Developed through a partnership between WasteCo NZ and Porirua City Council, the new facility represents a significant investment in sustainable waste management infrastructure. Construction and demolition waste remains one of the largest contributors to landfill worldwide. Rather than treating these materials as waste, the facility has been designed to recover valuable resources including aggregates, timber, metals and plastics, creating high-quality secondary materials that can be returned to productive use. The project also received support from New Zealand’s Waste Minimisation Fund, together with regional partners including Kāpiti Coast District Council and Hutt City Council, demonstrating a collaborative commitment to increasing landfill diversion and improving resource recovery across the region.

A Complete Recycling Process in Action

One of the highlights of the demonstration was the opportunity for visitors to follow material through every stage of the recycling process. Rather than focusing on individual machines, the demonstration showcased how multiple technologies work together as an integrated system to maximise recovery rates while producing cleaner, higher-value recycled products. The processing line incorporated primary shredding, mobile screening, manual quality control, air density separation and specialist flip-flow screening technology capable of efficiently processing wet, sticky and difficult materials. Together, these technologies demonstrated a complete end-to-end solution for processing mixed construction and demolition waste. Each stage of the process was designed to perform a specific function in maximising material recovery and improving product quality.

The process begins with the EDGE Slayer XL Slow Speed Shredder, which reduces bulky construction and demolition waste into a more consistent feedstock while liberating valuable recyclable materials for downstream separation. Following primary size reduction, material is screened before entering the EDGE MPS48 Modular Picking Station, where operators manually recover valuable materials including timber, plastics and metals. Manual quality control at this stage helps improve the purity of each recovered material stream before further processing.

The material then passes through the EDGE MC1400 Windshifter, which uses controlled air separation to remove lightweight contaminants such as plastics, paper and film from heavier fractions including aggregates and hardcore. This significantly improves the cleanliness and market value of recovered materials while reducing contamination. The final stage incorporates advanced flip-flow screening technology, enabling efficient separation of difficult, wet and sticky materials that can often challenge conventional screening systems. Working together, the complete processing line maximises material recovery while producing cleaner, higher-value recycled products ready for reuse.

Local Expertise Supporting Long-Term Success

As EDGE Innovate’s official distributor in New Zealand, Equip2 provides equipment expertise, commissioning, operator training and ongoing aftersales support throughout the country. While advanced equipment plays an important role, successful recycling operations also rely on experienced local support to ensure systems continue operating efficiently throughout their working life. Strong distributor partnerships remain central to EDGE Innovate’s global approach, helping customers maximise equipment uptime, improve operational efficiency and achieve long-term return on investment.

Demonstrating the Future of C&D Recycling

The Porirua demonstration highlighted the growing demand for more sustainable construction and demolition waste processing solutions. As governments, contractors and recycling businesses continue searching for ways to reduce landfill dependency, integrated processing systems capable of recovering multiple material streams are becoming increasingly important. Projects such as this demonstrate how modern recycling technology can recover valuable resources, reduce environmental impact and create commercially viable secondary products from materials that would previously have been discarded.

EDGE Innovate is proud to support Equip2, WasteCo NZ, Porirua City Council and the wider project partners in delivering a facility that will play an important role in the future of construction and demolition waste recycling in New Zealand. Together, they are demonstrating how collaboration, innovation and investment in advanced recycling technology can help accelerate the transition towards a more circular economy.

With the facility now fully operational, attention turns towards increasing processing volumes, building stronger relationships across the construction sector and continuing to demonstrate both the commercial and environmental benefits of large-scale C&D recycling. For EDGE Innovate and Equip2, the project represents far more than a successful demonstration day. It provides a practical example of how the right equipment, experienced local support and forward-thinking operators can work together to recover more resources, reduce landfill dependency and help shape a more sustainable future for the construction industry.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is C&D waste recycling?

Construction and demolition (C&D) waste recycling is the process of recovering reusable materials from construction and demolition waste, including aggregates, timber, metals, plastics and soil, allowing these materials to be reused rather than sent to landfill.

What equipment is used in a C&D recycling plant?

Modern C&D recycling facilities typically incorporate slow-speed shredders, mobile screens, modular picking stations, windshifters, density separators and specialist screening equipment to maximise resource recovery and improve recycled material quality.

What EDGE Innovate equipment was used in this processing line?

The demonstration featured an integrated EDGE Innovate recycling solution comprising the Slayer XL Slow Speed Shredder, MPS48 Modular Picking Station and MC1400 Windshifter, alongside mobile screening and advanced flip-flow screening technology. Working together, these systems shred, separate, manually recover and clean recyclable materials from mixed construction and demolition waste, maximising resource recovery while reducing the amount of material sent to landfill.

What materials were recovered during the demonstration?

The processing plant was designed to recover a wide range of valuable materials from mixed construction and demolition waste, including reusable aggregates, timber, ferrous and non-ferrous metals, plastics and other recyclable materials. By separating these materials into individual waste streams, operators can maximise resource recovery, reduce landfill dependency and produce higher-value recycled products for reuse.

Who is EDGE Innovate’s distributor in New Zealand?

Equip2 is EDGE Innovate’s official distribution partner in New Zealand, providing equipment sales, commissioning, operator training, technical support and aftersales service throughout the country.

Why is C&D waste recycling important?

C&D waste recycling reduces landfill volumes, conserves natural resources, lowers carbon emissions associated with extracting virgin materials and supports the development of a more circular construction industry.

How can EDGE recycling solutions help operators?

EDGE recycling solutions enable operators to efficiently process mixed waste streams, recover valuable recyclable materials, improve end-product quality, reduce landfill dependency and maximise the commercial value of recovered resources through an integrated processing approach.