The final sale day is over, the last partnership with CO REAP is done and dusted, and the Alexandra Menz Shed stall has crossed the road to sit outside the actual shed. 

With no angel investor or organisation coming through to save the business, today (Friday, June 30) is the final day the Wastebusters Alexandra reuse shop and recycling services will be open.

Wastebusters general manager Tony Pfeiffer said last month it had been a tough decision to close the Alexandra site, “but Wastebusters, as a social enterprise, needs to ensure it was financially viable for our people, our place and our impact, so we can continue to work for zero waste into the future”.

The organisation’s Wānaka operation, which remains open, had subsidised the Alexandra site since it took it on from Central Otago Wastebusters in 2015, Tony said, and with the lease due for renewal, “it wouldn’t be responsible of us to commit to operating a loss-making site into the future”.

“Unfortunately, the site in Alexandra is not financially viable for Wastebusters to continue to operate,” he said. 

“We are one of the last social enterprises in the country to be doing recycling due to the volatile nature of commodity markets and intense competition.”

The Alexandra Wastebusters site in Boundary Rd will be handed back to the Central Otago District Council after close of business today

Communications manager Ruth Blunt confirmed this week that the Boundary Rd site would be closed and handed back to the Central Otago District Council, which owns the land.

“We stopped accepting donations for our reuse shop drop off earlier this month so we could concentrate on making sure more items went to a new home before we close. We also had two big sales to give our community the opportunity to find something they love at awesome prices and to further reduce the amount of stock on site. 

“Our final sale on Saturday was a Koha Day that also benefited the community, with all proceeds going to local charities.” 

Those charities were Puna Rangatahi - Alexandra & Districts Youth Trust, the Otago Southland Rescue Helicopter Trust, and St John Alexandra.

Wastebusters was supporting all its staff into continued employment, Ruth said.

New homes had also been found for shop cats Buster and Sid, both firm favourites with the many regulars who frequented the shop.

There had been plenty of offers to keep items in circulation for anything left at close of business today, Ruth said.

The council would have  a new drop-off facility located at the Alexandra transfer station on Boundary Road from July 1, which would be open to the public for free drop-off during transfer station operating hours. The recyclable items accepted included paper, cardboard, aluminium and steel cans, plastics No. 1, 2 and 5, and glass bottles and jars.

The after-hours drop-off container outside the Alexandra transfer station would also continue to accept these recyclable items.

Items which are more difficult to recycle such as polystyrene, plastic film and Tetrapak cartons would not be accepted at the drop-off facilities at this time.