Recycling sparks new life in Masterton

BITS AND PIECES: Luke Hamer (left) and Tony Ah-Ken run the electronic recycling section at the Wairarapa Resource Centre. PHOTO/GERALD FORD

Two Masterton men have become the skilled hands behind a mission to recycle Wairarapa's unwanted electrical goods.

Volunteer Tony Ah-Ken has been supervising the e-recycling department at the Wairarapa Resource Centre in King St, Masterton, for the past two years - dismantling, sorting and helping dispose of used appliances - from computers to toasters.

In the past two months, he has been joined by fellow volunteer Luke Hamer.

Mr Ah-Ken says the job involves "pretty much stripping" unwanted household appliances into re-usable resources.

The workroom has bins and containers with all sorts of labels, which Mr Ah-Ken rattles off as he gives the tour - "two-pin cables, power supplies, speakers, power packs, scrap metal - we have copper wire and cable, some usable cords ...

"We're saving a lot of stuff from going into the environment, into the tip - that's what it's all about."

Mr Hamer, who has been on a sickness benefit, said he signed up because he "wanted to get some work experience, something on my CV, so I can earn my own quid".

Resource centre manager Trudie Jones said Mr Hamer had turned up one day and said "I want to volunteer", and she knew just where to put him.

Wairarapa Resource Centre Trust chairman Jonathan Hooker designed the recycling plan for the e-centre.

Appliances are first tested for usability and, if possible, they go back into the shop to be sold.

"We have a guy qualified to test and tag," Mr Hooker said.

"If computers come in that are worth refurbishing, we have someone who can do that, if not we dismantle."

Printers are almost always dismantled because of the difficulty of reusing the software component in other computers.

The centre has contracts with companies in the business of reusing parts and metal, including cables, copper, aluminium and light gauge steel.

Mr Hooker said the centre was looking to get a cable stripper to deal more efficiently with the cords.

He said "plastics are where we hit the wall" with some things still going to the transfer station.