5R Solutions’ glass processing facility officially opened in Wiri, Auckland today. At 3,600m², the multi-million-dollar facility is New Zealand’s largest flat glass recycler and is approximately 50 percent bigger than 5R's previous Auckland site.
The new space gives the company room to double production in coming years, where it processes commercial building and windscreen glass that would otherwise be destined for landfill. Collected material is processed into crushed glass which is used in things like Pink®Batts®, new glass bottles, wastewater treatment systems and pool filters.
5R Managing Director Chris Grant said: “This is a significant step forward in the country’s capability to keep valuable materials out of landfill. Now we have the capacity to process more construction and building glass and gear up to be able to process commercial and bus windscreens that previously had nowhere to go except landfill. We have the space to expand into new recovery streams that we’re exploring.”
It’s a solution that makes both economic and environmental sense. Over the past 16 years, 5R has saved the construction, automotive and food packaging sectors tens of millions of dollars in landfill costs, diverting more than 500,000 tonnes of glass from going to landfill - enough to fill more than 120 Olympic swimming pools.
5R’s expanding facilities builds on its stellar track record of a 95% recovery rate with virtually nothing going to waste, making glass recycling a standout performer in New Zealand’s circular economy.
Minister for Small Business and Manufacturing Chris Penk officially opened the facility. He said: “Seeing what businesses like 5R are doing makes it easy to be optimistic about the future of manufacturing in New Zealand.
“Glass is infinitely recyclable, yet construction and demolition activities still account for around 40 percent of what goes into our landfills. The scale of 5R’s operation is a striking reminder that this glass now has a better future. It is heartening to see manufacturers like 5R Solutions turn these challenges into economic opportunities.”
5R Solutions Independent Chair Chris Stoelhorst said: "5R Solutions has invested in nationwide glass recovery and recycling enabling a construction, automotive, and food packaging glass fully circular economy.
“The company leads vastly improved performance against ESG metrics and reduces the impact of those sectors on the environment and virgin materials consumption. “The 5RS model is a best practice one that the construction sector could deploy across all materials classes."
5R is the first tenant in the Pascoe Group’s new Wiri development. The building incorporates solar arrays and rainwater harvesting systems that reduce 5R’s water and power use. A stand-alone yard allows better access for trucking fleets, with easy transport routes to national highways.
The Wiri facility processes flat glass from eight regional 5R collection hubs across the North Island, with another four in the pipeline. The company plans to establish these additional regional hubs over the coming year, delivering glass recovery services to more than 90 percent of the North Island. It also has a glass processing facility in Christchurch, supported by eight collection hubs around the South Island.
5R works with commercial partners only, they cannot accept glass from the public.
Caption 5R Solutions Managing Director Chris Grant; Minister for Small Business and Manufacturing Chris Penk; 5R Solutions Independent Chair Chris Stoelhorst.
