbooks to unopened food and toiletries, the end-of-year exodus often results in a sharp increase in waste, with general rubbish volumes spiking by 1 to 2.5 tonnes per college.

Recognising the opportunity to make a difference, WM New Zealand Dunedin’s Waste Minimisation Coordinator, Ashley King, set out to create a smarter, more sustainable solution.

“I noticed each college had a slightly different approach to end-of-year clean-outs—some were able to recover more than others,” says Ashley. “I wanted to help create a framework that was consistent, easy to implement, and actually reduced waste to landfill.”

A simple idea, a big impact

Ashley worked with one of the university’s largest colleges to pilot the initiative. Drop-off tables were set up, promotional posters were placed throughout the building, and students were encouraged to leave behind useful items for others to take or donate.

Within 48 hours, the response was overwhelming. The table was stacked with clothing, stationery, toiletries, and more—many items still brand new. Once the collection period ended, Ashley carefully sorted, weighed, and packaged the remaining goods, ensuring nothing was sent to already overburdened local op shops without prior coordination.

The result? A total of 1.21 tonnes of items were recovered from just one college, with only 265kg needing to go to landfill. In addition, Ashley helped divert 17 retired beds (just over a tonne) to a local charity that supports those in need with furniture and home goods.

Room for growth—and rags

Ashley also found opportunities to recover textiles not suitable for donation. Several bags of torn or damaged clothing were saved to be repurposed as workshop rags at WM New Zealand’s Dunedin yard—a solution she hopes to expand by partnering with a local rag-maker in future.

“It’s not just about saving the most obvious items—there’s value in things that might otherwise be overlooked,” Ashley explains.

Looking ahead

While many colleges already run their own “drop and swap” events, Ashley sees clear potential to streamline and scale this effort across campus.

“Some colleges are really well set up, but others struggle and leave it a bit late,” she says. “By building a consistent framework, we can make these clean-outs more effective, ease pressure on staff and students, and reduce unnecessary waste.”

The pilot programme has laid a strong foundation, and Ashley is already planning next year’s event—with a goal to recover even more, and make a real difference in her community.

Well done, Ashley—a great example of local leadership and waste minimisation in action.