Urban Miners - Waipa E-Waste Recyclers

18/06/2026

Ever wondered what the inside of your coffee machine looks like?

Well wonder no more!

Here’s an epitaph we had written for our Digital Graveyard event we held last year!

"The Bean Counsellor"
I perked you up, poured out comfort, and survived 3,000 Monday mornings
2015 – 2024
May your drip forever flow where the coffee’s strong and the filter’s never cleaned.

17/06/2026

It’s National Volunteer Week, so we'd like to stop in and say a heartfelt thank‑you.

Urban Miners simply wouldn’t exist without the time, energy, humour, and commitment our huge base of volunteers bring!

Whether dismantling modems, sorting batteries, running collections, or helping behind the scenes, these wonderful people are part of a team that keeps valuable resources out of landfill and strengthens our community.

If you're interested in contributing to a wonderful team and cause, get in touch with us at [email protected], or call 021 168 4638

16/06/2026

Let’s go Cambridge! We’re on the monthly rounds again….

Bring your E-WASTE to us this Sunday, 21 June and help us divert the growing stream of e-waste from our landfills!

There is a small cost to you so that we can recycle your items responsibly. View our website to see a full list of what can be recycled and costs:
https://www.urbanminers.nz/

Who’s coming?

14/06/2026

Your old phone, and other valuable e-waste contains gold, silver, copper, cobalt, and more.

It’s hidden treasure!

E-waste is packed with valuable rare earth metals that are essential for making modern technology, but in very short supply. Yet instead of recovering them, we bury them.

Here's a wild fact: the concentration of these metals in landfill from dumped e-waste is now higher than in the ore miners actually dig up.

Recycling e-waste, "urban mining", recovers these materials so they can be used again. It's not just good for the planet. It makes practical sense.

Don't waste what's valuable. ♻️

The reason we need to charge small fees is that it still costs us to pay our processing partners, to pay freight, insurance, the lease on our processing facility and other overheads.

Read more: https://www.urbanminers.nz/

11/06/2026

What counts as e-waste?

Think e-waste is just old computers?

Anything with a plug, cord, or battery that's reached the end of its life is e-waste.

That includes:
📱 Mobile phones
📺 TVs & monitors
💻 Laptops & tablets
🖨️ Printers & scanners
🎵 Audio equipment
🔋 Batteries
🔌 Wiring & cabling
📷 Digital cameras & power tools

If it plugs in or runs on batteries, please don't bin it, recycle it responsibly with us!

Urban Miners accept all of the above and more at our monthly collection events in Te Awamutu and Cambridge and now, 7 days per week at the Te Awamutu Resource Recovery Centre!

http://urbanminers.nz/fees

08/06/2026

Will it fit through the hole? Your old wok that’s done it’s last beef stir fry….welcome back to will it fit! If you’re wondering how much it will cost you to recycle your old e-waste with us, Greg shows us his simple pricing template…$5 if it fits, $10 if it doesn’t ♻️

07/06/2026

This one is a little bit shocking.

Did you know, in NZ we send 20kg of e-waste per person to landfill every year?

Here in the Waipā, we want to help educate around e-waste as a growing stream.

Learn more:https://www.urbanminers.nz/about-ewaste/

05/06/2026

Ever wondered what the inside of an old record player looks like?

Well wonder no more! Here’s an epitaph for this one, laid to rest, out of respect…

"The Spin Doctor"
I dropped the needle and raised the mood
Scratched some vinyl, spun some classics, and never skipped a beat - except when you bumped the table.
1950 – 2023
Rest in peace, may your groove live on in every dusty LP.

04/06/2026

Te Awamutu! Bring your E-WASTE to us this Sunday, 7 June and help us divert the growing stream of e-waste from our landfills!

9-11am, Albert Park Drive carpark

View our website to see a full list of what can be recycled and costs:
https://www.urbanminers.nz/

Can’t make Sunday?

♻️ You can NOW drop off your e-waste 7 days at the Te Awamutu Resource Recovery Centre -

8 Daphne Street, Te Awamutu.

Hours:
Monday to Friday: 8am to 4pm
Saturday to Sunday: 10am to 3pm

01/06/2026

Great response to our announcement last week that we have partnered to offer a 7 day, permanent e-waste drop-off in Te Awamutu.

We are excited about this too and know it's going to make it so much easier for TA locals!

A few questions about recylcing costs, so here you go:
- Most small electronics are $5
- Most large electronics are $10
- Wires, cables and batteries are free

We have a template (40cm x 20cm) to determine size.

Our fees cover the costs of full recycling and recovery that are charged by our processing partners, as well as freight, insurance, and the lease on our processing facility.

For our full pricing list:

As full recycling of e-waste carries a financial cost, Urban Miners charge fees on a per-item basis (full list below). These fees cover the costs of full recycling and recovery charged by our processing partners, as well as freight, insurance, and the lease on our processing facility.