ENM Circular Econ

We're apart of Environment Network Manawatū. Connecting and inspiring communities for environmental action.

22/09/2026

Plastic free swaps for your kitchen

Why swap at all
Plastic containers and cling wrap can't be recycled kerbside, and they break down into microplastics over time. Glass containers and beeswax wraps solve both problems: glass is infinitely recyclable and never degrades, and beeswax wraps are fully compostable once they've reached the end of their life.

Dry goods storage
Glass jars are the easiest swap of all, especially if you reuse jars from other produce rather than buying new. They don't absorb odours or stains the way plastic does, and when a jar finally cracks, it's 100% recyclable rather than heading straight to landfill.

Vegetables
Cotton bags, metal baskets, and glass containers all outlast their plastic equivalents by years, not months. Cotton bags are washable and compostable at the end of their life, and metal baskets can be recycled indefinitely without losing quality, unlike plastic, which degrades every time it's reprocessed.

Support local, get them from:
🔹 Feilding Bin Inn
🔹 Palmerston North Bin Inn
🔹 Petal Bee Groceries, Foxton

Don't throw away your unsustainable items to replace them with sustainable ones, that's just as unsustainable. Wait till it breaks or runs out.

Follow us for more

Full resources: www.enm.org.nz/living-circular-manawatu

Petal & Bee Grocers
Bin Inn Wholefoods Market

15/09/2026

Zero waste things you only have to buy once while cooking plastic free
🔹 Metal or wooden utensils: They're non toxic, last a long time, and are highly durable. Metal is infinitely recyclable, while wood is compostable when it has done its dash.
🔹 Pots and pans made from cast iron or stainless steel: They're non toxic and, if looked after well, can last a lifetime. When you're finished with them, donate them to an op shop or recycle them through your local metal recycler.

🔹 Chopping boards made from 100% wood: They're non toxic and built to last. Use them until they've done their dash, then compost them.
Don't throw away your unsustainable items to replace them with sustainable ones, that's just as unsustainable. Wait till it breaks or runs out.

Follow us for more.

Full resources: www.enm.org.nz/living-circular-manawatu

11/09/2026

Don't throw out your stuff, fix it. There's a Repair Cafe near you!

Repair Cafe Levin
Sep 12, 2026, 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM

Palmerston North Repair Cafe
Sep 19, 2026, 9:00 AM – 11:30 AM

Feilding Repair Cafe
Sep 19, 2026, 10:00 AM – 11:45 AM

10/09/2026

How to recycle aluminium foil?
CLEAN aluminium foil can be recycled at your local metal recyclers

Got a recycling question? Drop it in the comments and we'll get you an answer.

08/09/2026

How should NZ manage its plastic problem?
A new NZ report says microplastics are found through every part of the environment, posing a risk to ecosystems and human health.

Associate Professor Nathan Cooper, Environmental Law, University of Waikato, comments:
“Plastics production continues to grow rapidly, creating more demand for fossil fuel, at a time of climate crisis, and generates hundreds of millions of tonnes of waste and associated pollution. There is already international agreement that micro and nano-plastics represent a risk to human health. Not banning plastic food packaging, including PVC and polystyrene, means these will continue to pose a risk to consumers in New Zealand and overseas.

“The Government’s decision not to proceed with a ban on hard-to-recycle plastics in food packaging represents the latest failure to show leadership on urgent environmental issues. It sends another clear message that the government prioritises short term commercial profits over responsible stewardship as well as people’s health.

“While the ban would have meant a costly transition for industry, continuing to do business in ways that harm health and ecological integrity should not be an option.”

https://www.sciencemediacentre.co.nz/2026/08/27/how-should-nz-manage-its-plastic-problem-expert-reaction/?mc_cid=d319617708&mc_eid=c7e5e721fd

03/09/2026

Feilding now has soft plastic recycling

Look out for the symbols pictured on your packaging, then collect your soft plastics and drop them off at
📍Woolworths Feilding or
📍The Warehouse Feilding.

It’s a trial for now, but who knows? This could turn into something long-term.

https://www.mdc.govt.nz/services/rubbish-recycling-and-waste/soft-plastic-recycling

02/09/2026

Shelving plans to ban hard-to-recycle plastic

The Government has shelved plans to ban hard-to-recycle PVC and polystyrene from food and beverage packaging, abandoning a crackdown that has been in the works for years.

The ban had originally been due to come into force in mid-2025, but the deadline was shifted in late 2024.

The Ministry for Cities, Environment, Regions and Transport told stakeholders in an email last week the proposal would not proceed because of 'other Government priorities'.

Zero Waste Aotearoa is an umbrella organisation representing enterprises working on recycling and re-using.

Kathryn speaks to Sue Coutts Zero Waste Aotearoa's director of external affairs.

https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/ninetonoon/audio/2019050141/shelving-plans-to-ban-hard-to-recycle-plastic

RNZ Zero Waste Aotearoa

01/09/2026

Follow along for the rest of the series.

Comment below with where you buy these, or link us to a tutorial you rate.

Bin Inn Wholefoods Market Petal & Bee Grocers

27/08/2026

Got plastic lids? Don’t bin them, bring them to ENM*

Lids can't go in your kerbside bin, they're too small and light, and they fall through the sorting machinery at the recycling plant.

If you're in Palmerston North, Manawatū, Tararua or Horowhenua:
*Bring us your number 2, 4, and 5 lids and we'll recycle them for you. A few things to check first:
• The number's inside a recycling triangle
• Lids are clean and dry
• No number, or a different number? Bin it, our volunteers hand-sort these, so mixed plastics cause real problems.

Got a recycling question? Drop it in the comments and we'll get you an answer.

Palmerston North City Council Manawatū District Council Tararua District Council Horowhenua District Council

25/08/2026

Got something broken? Don't bin it — get it fixed. Repair cafés bring together volunteer fixers who can mend anything from a jumper with a hole to a blunt knife to a dodgy laptop, for koha.

Upcoming repair cafés

Palmerston North
Palmerston North Repair Café
19 September 2026, 9.00am – 11.30am
Palmerston North Community Leisure Centre, 569 Ferguson Street

Feilding
Feilding Repair Café
19 September 2026, 10.00am – 11.45am
Manchester House Senior Hub, 14 Bowen Street, Feilding

Levin
The Senior Citizens Hall, corner of Cambridge and Montgomery Streets
12 September 2026, 10.00am – 1.00pm
Second Saturday of every month

Tag a mate who's got a pile of "I'll get to it eventually" repairs waiting at home.

Levin Repair Cafe

Address

145 Cuba Street
Palmerston North City
4410

Website

https://www.enm.org.nz/circular-economy/circular-economy

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