Jemma Clarke’s approach to resource recovery is shaped by a focus on action. As an Advisor in Resource Recovery at Hutt City Council, she has spent the past two and a half years identifying gaps in the system and working to address them through practical, on-the-ground solutions.
A central part of Clarke’s work has been reshaping how waste is approached at events,
with an emphasis on reducing waste at the source as well as improving how it is managed. In the past year, she has developed a model to support the implementation of waste minimisation requirements under the council’s waste bylaw. Working alongside event waste specialists, this approach has helped event organisers achieve resource recovery rates exceeding 85 percent, while also establishing systems that can be maintained independently over time.
Her work has also focused on strengthening existing infrastructure. At the Silverstream
Transfer Station, Clarke led work to introduce new waste streams, including tyres, plate
glass and native timber, expanding the range of materials that can be diverted from
landfill. By making better use of existing facilities, these changes have improved access to diversion options and helped keep more materials out of landfill.Beyond operational improvements, Clarke has contributed to sector coordination and
engagement. She played a key role in strengthening the Wellington Regional Waste Forum, a long-running regional forum that had become more council-focused over time. By helping broaden participation again to include industry and community voices, she supported its return to a more connected and collaborative sector space.
Colleagues describe her as someone who actively looks for areas where systems are not working as well as they could, and then follows through with implementation. This
approach extends from policy to practice, ensuring that initiatives are not only designed but delivered. Her work often involves partnership with external organisations, reflecting a collaborative approach to problem solving.
Clarke recently completed a Masters in Climate Change Science and Policy, bringing a
strong academic foundation to her role alongside rapidly growing practical experience in the resource recovery sector.
Across her work, a consistent theme is translating strategy into measurable outcomes.
Whether through improved event waste systems, expanded transfer station services or
sector engagement, her efforts reflect a focus on incremental change that can be
sustained over time.