Pallet recycling efforts | Community story

Pallets on top of pallets

When the new 400m long, state-of-the-art AGP facility was being commissioned at Profile Group’s new Hautapu site, invariably the heavy machinery arrived stacked on industrial-scale wooden pallets. When the project was finished, these leftover, untreated timber skids were stacked high and extending down the building with very little purpose. They were in pristine condition, however, so the team could not see them go to waste.

Going to a good home

Enter a keen repurposer from the Kawhia Moana Aotea Whenua Charitable Trust and the AGP team found themselves a solution. Based in Kawhia, south of Raglan, the trust uses outdoor adventure, culture and other activities to nurture skills, self-esteem and self-confidence in at-risk Waikato rangatahi. After the ‘pallet problem’ was highlighted on Facebook, the trust hauled away the lion’s share of the pallets leaving behind a very grateful team from AGP and Fosters construction who could carry on with their work.

Multiple uses

The Trust’s Bevan Taylor says the high quality cypress timber has been used for a variety of purposes, including a bridge across a creek to a bird sanctuary in Taranaki where the organisation does trapping work, as well as dog kennels and lean-tos. Whole pallets were used to form the base of four cabins, two of which will be relocated to the bird sanctuary, while the other two will be trucked to a new camp at Taharoa on the coast south-west of Kawhia Harbour to provide shelter while doing pest management.

Donating windows and doors

AGP were happy to see the waste timber getting a valuable second life, but it was soon identified that cabins without windows and doors make for a less than desirable experience during winter months in particular, so APL and AGP donated sliding doors and windows that were custom-made to fit the new cabins. Bevan says some of the boys in the Trust’s care were fully involved in the building process. “They’ve learned some basic carpentry skills along the way. A lot more good will come out of this over the years as the boys are able to stay in these cabins. It’s a win-win.”

Pallets on top of pallets

Pallets on top of pallets

Going to a good home

Multiple uses

Donating windows and doors

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