If your construction project uses mixed waste bins, you may notice something different in your waste reporting next year – your reported recovery rate could be lower.
That doesn’t necessarily mean less material is being recovered. It’s the result of a new, more accurate way of measuring what happens to mixed construction and demolition (C&D) waste once it reaches a sort facility.
The New Zealand Green Building Council (NZGBC) released updated C&D Waste Reporting Criteria on 30 June 2026. The change applies to facilities accepting mixed loads from Green Star projects, but its influence is likely to be felt widely across the construction industry.
Until now, C&D sort facilities have been able to report an overall recovery rate for the entire facility. That figure can include single-stream materials (loads that arrive already separated) as well as mixed C&D waste that needs to be sorted.
Under the new methodology, facilities will report the average percentage recovered specifically from sorting mixed C&D loads.
This is a positive step for the industry, as it gives project teams a clearer picture of what’s actually being recovered from mixed C&D waste, rather than combining it with materials that arrived at the facility already separated.
It also means reported recovery rates for mixed C&D loads are likely to be lower than they have been in the past.
Importantly, that doesn’t mean less material is being recovered. It means the reporting is becoming more specific about what is being recovered from mixed loads.
For builders and contractors, the change puts more focus on how waste is managed before it leaves site.
Projects that rely heavily on mixed waste bins may find it harder to achieve the recovery results they have reported in the past.
On the other hand, sites and contractors that have been doing a good job of separating materials at source – such as timber, metal, cardboard and plasterboard – will be better placed to maximise recovery and demonstrate good environmental performance.
It’s also a good reason to think about waste earlier in a project. Working out what materials can be separated, where bins will go and how subcontractors will use them can make a real difference to the amount of material that can be recovered.
Green Star is New Zealand’s leading sustainability rating system for buildings, administered by the NZGBC. It sets benchmarks for environmentally responsible building practices and is increasingly being specified by developers, government agencies and large organisations.
Not every project is aiming for Green Star certification, but the standards it sets often influence wider industry practice.
The methodology was released on 30 June 2026, but facilities are expected to need some time to transition to the new reporting approach. The new standard for reporting recovery from mixed C&D loads will be in full effect from 1 April 2027.
Good waste management doesn’t start when a bin leaves site. It starts with how a project is planned and how materials are managed day to day.
Builders, subcontractors, suppliers and waste providers all have a part to play. With good planning and a focus on separating materials at source, your projects can recover more materials and send less waste to landfill.
The reporting rules may be changing, but the goal remains the same: reducing waste and making better use of resources. The new methodology gives the industry a clearer picture of how we’re doing and where there is room to do better.
For more information on the new Waste Reporting Criteria, see the media release from the NZGBC online.
If you need guidance on how to reduce waste and improve recovery for your construction projects, or support with Green Star C&D waste or operational waste credits, get in touch with WM’s Sustainability Services team via sustainability@wm.nz.
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