Enviro NZ expands national network with Southland acquisition

Enviro NZ is expanding into the Southland region with the acquisition of Clearaway, a leading Invercargill-based waste and recycling business owned by Southern Transport, part of the HW Richardson Group. 

Clearaway operates across Invercargill and the wider Southland region, providing commercial and residential waste and recycling collection services. The business runs a fleet of 12 trucks and operates a construction waste sorting facility. 

Enviro NZ Acting CEO James Rutter says the acquisition is a significant step forward in the company’s strategy to grow its already world-class connected national network in order to deliver more reliable, sustainable waste solutions for New Zealand communities. 

“Over recent years, Southland has consistently ranked among the top regions in the country across a number of growth metrics – ranging from economic performance to population growth – driven by an uplift in building consents as well as a burgeoning agriculture sector and significant investments in digital infrastructure. We are proud to be investing in Southland and supporting the region to help keep pace with and facilitate growth,” says Rutter. 

“Enviro NZ is committed to becoming New Zealand's most trusted expert in resource recovery. Our strategy is grounded in service excellence – delivering reliable, consistent outcomes customers can trust. Whether that’s improving construction waste diversion, developing alternative fuels, or expanding organics solutions, this acquisition creates a platform to bring those innovations into Southland,” he says. 

The Clearaway team of 10 staff will transition to Enviro NZ as part of the acquisition, with no immediate changes to services for customers. 

“Clearaway has a proven track record of success in Southland, and has built enduring relationships with customers and communities. This is something Enviro NZ will continue to foster – bolstering their expertise and strong local service delivery with the scale, systems and support of a national business,” says Rutter.  

Enviro NZ already services much of the South Island, including Dunedin, Central Otago, Timaru, Ashburton, Mackenzie Country, Christchurch, Blenheim and Nelson. 

“With Southland joining our network, we’re better placed to support customers across all of the lower South Island, delivering local services, backed by national infrastructure that prioritises long-term sustainable solutions.” 

The transition to Enviro NZ ownership will take effect from 1 April 2026.