Due to a change in ownership of the Cust Hotel, the Council will not be able to continue using the site for the rural recycling facility and the recycling skips will be removed from the Hotel’s car park, where they have been managed on a semi-permanent basis since 2019.

Once the bins have been taken away, we ask that residents please avoid bringing recycling to the site.

Council’s Solid Waste Asset Manager Kitty Waghorn says the community has made good use of the facility.

“We are thankful to the proprietors, Kris and Tommy, who kept an eye on the site, made sure it was kept tidy, and reported any issues to us so we could rectify them.

“Staff are currently investigating other options for relocating the rural recycling facility, however it will take some time to complete the necessary processes and any site works.”

Once a preferred option has been identified, staff will seek approval from the Community Board and Council to move forward with securing consent and developing detailed designs. If there are any significant changes to the proposed location, we will consult with the local community for feedback.

The idea for a rural recycling facility was first raised in late 2017 in a submission from the Cust Community Network to the Council’s Waste Management and Minimisation Plan, and to the Long Term Plan in April 2018.

Following several requests from the growing Cust community, the Council investigated and approved the drop-off facility, located behind the Cust Hotel.

A range of other local sites were investigated, but they were either gazetted reserves - where recycling facilities aren’t a permitted use - or in more exposed areas frequented by passers-by, shared with other services or businesses, or lacking a suitable on-site custodian. Other sites also required significantly more work to install the necessary infrastructure. In every respect, the Cust Hotel proved to be the best location for the rural recycling facility.

The rural recycling facility has been funded out of the Council’s share of the Ministry for the Environment’s waste disposal levy.

After Sunday 18 May, rural residents who want to continue recycling will be able to use facilities at Oxford transfer station and Southbrook resource recovery park.

Opening of the Cust rural recycling facility in 2019 

Transfer station hours

Oxford Transfer Station:

• 46 High Street, Oxford
• Open Fridays from 12:30 – 4:30pm and Sundays from 12:00 noon to 4:30pm.

Southbrook Resource Recovery Park:

• 284 Flaxton Road, Rangiora
• Open Monday to Sunday from 8:30am – 4:30pm.

More information about our transfer stations, and how to manage your waste, can be found at rethinkrubbish.co.nz.