New Sort Line Boosts Recovery at Selwood Road

A new sorting line at Auckland’s largest transfer station has just opened, marking another step forward in WM New Zealand’s commitment to circularity.

It wasn’t long ago that transfer stations simply served as consolidation points for all types of waste, says Operations Supervisor Ronnie Bresser. However, modern sorting lines are changing that. The new sorting line at Selwood Road in West Auckland, which opened last month, is modelled on successful implementations at Southdown Lane, Penrose, and the North Shore Transfer Station on Rosedale Road.

Ronnie oversees a dedicated team of five operators who work tirelessly to separate the incoming waste into class 1 – including municipal and residential waste with high organic content – and class 2, which consists of building and construction waste with minimal organic material.

Because class 2 waste is cheaper to dispose of—by up to $30 per tonne—this process results in significant cost savings. The Selwood Road site processes up to 9,000 tonnes of waste each month, with three dedicated trucks making up to six daily trips to Redvale Landfill. Ronnie’s team also keeps an eye out for materials that can be recovered, such as steel and metals, which are collected and sold for scrap.

“Last year, we diverted around 40% of class 1 landfill waste to class 2,” says Ronnie. In addition, about 5% of the total waste received since the new line was installed has been recovered. “That may not sound like much,” he explains, “but it equates to approximately 500 tonnes of material that we’ve saved from landfill.” This number is expected to rise as more building and construction customers come on board, many of whom now report on their recovery rates as part of their ESG targets.

The new Selwood Road line is housed undercover, shielding it from the elements. The rubber belt moves at a walking pace and can be stopped instantly for safety. So far, much of the sorted material has been treated and untreated timber. The untreated timber is sent to Living Earth on Puketutu Island, where it is chipped for landscaping purposes. A large magnet picks up metal scraps, while any unrecoverable material is sent to a general waste skip at the end of the line.

While Ronnie and his team are on-site six days a week, the Selwood Road facility operates 24/7. An automated weighbridge and licence plate detection system allow operators to come and go without the need for WM New Zealand staff to oversee them. This system provides exceptional convenience, especially for heavy users. One regular operator, for example, deposits around 100 tonnes of commercial and municipal waste every night between 4 am and 7 am.

The site is also equipped with an advanced fire alarm system, featuring heat-detecting infrared cameras wired directly to an external alarm company. In the event of an alert, the company reviews on-site cameras to rule out false alarms (such as truck exhaust heat) before contacting the fire service if necessary. Fortunately, the nearest fire station in Te Atatū is just five minutes away should they ever be needed.

A huge thanks to Ronnie and the Selwood Road team for their dedication, and to Thinesh for the lead photo.