Wellington’s summer of reuse: FillGood’s big sustainability wins

FillGood is a not-for-profit, reuse-serviceware initiative that launched in November 2024 and has already helped eliminate over 127,000 single-use cups and food containers over the summer season alone. In total, FillGood has saved more than four tonnes of waste from landfill, recycling systems, and overseas manufacturing overall.

From grassroots community gatherings to large-scale events like CubaDupa, Round the Bays, and high-profile matches at Sky Stadium, FillGood has rapidly become an effective solution to event waste in the city. 

Venues Wellington, which manages five of the city’s major venues — the Michael Fowler Centre, TSB Arena, The Opera House, Shed 6 and St James Theatre — is delighted with the service.

“We’ve had a fantastic response to FillGood’s reusable serviceware solution, with consistently positive feedback across all our venues from the public and our team alike,” says WellingtonNZ’s chief operating officer, Heidi Morton. “It’s great to see such enthusiasm for a service which aligns well with our focus on improving sustainability.”

From 1 April, the successful summer trial across all Venues Wellington events was extended into a longer-term partnership agreement. During the trial alone, FillGood saved 30,968 single-use plastic cups from going to waste and recycling systems at its venues.

FillGood has also achieved an impressive 91% return rate for its reusable serviceware, demonstrating high public engagement and trust in the system. By investing in local reuse infrastructure, FillGood is not only cutting the need for imported disposables but also generating economic and social value for the city. Beyond reducing waste and emissions, FillGood is creating local employment through an operations manager and a growing pool of casual event and wash crew. This supports Wellington City Council’s Economic Wellbeing Strategy, which promotes circular economy principles and low-carbon job creation.

Date Published: 19 May 2025