South Auckland Middle School cashes in on empties

Container Deposit Return Scheme trial a hit with rangatahi and the principal.

South Auckland Middle School (Te Paerangi) raised $477.40 in a single lunch break in their 10 November 2025 bottle drive, supported by the Beautification Trust.

The 180-pupil school saved 2,387 empty bottles and cans from litter or landfill, earning 20c an empty for their school.  The proceeds will be spent on materials for the Beautification Trust’s Boomer Shed to make a picnic table for the school grounds.   

Group photo with rangatahi at the bottle drive at South Auckland Middle School.

How the event was promoted

A week before the drive, the Beautification Trust provided text promoting the ‘bottle drive’ to the school in the right format for them to use in their Hero feed which messages parents of children at the school. The Trust also gave the school a reminder message to text to parents.

Pupils started taking empty plastic and glass drinks’ bottles and cans to school immediately. With days to go Senior teacher Chantelle Te Hira laughed she was ‘drowning in empties’ in her office. 

School partnership

Senior teacher Chantelle Te Hira acted as the school liaison, coordinating logistics and student involvement. The Beautification Trust team supported promotion, provided images, and captured photos and video on the day. The school used their own permission system, with students whose images could be taken clearly identified with a sticker on the day and all images checked before use. Staff present at the school on day included:

·         Louise Beuvink, Marketing & Communications Manager

·         Zoe Braun, Marketing & Communications Specialist

·         Leigha Stroeven, Tread Lightly Manager, running waste education through hands on activities at the event.

·         Daniel Barthow, Chief Executive, making sure the school stayed happy throughout.

The school nominated three rangatahi as event leads, responsible for counting in the empties. This gave the pupils ownership of the event and helped maximise the excitement and energy of what they could achieve for their kura by returning empties.

“Our rangatahi really stepped up. They were organised, enthusiastic and proud of what they achieved together. It showed them that even a small kura can make a big impact, and the money raised will help build a new picnic table for our school,” Chantelle Te Hira, Senior Leader at South Auckland Middle School.

Rangatahi at South Auckland Middle School getting organised for their bottle drive.

How the mechanics worked

The Beautification Trust brought wheelie bins, and the school had been pre‑collecting containers in large sacks. Students queued to hand in their empties, with the three student leaders tallying items using clipboards and paper.

The Trust transported all containers in their box truck to the Onehunga Community Recycling Centre for processing and covered the recycling costs. Payouts were calculated directly from the student tallies and stayed just within the allocated $500 budget.

“This activation showed how powerful community action can be. It also highlighted why a container deposit return scheme would be a great move for Aotearoa, helping us reduce litter, waste less and recycle more,” said Louise Beuvink, Marketing Manager at the Beautification Trust.

“Seeing the rangatahi really click that all these bottles have real value they can tap into was inspiring. They literally understood the true value of what is often ends up trashed or littered. A refund system puts real value back into local hands, cuts waste and brings people together around a shared purpose. This is exactly the kind of practical change a container deposit return scheme could deliver across Aotearoa,” said Daniel Barthow, CEO at the Beautification Trust.

Community support and visibility

Local MP Rima Nakhle joined the school on the day to see the action firsthand. Government legislation is needed to enable a Container Deposit Return Scheme for Aotearoa that could make this event a weekly fundraiser in schools.

The event demonstrated the power of community mobilisation and the practical benefits of a refund system; reduced litter, higher recycling rates, and money flowing back into schools and community groups.

Why a container deposit return scheme matters

Container return schemes operate in 32 countries worldwide, giving people a simple incentive to return drink containers and covering the real costs of recycling. Surveys show 76% of New Zealanders want a scheme introduced.

Many New Zealanders remember returning bottles for cash in the 1970s and 80s. This school bottle drive offered a glimpse of how easily Aotearoa could bring that system back.

“The South Auckland Middle School bottle drive shows just how effective a container deposit return scheme will be for Aotearoa. When empties are worth 20c each, they quickly become a useful fundraising tool for schools and clubs, and the money stays local. It’s a win for whānau, communities, and te taiao. Our ancestors valued resources, and with the right scheme in place, we can too,” said Sue Coutts, at Zero Waste Aotearoa.

For more info contact louise.beuvink@beautification.org.nz.

To talk about organising a bottle drive in your community contact Sue@zerowaste.org.nz.