The construction company turning rubbish into treasure

Recycling, sorting the glass from the garden waste and dividing contents into the right bins is something most of us are in the habit of doing.

But when it comes to building homes, where does the waste go? The offcuts? The packaging?

The answer is straight to the landfill. But can one company manager change that mindset?

Josh Smith wants to challenge his team and himself to find solutions. Fifty percent of the solid waste produced in the world comes from the construction industry.

Auckland needs 11,000 houses built a year and Mr Smith has done his homework - those new homes will produce a rugby field full of waste 100 metres deep.

But his team isn't just talking about it - they are taking action. They have salvaged offcuts from the skip to build bikes, a magazine rack, skate ramp, dining table and even a Christmas tree.

So after three weeks, Story revisited the construction site to see what had changed and what else had been achieved.

Watch the video for the full Story report.