Host Partner Programme

Bring free e-waste recycling
to your community

If you are in a rural or regional area without a nearby drop-off point, the TechCollect NZ Host Partner Programme is designed for you. We co-fund the freight cost so there is no financial barrier to getting started — your community gets free certified e-waste recycling, and you get the support to run it.

A partnership for under-served communities

Many rural and regional New Zealanders have nowhere to responsibly dispose of old electronics. The Host Partner Programme is built around a genuine partnership — TechCollect NZ shares the cost, handles everything downstream, and supports you every step of the way. You bring the community connection. Together, we keep e-waste out of landfill.

A true partnership model

TechCollect NZ was founded on the belief that responsible e-waste recycling should be accessible to every New Zealander — not just those in major cities. The Host Partner Programme is how we make that real in rural and regional communities.

We share the cost of freight so it is not a barrier. We handle all certified downstream recycling, data security compliance, and reporting. You provide the community presence, the local trust, and the place for people to bring their old technology.

Together, we create something your community has never had before — a permanent, free, certified pathway for e-waste that would otherwise end up in landfill or a garden shed.

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TechCollect NZ provides
Shared freight costs, equipment & full downstream recycling
🏘️
Host Partner provides
Community presence, collection space & local engagement
♻️
Together we deliver
Free, certified e-waste recycling for your entire community

See your role as a Host Partner

Different organisations bring different strengths to this partnership. Here is what it looks like for each type of host.

🏛️
For Councils & Local Government

Your community generates e-waste. As a Host Partner, you give them somewhere responsible to take it.

District councils are at the front line of waste minimisation. Your residents already look to you for guidance on how to dispose of things responsibly — but for electronics, most rural and regional communities have no local answer. Old laptops get put in a cupboard. Old phones go in the bin. Old TVs end up in the tip, or worse.

As a TechCollect NZ Host Partner, you extend your waste minimisation mandate into the technology category without building new infrastructure. We provide the bins, the certified recycling pathway, the data security compliance, and the reporting data you need for your WMMP. You provide the site and the community connection you already have.

📋 WMMP-ready reporting data included
📍 Your site listed on the national drop-off locator
🔒 Data security protocols handled by TechCollect NZ
📣 Community communications resources provided

Already working with councils in Buller, Gisborne, and Westland — this model is proven.

🏘️
For Community Organisations, Iwi & Trusts

You already serve your community. As a Host Partner, you give them one more reason to trust you — and one more way to do something good.

Community organisations, iwi, rural schools, and community halls are the backbone of life in regional New Zealand. People bring you their problems. They trust you with their questions. They come through your door when they need help.

As a TechCollect NZ Host Partner, you add a genuinely useful, free service that your community has been asking for without knowing it. Every household has a drawer of old devices they do not know what to do with. You give them a safe, certified answer — and the knowledge that those devices will not end up poisoning soil or groundwater somewhere.

🌱 Tangible environmental action in your rohe or district
🤝 Strengthens your relationship as a community anchor
📊 Impact reports you can share with funders and supporters
🏷️ TechCollect NZ Host Partner badge and signage

No technical expertise needed — we train your team and handle everything behind the scenes.

🏪
For Rural Businesses

Your customers already trust you with the things that matter. As a Host Partner, you become the place they come when it's time to retire their old tech responsibly.

Rural hardware stores, service centres, and community retailers serve as the hub for their district. People travel to you for things they cannot get anywhere else locally. Being a TechCollect NZ Host Partner adds one more reason for the community to choose you.

You also get to tell a genuine sustainability story. Your business becomes part of New Zealand's only nationally coordinated, not-for-profit e-waste scheme. That is a real differentiator — especially as customers, suppliers, and communities increasingly expect businesses to take responsibility for environmental outcomes.

🛍️ Increased foot traffic from community drop-offs
🌿 A real sustainability story for your business
📍 Listed on the TechCollect NZ national locator
🏷️ Co-branding and in-store signage supplied

Collection bins are compact — designed for retail or office environments, not a warehouse floor.

How it works

1

Register your interest

Complete the form below. Tell us about your location, your organisation, and the community you serve.

2

We assess the site

Our team reviews your application and contacts you to discuss logistics, collection frequency, and bin sizing.

3

Sign the Host Partner Agreement

We set out the co-funding terms, your responsibilities, and the support TechCollect NZ provides in a simple agreement.

4

Go live

We deliver equipment, list your site on the TechCollect NZ drop-off locator, and you start collecting from day one.

What Host Partners receive

💰

Co-funded freight

TechCollect NZ contributes the first $25 of every freight movement, directly reducing the cost barrier that prevents rural collection from being viable.

♻️

Certified downstream recycling

All collected devices are processed through our certified recycling network. You receive collection reports confirming environmental and data security outcomes.

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Listed on the national locator

Your site is added to the TechCollect NZ drop-off locator at techcollect.nz, giving your community a permanent, publicly visible collection point.

🎨

Signage & promotion resources

We provide signage, collection bins, and digital assets so you can promote the service to your community with minimal effort.

🛡️

Data security compliance

Storage media is professionally wiped or physically destroyed. You have nothing to manage — we handle all data security protocols and documentation.

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Impact reporting

Receive regular reports on tonnage diverted from landfill and environmental outcomes — useful for community communications, council reports, and funding applications.

Frequently asked

Do we need to be in a rural area to qualify?
The programme is primarily aimed at rural and regional communities that do not have a convenient TechCollect NZ drop-off nearby. If you are unsure whether your area qualifies, register your interest and we will assess it. We would rather hear from you and work it out together than have you not apply.
How much will it cost us?
TechCollect NZ shares the freight cost as part of the partnership, so rural and regional hosts are not carrying the full freight burden alone. There is also a small per-kilogram recycling charge that covers certified downstream processing. The exact cost depends on your location, collection volume, and frequency. We will give you a clear cost estimate during the assessment process — before you commit to anything.
What devices can we collect?
The TechCollect NZ scheme covers ICT equipment — phones, laptops, tablets, desktop computers, monitors, printers, keyboards, and peripherals. We confirm accepted categories for your site as part of onboarding. Some categories may require specific storage or handling arrangements.
How often are collections made?
Collection frequency is agreed during onboarding based on your expected volume and storage capacity. We can start with less frequent collections and scale up as demand grows. Many rural sites begin with quarterly or event-based collections and move to regular scheduled pickups over time.
Can we run a one-off collection event first?
Yes. A community collection event is a great way to gauge local demand before committing to an ongoing collection point. Contact us to discuss event-based options — we can advise on logistics, promotion, and how to turn a successful event into a permanent Host Partner arrangement.
Are there examples of this model already working?
Yes. TechCollect NZ has existing council partnerships in the Buller, Gisborne, and Westland districts that use a similar co-funded model to bring free e-waste collection to communities that would otherwise have no local option. The Host Partner Programme formalises and extends this approach.

Register your interest

Fill in the form below and we will be in touch to discuss your site and the next steps. There is no commitment at this stage.

Thank you — we'll be in touch!

We have received your interest and will contact you within a few business days to discuss your site and next steps.