THE FUTURE OF FARM INORGANIC WASTE STEWARDSHIP€¦ · OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF THE WASTE MANAGEMENT...

$: THE FUTURE OF FARM INORGANIC WASTE STEWARDSHIP€¦ · OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF THE WASTE MANAGEMENT INSTITUTE NZ AUGUST 2018 \ ISSUE 168 \ $9.00 KERBSIDE RECYCLING THE FUTURE OF FARM$
CIRCULAR ECONOMY | NESCS AND HAIL AMENDMENTS

LOOKING BACK AT 30 YEARS OF WASTEMINZ

O F F I C I A L M AG A Z I N E O F T H E WA S T E M A N AG E M E N T I N S T I T U T E N Z AUGUST 2018 \ I S S U E 1 6 8 \ $ 9 . 0 0

KERBSIDE RECYCLING

THE FUTURE OF FARM

INORGANIC WASTE

STEWARDSHIP

2

SILVER

ADSTAFF PERSONNEL

adstaff.co.nz

AECOM

aecom.com

FOODSTUFFS NZ

foodstuffsnz.co.nz

GEOFABRICS NZ

geofabrics.co.nz

MANCO

manco.co.nz

OJI FIBRE SOLUTIONS

ojifs.com

OMARUNUI LANDFILL

hastingsdc.govt.nz

ONYX GROUP

onyxgroup.co.nz

PLASBACK

plasback.co.nz

PROGRESSIVE ENTERPRISES

progressive.co.nz

SCION RESEARCH

scionresearch.com

SIMS RECYCLING SOLUTIONS

apac.simsrecycling.com

STANTEC

mwhglobal.co.nz

THE PACKAGING FORUM

packagingforum.org.nz

WASTENET SOUTHLAND

wastenet.org.nz

GOLD

3R GROUP3R.co.nz

EARTHCARE ENVIRONMENTALearthcarenz.co.nz

ENVIRONZenvironz.co.nz

INTERGROUPintergroup.co.nz

O-I NEW ZEALANDo-i.com

SMART ENVIRONMENTALsmartenvironmental.co.nz

SULO (N.Z.) sulo.co.nz

TONKIN + TAYLORtonkin.co.nz

VISY RECYCLING NZvisy.co.nz

WASTE MANAGEMENT NZwastemanagement.co.nz

WASTEMINZ MEMBERS

PLATINUM

AUCKLAND COUNCILaucklandcouncil.govt.nz

http://manco.co.nz

AUGUST 2018 \ WASTEMINZ.ORG.NZ \ 3

SI LV ER

ADSTAFF PERSONNEL

adstaff.co.nz

AECOM

aecom.com

FOODSTUFFS NZ

foodstuffsnz.co.nz

GEOFABRICS NZ

geofabrics.co.nz

MANCO

manco.co.nz

OJI FIBRE SOLUTIONS

ojifs.com

OMARUNUI LANDFILL

hastingsdc.govt.nz

ONYX GROUP

onyxgroup.co.nz

PLASBACK

plasback.co.nz

PROGRESSIVE ENTERPRISES

progressive.co.nz

SCION RESEARCH

scionresearch.com

SIMS RECYCLING SOLUTIONS

apac.simsrecycling.com

STANTEC

mwhglobal.co.nz

THE PACKAGING FORUM

packagingforum.org.nz

WASTENET SOUTHLAND

wastenet.org.nz

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICERPaul Evans \ +64 9 476 7172

[email protected]

MEMBERSHIP & FINANCE MANAGERCJ Dooner \ +64 9 476 7162

[email protected]

SECTOR GROUP CO-ORDINATORJenny Marshall \ +64 9 476 7164

[email protected]

ACCOUNTS ADMINISTRATORJustine Robinson \ +64 9 476 7163

[email protected]

SECTOR PROJECTS MANAGERNic Quilty \ +64 9 476 7167

[email protected]

SUSTAINABILITY ADVISORSarah Pritchett \ +64 21 0825 4060

[email protected]

COMMUNICATIONS & SOCIAL MEDIA LOVE FOOD HATE WASTE

Sarah van Boheemen \ +64 9 320 [email protected]

EDITOR, REVOLVEKim Mundell \ +64 21 655 917

[email protected]

SUB-EDITOR, REVOLVEJulie O'Brien

[email protected]

DESIGN, REVOLVELeanne Lassman \ +64 21 267 3885

[email protected]

T +64 9 476 7162PO Box 305426, Triton Plaza

North Shore 0757Unit 2, 5 Orbit Drive, Rosedale 0632

New Zealand

wasteminz.org.nz

WasteMINZ is the leading professional body for waste management, resource recovery

and contaminated land management in New Zealand. We deliver value to our

members through the shaping and sharing of policy and the development of industry

good practice.

WasteMINZ publishes revolve magazine four times a year, it plays a vital role in

ensuring our members are up-to-date with the latest in industry news, policy and

legislative changes as well as innovations and advances.

ISSN 2324-5417 (Print) ISSN 2324-5425 (Online)

ON THE COVER THE CHURCH OF THE GOOD SHEPHERD IN TEKAPO

11 THE WAY FORWARD WITH WASTEOpposition environment spokesperson Scott Simpson sees an opportunity in New Zealand taking more responsibility for its waste

12 PRODUCT STEWARDSHIPAdele Rose predicts that as part of the move to a circular economy, product stewardship will become a familiar term to consumers.

18 THE FUTURE OF FARM INORGANIC WASTE STEWARDSHIP Simon Andrew points out that an integrated approach to manage farm waste is needed.

22 KERBSIDE RECYCLINGNew Zealand’s first kerbside recycling service started in Devonport more than 40 years ago. Richard Tong was involved and reports on how it happened.

27 NESCS AND HAIL AMENDMENTSPaul Evans provides an update on where these amendments are at.

29 30 YEARS OF WASTEMINZTony Kortegast surveys WasteMINZ’s 30 years, from its humble beginnings to its central role in waste minimisation policy and practice today.

REGULARS02 MEMBERS04 FROM PAUL’S DESK05 YOUR BOARD07 NEWS BITES09 MOVERS & SHAKERS32 FROM THE REGIONS34 SECTOR GROUPS

22

12

18

INDUSTRY ALSO NEEDS TO SUPPORT RECYCLING THROUGH ACCREDITATION PROGRAMMES AND ASSESS PRODUCTS PRIOR TO THEM BECOMING A WASTE ISSUE.

11

http://manco.co.nz

4

Over the past six months the

WasteMINZ Board has been placing a

focus on ensuring we deliver strong

value to all WasteMINZ members.

This has included a close

assessment of what we do well,

and where we need to place extra

emphasis to ensure the organisation

prospers for another 30 years.

This has been a very positive

process. It ensures that we are

engaging the right people, and

leading strategic conversations

across our sector.

Over the next 12 months, in

addition to maintaining our current

high-quality services, we will be

placing additional emphasis on

two vital parts of our membership

offering. These are:

• Contaminated Land

Management, and

• Product Stewardship.

Contaminated Land Management

(CLM): Our CLM Sector Group has

been at the forefront of the industry

for the past 25 years. In that time,

they’ve played an influential role

in shaping industry guidance,

advancing knowledge development

and contributing to leading-edge

practice.

In a time where the

government’s environmental

focus is on other areas, we feel it is

appropriate to invest significantly to

ensure that we continue to advance

this critical part of WasteMINZ. We

need to support and enable the

Ministry for the Environment while

their resourcing is constrained. So,

over the coming months you will

see several new initiatives. These

include:

• a dedicated CLM e-newsletter

• a significantly enhanced webinar

programme

• regular networking and

education events throughout the

country

• a new online knowledge sharing

group

• the introduction of CLM specific

awards at our conference.

We are also taking the opportunity

to look at our future event options,

to ensure we are well placed to meet

member needs.

We are also extremely lucky

to have a highly engaged steering

committee, chaired by the ever-

capable Michelle Begbie, who are

keen to do things a bit differently. So,

watch this space, and do get in touch

if you have any questions.

Product Stewardship: Interest in

product stewardship has never been

higher. The change in government,

combined with China’s National

Sword initiative, has brought us to a

crunch point. The need for decisive

and positive action is now.

Our recent research in this area

(bit.ly/StewardshipResearch) shows

there’s incredibly strong support

for product stewardship from our

members and their priorities are

very clear. Based on this work we

are in the process of establishing a

Product Stewardship Sector Group,

which I firmly believe will become

the go-to organisation for evidence-

based stewardship initiatives.

We have a powerful legislative

framework available; our role will be

to ensure that it’s used effectively.

EXCITING TIMES AHEAD - I CAN’T WAIT!

Paul EvansCEO, WasteMINZ

[email protected] to me+64 9 476 7172

FROM PAUL'S DESK

5 - 8 N OV E M B E R | CHRISTCHURCH


China’s recycling policy change is

clearly a huge challenge for many

of us right now, both financially and

reputationally.

It’s clear that there is no

quick fix; it will take a sustained

industry-wide approach to get

us to a sustainable solution. So,

the recent intensified discussions

around the circular economy and

producer responsibility are clearly

very timely.

What is also clear is that we

need central government to take

the lead and to put in place the

key drivers. But, we are, of course,

here to support them. We have

offered assistance to the Ministry

for the Environment, and across

the WasteMINZ membership there

is significant resource for the

government to tap into.

A lot of detailed research

work has already been done in

this space, and the key issues are

well summarised in WasteMINZ’s

recent discussion document,

Rebooting Recycling (bit.ly/

RebootRecycling). It demonstrates

how, as an industry, we can pull

together for the greater good.

We also have much to learn

from how other countries are

dealing with this. Across Europe

and Australia, governments are

considerably further down the track

than we are in Aotearoa. The data,

research, and evidence previously

funded by the Ministry, councils and

industry is freely available, so let’s

use it — now is the time for decisive

leadership and quick action to

ensure we aren’t left behind.

An example of this available

data is the compelling evidence

for the introduction of a container

deposit scheme, particularly to

support community enterprises,

provide high-quality source-

separated materials and better

define the responsibilities of

producers and consumers.

As a new WasteMINZ Board

member, I feel very privileged to be

part of such a great organisation.

It’s clear to me that our strength

is in our diversity of members and

breadth of views. Our governance

and leadership are strong, and as

members, we are supported by a

very talented and passionate team

of staff.

WasteMINZ is increasingly seen

as the go-to organisation for all

things waste and resource recovery,

and rightly so. What a great

opportunity we have, to build on

this, and through WasteMINZ create

a circular economy for Aotearoa.

YOUR BOARD

HOW TO CONTACT YOUR BOARD MEMBERS

left-to-right top, middle, bottom

Darren Patterson CHAIR [email protected]

Roderick Boys [email protected]

Grahame Christian [email protected]

Simonne Eldridge DEPUT Y CHAIR [email protected]

Wayne Plummer [email protected]

Ian Stupple [email protected]

Ian StuppleWasteMINZ Board

[email protected]

YOUR INTERESTS COME FIRST

ASBESTOS TESTING

We’re completely focused on what’s important to you.So in order to give your test due care and attention, we limit the number of samples our analysts look at each day.

This ensures we can provide results that are not only independent and delivered quickly, but are also accurate and reliable.

With laboratories in Hamilton, Christchurch, Auckland and Blenheim and now with our new dedicated Asbestos laboratory open in central Wellington, we've got New Zealand well and truly covered!

��'��

NEW

WELLINGTON LA

B

NE

W W

ELLIN GTO N LA

B

NOWOPEN

MORE FREEPHONE 0508 HILL LAB (44 555 22)www.hill-laboratories.com


NEWS BITES

EcoCentral goes large with new balerOne of the country’s main

processors of post-consumer

recyclables, EcoCentral, now

operates the largest and fastest

automatic baler in New Zealand.

The new baler, manufactured by

German-based HSM and supplied by

local waste and recycling equipment

company Pioneer Group, weighs

in at 42 tonnes and processes

old corrugated cardboard and

newsprint at a rate of 27 tonnes per

hour. Despite this size and speed, the

baler is remarkably quiet.

This quiet efficiency is reflected in

the first benefits the EcoCentral

team noticed: 15 per cent denser

bales means four fewer forklift

movements between the baler and

holding area, two fewer movements

to load an export container and 40

per cent less electricity per tonne

baled.

The HSM baler’s hydraulic system

uses three variable speed drives to

quietly ramp the electric motors

up to speed in each direction; this

eliminates the shudder of directional

valves and the shock of full flow. The

design meant the existing power

supply transformer and cabling

didn’t need an upgrade, despite

the baler having 145 per cent more

capability than the machine it

replaced.

The contract with EcoCentral for

supply of the new baler was won on

the basis of purchase price and total

cost of ownership. HSM, a private

company, is the world’s largest

manufacturer of vertical balers

and builder of the most advanced

horizontal balers. Pioneer Group is

the distributor of HSM horizontal

balers in New Zealand and Australia.

Tyre recycling facility openedWaste Management NZ recently

welcomed Associate Minister for the

Environment Hon Eugenie Sage and

Auckland mayor Phil Goff to open

its new tyre recycling facility in Wiri,

Auckland.

With support from the Ministry

for the Environment’s Waste

Minimisation Fund, Waste

Management has invested in

innovative new tyre processing

equipment from the United States,

expanding the processing capacity

of the company’s facility by 250

per cent.

Waste Management managing

director Tom Nickels said he was

delighted the Minister could

attend the opening and celebrate

this positive step forward for tyre

recycling in New Zealand. Waste

Management plans to open another

tyre recycling facility in the South

Island in late 2019.

EcoCentral’s new baler processes 27 tonnes per hour of old corrugated cardboard and newsprint.

8

WELCOME TO OUR NEW MEMBERS

Bin design doesn’t need to be rubbishWasteMINZ welcomes new member Method Recycling. Method’s co-founders

Steven and India Korner spent three years mastering Method’s award-winning

products – holding focus groups, preparing prototypes and even assisting

cleaners on night shifts. All this hard work paid off, resulting in the Method 60

litre office recycling bins that connect to form-adaptable recycling stations.

Method has been the long-term sustainability solution for Wellington Airport,

Xero, University of Melbourne, BNZ, Sydney Cricket Ground and more.

Last month Method completed their biggest North American order to date,

implementing 1000 recycling bins in a thought-leading facility in New York

City. Other highlights of 2018 include working with a prestigious architecture

firm in London and supplying the Australasian offices of one of the world’s most

innovative sustainable automobile companies.

“Our bins have been designed to be flexible for the future, with the ability to be

customised as we work towards a circular economy,” said Steve Korner.

Find out more at:

methodrecycling.com

CLM NETWORKING EVENTThursday 16 August 2018 \5.00pm to 7.00pmTonkin + Taylor, Wellington

LOCAL GOVERNMENT LEADERSHIPThursday 30 August 2018 \ 5.00pm to 7.00pmOtago Museum

Event will also be live-streamed for

those unable to attend

WASTEMINZ 30TH ANNUAL CONFERENCE – TARGET 2050Monday 5 to Thursday 8 November 2018Air Force Museum of New Zealand, Christchurch

We will be releasing more

information as the year

progresses, but for now, diary

these dates.

And keep up to date at

bit.ly/WasteMINZEvents

CORPORATEAustralia New Zealand

Recycling Platform

INDIVIDUALRachel Rait

STUDENTSarah Grant

SMALL BUSINESSAhika Consulting

Coastal Bins

Computer Recycling

Easy Earth

IdealCup

Little & Brave Eco Nappies

Method

Sealed Air

Total Waste Solutions

MAY 2018 \ WASTEMINZ.ORG.NZ \ 9

MOVERS & SHAKERS

LEE BINT Lee joined the New Zealand Defence

Force this year as sustainability

framework manager for the Defence

estate and infrastructure unit. This

is a new area of focus for NZDF, and

her appointment represents an

increased focus and ambition to

improve sustainable practices across

the board for the regeneration of

the Defence estate. It will require

the support of partners and supply

chain to deliver on this ambition. Lee

brings her expertise from BRANZ,

where she was a sustainable building

scientist for the past six years.

Lee can be contacted at

[email protected].

HARRIET LOCK-INGHAMHarriet arrived in New Zealand

earlier this year from the United

Kingdom and joined New Plymouth

District Council in April as the

regional waste minimisation officer

for the Taranaki region. She has two

Masters’ degrees in environmental

science and seven years of diverse

experience in waste minimisation,

community engagement and project

management. Harriet’s passion is

food-waste prevention and she is

excited about getting stuck into

Plastic Free July planning, as well

as implementing a comprehensive

recycling education strategy to

tackle recycling contamination.

Harriet would love to share ideas

and experiences and can be

contacted at harriet.lockingham@

npdc.govt.nz.

DR JONNO HILLJonno is the recently appointed chief

executive officer of Hill Laboratories.

He has extensive experience at Hill,

beginning as a technologist and later

becoming an analytical technology

team leader, section manager and

divisional manager. Most recently he

was general manager of technology

on the executive leadership team.

Jonno has a PhD in organic synthetic

chemistry. Hill Laboratories is an

independently owned and operated

analytical laboratory, that was

established in 1984 by Jonno’s

parents, Roger and Anne Hill. They

both remain active in key roles in

the business today. Jonno can be

contacted at jonno.hill@hill-labs.

co.nz or visit hill-laboratories.com

to find out more.

WASTE RECYCLING EQUIPMENT

QUIETLY EFFECTIVE WASTE MANAGEMENT

Balers Compactors Gantry bins

Hook bins Recycling Bins Processing Equipment

Shredders Waste Solutions

FREEPHONE 0508 4 PIONEER

Email [email protected] 4 6 6 3 3 7

Compressing Your WasteCompact Hydraulic Baler Press Range

Environmentally Friendly, Easy to use, Reduces

Paper, Plastic & Other Waste Volume by up to 90%

Take control of your waste and save on space!

E

Bompaaler

n

CompaBaler

En Compressing Your WasteFREEPHONE 0508 4 PIONEER

Email [email protected] 4 6 6 3 3 7

Just one of our range...Just one of our range ...

REG

ENER

ATIO

N

RECYCLING

PROCESSING

COLLECTION

POWERGENERATION

MATERIALRECOVERYFACILITY

ELECTRICITY

LANDFILL ANDENERGY PARK

NATIONAL GRID

BASED ON WASTE MANAGEMENT NZ LIMITED’S 2017 NATIONAL FIGURES.

18,000HOMES POWERED BY RENEWABLE ENERGY

90%GAS CAPTUREEFFICIENCY GREATER THAN

TRANSFERSTATION

80,000TONNES OF FOOD AND GARDEN WASTE TURNED INTO COMPOST

145,000TONNES OF RECYCLING COLLECTED

TYRE RECYCLINGFOR ALTERNATIVEFUEL COMMENCED

800TRUCKS

35%LIGHT FLEET MOVING TO ELECTRIC BY 2019

1,200,000TONNES COLLECTED 3 ELECTRIC

TRUCKSCONVERTED, WITH20 MORE BY 2019

75,000TONNES OF HAZARDOUS WASTE REMOVED AND TREATED

140,000CUBIC METRES OF LANDFILL SPACESAVED

INDUSTRIAL

COMMERCIAL

RESIDENTIAL

100%OF LEACHATE CAPTURED

MORE THAN

SUSTAINABILITYNEW ZEALAND

CAN COUNT ON

We continue to deliver to our Sustainability Commitment with the recent launch of our Tyre Recycling Centre.

This new facility is a significant step forward in managing the environmental problem of end-of-life tyres. Our centre provides a local solution for these tyres, by upcycling a traditionally discarded energy source into fuel alternative, Tyre Derived Fuel (TDF).

We are committed to making a difference and working toward a truly circular economy for New Zealand.

PUT SIMPLY, SUSTAINABILITY IS WHAT WE DO.

wastemanagement.co.nz


REG

ENER

ATIO

N

RECYCLING

PROCESSING

COLLECTION

POWERGENERATION

MATERIALRECOVERYFACILITY

ELECTRICITY

LANDFILL ANDENERGY PARK

NATIONAL GRID

BASED ON WASTE MANAGEMENT NZ LIMITED’S 2017 NATIONAL FIGURES.

18,000HOMES POWERED BY RENEWABLE ENERGY

90%GAS CAPTUREEFFICIENCY GREATER THAN

TRANSFERSTATION

80,000TONNES OF FOOD AND GARDEN WASTE TURNED INTO COMPOST

145,000TONNES OF RECYCLING COLLECTED

TYRE RECYCLINGFOR ALTERNATIVEFUEL COMMENCED

800TRUCKS

35%LIGHT FLEET MOVING TO ELECTRIC BY 2019

1,200,000TONNES COLLECTED 3 ELECTRIC

TRUCKSCONVERTED, WITH20 MORE BY 2019

75,000TONNES OF HAZARDOUS WASTE REMOVED AND TREATED

140,000CUBIC METRES OF LANDFILL SPACESAVED

INDUSTRIAL

COMMERCIAL

RESIDENTIAL

100%OF LEACHATE CAPTURED

MORE THAN

SUSTAINABILITYNEW ZEALAND

CAN COUNT ON

We continue to deliver to our Sustainability Commitment with the recent launch of our Tyre Recycling Centre.

This new facility is a significant step forward in managing the environmental problem of end-of-life tyres. Our centre provides a local solution for these tyres, by upcycling a traditionally discarded energy source into fuel alternative, Tyre Derived Fuel (TDF).

We are committed to making a difference and working toward a truly circular economy for New Zealand.

PUT SIMPLY, SUSTAINABILITY IS WHAT WE DO.

wastemanagement.co.nz

WASTE: OUR WAY FORWARD

is the inevitability of change and the

need to evolve our thinking around

the impact our consumption has on

the environment.

China’s decision to cease being

an international receptacle for other

countries’ recycling efforts is both

a challenge and an opportunity for

nations like ours. The immediate and

short-term impact is that previously

exported recyclable materials

are being stockpiled around New

Zealand, and some materials are even

being sent to landfill. But China’s

decision will force change that I

believe will ultimately be beneficial.

Manufacturers, consumers,

local and central government,

organisations such as WasteMINZ

and other environmental and

community NGOs will need to work

together to find new solutions. Had

China not made the decision to cease

taking our waste, it’s unlikely such

local change would have occurred.

Becoming more circularOver the years, packaging has become

more complex with multiple layers,

materials, colours and combinations.

All this has made recycling more

difficult and more marginal. But there

have also been positives.

The recent shift from polystyrene

meat trays to recycled PET (RPET)

trays made from PET bottles

collected from kerbside recycling

programmes is a good example of

manufacturers, brands, retailers

and recyclers working together for

a positive outcome. Indeed, Flight

Plastics’ RPET facility is an excellent

example of a more circular recycling

approach coming on stream.

Ultimately and progressively, it will be

this approach that will provide many

of the answers we are looking for.

Moving from a linear mindset to

a circular one will set us on the right

path to achieving the waste sector’s

contribution to our climate change

and environmental ambitions.

Our challengeWaste represents a huge opportunity,

and the challenge is for us to take

advantage of it. Acting on waste

can drive transformation and bring

positive change throughout our

economy. Ultimately doing so will

move us to a different model, a model

where the lifecycle of all material is

maximised, where usage is optimised,

and then at the end of useful life, all

materials are fully reutilised.

A change like this will mean

moving away from our traditional

take-make-waste model to a more

sustainable and efficient structure

that will be good not only for the

environment but our economy as

well.

The circular economy is not a new

concept. It’s the kind of thing our

parents and grandparents used to do

as an everyday part of life. In policy

terms, it has been around since the

1960s, but today it’s more relevant

than ever before and will be crucial to

set us on the right waste pathway for

the future.

Opposition spokesperson for the Environment Scott Simpson sees an increased focus on waste minimisation as bringing positive change for the economy.

THE DECISION by National

Party leader Simon

Bridges to offer bipartisan

support to establish a

climate change commission is a

significant and positive step forward.

Announcing the offer to work with

the government, he said that our size

as a nation does not abdicate us from

our responsibility, and he is right.

To help fulfil our goals, we will

need to include a more concentrated

and concerted focus on waste

minimisation. Doing so will be an

important part of achieving our

climate change aspirations.

There is still much uncertainty

about the new government’s policies,

but the one thing we can be sure of

Hon Scott Simpson is the National MP for Coromandel. He is the Opposition

spokesperson for the Environment and was formerly Associate Minister for the Environment. His main policy

interests include climate change issues, environmental protection, fresh water

quality and marine protected areas.

12

3R Group chief executive Adele Rose looks into the future and finds that by 2050 — or sooner — product stewardship will become just as familiar a term to consumers as 'fair trade' and 'organically grown' are today.

A CIRCULAR FUTURE WITH STEWARDSHIP AT THE CENTRE

MENTION THE TERM

‘product stewardship’

to the first person

you bump into on the

street and chances are you will be

met with a blank look.

The truth is, it’s not a widely

known concept in New Zealand. It

also is and isn’t a simple one either.

Suggest that manufacturers and

retailers should take responsibility

for the products they make and sell

throughout the lifetime of those

products, and the blank look will

probably turn into a puzzled one.

Fast-forward to the year 2050

and this will be a different story.

The terms ‘sustainably produced’,

‘fair trade’, ‘organically grown’ and

the like were little known or not

even coined 20 or 30 years ago but

are now part of everyday life. In the

same way, talking about product

stewardship will certainly be

common place 32 years from now.

The reason for this is that

product stewardship is a

cornerstone of the circular economy

— another little-known phrase that

will certainly become common

place long before 2050. The circular

economy is the economy of the

future, and ironically also one

from the past.

Circular principalsIn generations past

there was a far

higher value placed

on things. When

your TV broke you

didn’t immediately

throw it away, you

had it repaired if

possible. Things

like children’s toys

were more durable

and weren’t bought

on mass.

We generally

had less stuff, and

the stuff we had lasted

longer, was repaired and

reused. Simply getting rid

of something and buying

new wasn’t the knee-jerk

reaction it is today.


Moving to a circular economy

isn’t about nostalgia or an

ideologically nice thing to do. It’s also

not because it’s the environmentally

responsible thing to do, but rather

because the linear economy and its

basis of infinite growth from finite

resources is intrinsically flawed and

cannot survive. We cannot survive it.

In a future in which the circular

economy is in full swing, having a

product stewardship scheme will

be standard practice. Consumers

will expect it, so much so that it

won’t even enter discussion — it

will simply be the way

things are.

Stewardship in the here and nowSo where are we now? Currently

there are 14 voluntary,

government-accredited product

stewardship schemes in New

Zealand, ranging from container

glass to concrete, and agricultural

plastic to waste oil. These vary in

size and effectiveness and rely on

manufacturers and retailers to

do the right thing by voluntarily

contributing to schemes that

collect and recycle or properly

dispose of the products.

Granted, each scheme covers a

number of different products, but

14 schemes is not a high number.

It also isn’t particularly impressive

considering the Waste Minimisation

Act 2008 — which has stewardship

at its heart — has been around for

10 years.

Priority productThe Act is a big part of getting

from here to where we need

to be. It’s a powerful tool,

which hasn’t been fully

utilised by previous

governments.

But as Bob Dylan

said, “the times they

are a changin’” and

the new government

is seemingly far more

motivated than their

predecessors were

to make use of the

Act. And this is where

mandatory product

stewardship (which the

Act has the ability to

create) comes in.

Mandatory

stewardship is the more

effective route, as it puts

everyone on a level playing

field and prevents non-

participating producers from

taking a free ride. In New Zealand,

mandatory stewardship can only

happen when the Minister for the

Environment declares a priority

product under the Act.

Priority product status has

never been declared in New Zealand.

However, recent comments

by Associate Minister for the

Environment Eugenie Sage point to

a quickly growing probability that

we will soon see the country’s first

mandatory declaration.

End-of-life tyres are a good

example of how mandatory

stewardship is the best route to

follow. The working group for end-

of-life tyres, Tyrewise, has the

backing of the industry, but on the

condition that tyres be declared

a priority product. One reason for

this is that they want to avoid free

riders; the second being the industry

recognises that some product

regulation tools will be needed to

support local councils.

The face of stewardshipAnother important part of the

puzzle is, of course, what a product

stewardship scheme, be it voluntary

or mandatory, looks like. The waste

hierarchy of avoidance, reduction,

reuse, repair and only then recycle

is the guiding standard that all

stewardship schemes should look to.

Properly implemented

product stewardship goes back

to the design phase in order to

increase lifespan, reusability and

repairability. In a circular economy

future (underpinned by product

stewardship), our whole way of

thinking about product ownership

will shift, with a greater emphasis

on paying for services rather than

owning the products that provide

them.

Adele Rose is the chief executive of 3R Group Ltd, a for-purpose business. She has more than 12 years’ management

experience and nine years directly related to the development of waste solutions

for environmental and economic benefit across a range of industries. At 3R, Adele has been directly involved in managing product

stewardship schemes for container glass, agricultural chemicals and containers, and

paint and packaging, as well as projects looking at solutions for end-of-life tyres and, more recently, lubricant containers.

O-I New Zealand www.recycleglass.co.nz

+64 9 976 7127

TO INFINITY & BEYONDInfinitely recyclable glass

For more visit: bit.ly/2J4rFP6

Philips’ Light as a Service is a

much drawn-on example of this

new way of doing business. The

model sees customers pay Philips

for the light they use, while Philips

maintains ownership of the lighting

fixtures.

This means the company has

taken complete responsibility for

their products, from production

through to end-of-life treatment.

As a result, Philips develops more

durable and repairable fixtures and

is more motivated to maximise the

resources that go into them: the

circular economy in action.

A place for recyclingRecycling has long been seen by

the public as the environmentally

and sustainably responsible thing

to do, and it certainly has its place.

However, it is far from the first

choice.

What we don’t want from our

product stewardship schemes of

the future is to simply enable more

recycling. This can so easily happen,

as recycling is the path of least

resistance because manufacturers

don’t need to change their products

much — if at all.

There are of course exceptions.

Glass, being infinitely recyclable,

is one example. The best way of

dealing with the tens of thousands

of tonnes of glass bottles and

jars being used every year in New

Zealand is to recycle them into new

bottles and jars.

Another example is PET (Type 1)

plastic. It too can be recycled again

and again as RPET. This is where

product stewardship can support

the development of onshore

processing capacity for materials.

The futureIn the year 2050, stewardship

schemes will not only divert

waste from landfill and recapture

resources, but genuinely do so with

the waste hierarchy at their core.

They will also have sparked a myriad

of new business opportunities.

Mention the term product

stewardship to someone in 2050,

or even in 2030, and they will know

exactly what you are talking about.

AUGUST 2018 \ WASTEMINZ.ORG.NZ \ 15O-I New Zealand www.recycleglass.co.nz

+64 9 976 7127

TO INFINITY & BEYONDInfinitely recyclable glass

For more visit: bit.ly/2J4rFP6

MAY 2018 \ WASTEMINZ.ORG.NZ \ 15

HASTINGSBen Kendrick 021 658 554DUNEDINCory Hellyer 027 288 1952INVERCARGILLDDean Cousins 021 932

WELLINGTONMardi Pritchard 021 335 873CHRISTCHURCHNic McLennan 027 275 6252Steven Varcoe 021 969 323

HAMILTONTony Hennessy 027 839 8153TAUPOSteve Mellar 027 565 3956MT MAUNGANUIAndre Muller 027 550 1729

WHANGAREIMarcus Bourke 027 241 6126NORTH HARBOURCharles Dryden 021 751 158AUCKLANDColin Saunders 027 593 2661

Vermeer National Sales Manager - Chris Smith 021 367 889

Vermeer NI Territory Manager - David Stewart 027 564 2405

Contact: www.abequipment.co.nz | [email protected] | 0800 30 30 90

Whether you’re facing the need to clear some land, clean up after a storm or recycling wood waste, Vermeer will be right beside you. Our complete lineup of horizontal and tub grinders, trommel screens, compost turners and brush chippers were designed to take on your big challenges.

So when it’s tough going out there, look to Vermeer - the trusted name for proven equipment and reliable support.

VERMEER - EQUIPPED TO DO MORE

THE FREEDOM C AMPING WASTE SOLUTION HAS ARRIVED

WATER RECYCLING & TREATMENT PLANTWATER

C O N TAC T D E TA I L S C O N TAC T D E TA I L S

Phone: Logan Roach: 021 967 744 | 0800 274986 | Email: [email protected] | www.manco.co.nz121 Harris Road, East Tamaki, Auckland, New Zealand | P.O. Box 58-609, Botany, Auckland

C l o s e d l o o p , t r e a t m e n t , f i l t r a t i o n & r e c y c l i n g p r o c e s s

Removes and filters water from oil, grease, soaps, detergents & other chemicals.

Reduce water use and trade waste discharge, minimizing environmental impact whilst being cost effective.

Portable above ground truck ramp system.

MINI MOBILE COMPACTOR

Phone: Logan Roach: 021 967 744 | 0800 274986 Email: [email protected] | www.manco.co.nz

121 Harris Road, East Tamaki, Auckland, New Zealand P.O. Box 58-609, Botany, AucklandENVIRONMENTAL

F E AT U R E S

FULLY MAINTAINED LEASE3YEARBEFORECHRISTMAS

UNITSINSTALLED

Single phase & solar power options

Designed for pick up & delivery by conventional gantry/skip truck

Ease of use rotating infeed hopper

Capacity: 3.5m3

Payload: 1050kg

1

4

2

5

3

F E AT U R E S

M A N U FAC T U R E D A N D S U P P L I E D I N C O N J U N C T I O N

W I T H H & G

From the Matterhorn, Switzerland to New Zealand

A Leading European Supplier of Stationary Compactor Systems

is now in partnership with

ENVIRONMENTAL

18

Given agriculture and horticulture will need to use plastic and other inorganic waste for the foreseeable future, Agrecovery general manager Simon Andrew says the issue needs to be addressed and sets out a way forward.

THE FUTURE oF FARM INORGANIC WASTE STEWARDSHIP

-


PROVIDING QUALITY

food for a growing global

population requires the

use of plastic for storing

animal feed, animal medicines, crop

protection products and oil to keep

machinery running. Without the

prudent use of plastics, producing

safe and sustainable food could be

severely compromised.

Given the continuing significance

of agriculture and horticulture in

New Zealand, quantities of plastics

are — and will continue to be —

utilised for the foreseeable future.

Traditionally, Kiwi farmers and

growers had few options to get rid

of their inorganic waste, with much

of it left in the paddock, in the shed,

buried on-property or, worse, being

burnt.

Fortunately, alongside this is

increasing awareness of the risks

these disposal methods pose and

a desire for more sustainable ones,

especially in the past decade. There

is a move away from doing things

the way they’ve always been done —

a transition from linear to circular

economies. Farmers and growers

share a desire to reduce and reuse —

it is part of the Number 8 wire DNA

of a Kiwi farmer or grower.

This has been spurred on by an

increasingly discerning consumer

market which expects to see past

the farm gate and understand the

story behind the product they are

purchasing. Much of this expectation

involves sustainable practices due to

an enhanced public consciousness

of the appropriate use of plastics in

industry and everyday life.

Current optionsCurrently, farmers and growers can

use the Agrecovery and Plasback

programmes to address inorganic

waste issues alongside countless

community initiatives.

For the past 12 years, Agrecovery

has provided a product stewardship

scheme for the crop protection,

vet medicine and dairy hygiene

industries through a voluntary levy

paid by more than 60 companies

and supported by a growing

collection network — now with over

80 sites and dozens of events.

With steady volumes being

collected since its inception, in the

past year volumes have skyrocketed

as farmers and growers get on the

recycling bandwagon. Last year’s

growth was 40 per cent up from the

year before. Plasback has also seen

a large increase in demand with

over 2,100 tonnes of plastics to be

collected this year.

A recently completed waste

minimisation project highlights

the amplified level of motivation

to engage in initiatives that divert

waste from harmful disposal

practices. Farmers and growers

cite their desire to protect the

environment for future generations

and create a positive legacy for their

farm, industry and country.

Despite this, the Rural Waste

Minimisation Project identifies that

more than 80 per cent of farmers

and growers still admit to open

burning of inorganic waste and that

the majority of farms still use on-

farm dumps.

The blame can’t be placed solely

at the farmer’s door. There are a

number of reasons for this. One is the

confusion over which products and

brands can be recycled for free and

the costs involved if they are not.

Barriers to recycling initiativesNot having all brands on board

creates a headache for users of

recycling programmes, who need to

identify which products participate

in the scheme — and offer free

recycling — and which ones don’t.

Without product stewardship

arrangements, farmers and growers

have to pay high costs for collection

and disposal, exacerbated by their

distance from facilities.

A woeful lack of enforcing

burning bans as well as a complete

absence of them in some areas

gives some the go-ahead to keep

burning their waste, rather than use

a recycling scheme.

The responsibility for sorting

and disposing of a range of farm

waste — silage wrap, fertiliser bags,

agrichemical containers, used oil,

batteries, plus any other general

rubbish — creates another job for a

busy rural property. Understandably,

farmers and growers prefer to

manage all their waste at once,

without having to go through

several providers for each type of

waste.

With the exception of the

horticulture industry, incentives for

farmers and growers to participate

in recycling schemes are lacking.

Through the Global GAP (Good

Agricultural Practice) scheme, the

horticulture sector is leading the

way, as growers are required to show

evidence of recycling. Adopting a

similar approach could aid the wider

industry.

20

Simon Andrew is general manager of Agrecovery, New Zealand’s solution

for the safe disposal of unwanted agrichemicals, and the recycling of empty containers, drums and IBCs.

Making it easierThe future of rural waste

management needs to be farmer-

and grower-centric. New Zealand

needs to enhance existing schemes

by making them more accessible

and easy to use. This means adding

more collection sites, hosting more

events, making on-farm collection

more available and addressing

persistent free-rider issues of non-

participating brands. The service

needs to be efficient, effective

and able to cope with increasing

volumes.

Enhancing the ecosystem of

rural recycling requires investment.

The most logical approach to

facilitate this is through product

stewardship, as Agrecovery and

Plasback demonstrate. However, in

a voluntary regulatory environment,

free-riders will continue to put

a spoke in the wheel of effective

recycling systems. Additional

investment in recycling requires all

manufacturers to take part, and

mandatory stewardship will quickly

support this.

A one-stop-shop service to

farmers and growers is clearly

the way forward for disposing of

waste. This involves an integrated

approach, offering multiple

service options, including on-farm

collection, fixed sites and collection

events. On-farm collection is a

premium option, and this is reflected

in the cost of providing it. For a more

cost-effective, but less convenient

option, fixed and event-based

options can be more favourable.

Having support from local

councils to enforce burning

bans, support collection events

and provide drop-off facilities

will be critical for an effective

integrated approach. So too will be

infrastructure that supports getting

waste from isolated rural properties

to recycling facilities. This could

include developing further size-

reduction technology.

Like the wider New Zealand

economy, identifying end-markets

for waste so it can be repurposed

into something useful is critical for

an integrated and circular economic

approach. Ideally, these markets

would be domestic, but there is still

a viable overseas market for post-

consumer-resin.

INDUSTRY ALSO NEEDS TO SUPPORT RECYCLING THROUGH ACCREDITATION PROGRAMMES AND ASSESS PRODUCTS PRIOR TO THEM BECOMING A WASTE ISSUE.

Signs of successThe recent pop-up collection and

on-farm collection events trialled

in Matamata and Geraldine have

proven that an integrated approach

can work, with over 18 tonnes of

inorganic waste being disposed of

through just two trial events. By

working together, councils, central

government and existing schemes

such as Agrecovery and Plasback

can drive far greater environmental

outcomes for farmers.

The next step is to continue

these trials and attract investment

to refine further and roll-out.

Agrecovery is ideally placed to lead

this given its industry ownership

and ability to facilitate product

stewardship outcomes.

55000LINERS COLLECTED FROM FARMS 11000

TONNES OF PLASTIC COLLECTED

2100TONNES OF

PLASTIC COLLECTED2017/18

3000SHEETS OF RECYCLED PLASTIC TUFFBOARD PRODUCED

15COLLECTORS

6BALERS

Plasback is an accredited Product

Stewardship Scheme and New Zealand’s only

nationwide on farm collector of agricultural

plastic wastes03 338 2400plasback.co.nz

13YEARS IN

OPERATION

1NATIONWIDE

SCHEME

55000LINERS COLLECTED FROM FARMS 11000

TONNES OF PLASTIC COLLECTED

2100TONNES OF

PLASTIC COLLECTED2017/18

3000SHEETS OF RECYCLED PLASTIC TUFFBOARD PRODUCED

15COLLECTORS

6BALERS

Plasback is an accredited Product

Stewardship Scheme and New Zealand’s only

nationwide on farm collector of agricultural

plastic wastes03 338 2400plasback.co.nz

13YEARS IN

OPERATION

1NATIONWIDE

SCHEME

ANYONE WHO IS familiar

with Devonport today

needs to recalibrate

their head to understand

the first recycling scheme in New

Zealand, launched in May 1977.

Forget the pretty, renovated villas

and some of the most eye-watering

real estate values in the country and

think about a community oriented

to naval officers and matelots with

their support machine at the naval

base. Then add a smaller contingent

of army personnel at Fort Cautley

in Narrow Neck, with interservice

rivalry emerging regularly in the

local watering holes.

In the university summer

vacation at the end of 1972, I started

my long association with local

government by labouring for the

Devonport Borough Council (in those

days, Auckland had 26 separate

councils and a regional authority)

and developing a fascination with

waste on the rubbish truck and at

the local tip.

As we celebrate 30 years of WasteMINZ, it’s important to reflect on key milestones that predate the organisation. One such milestone was the establishment of New Zealand’s first kerbside recycling service in Devonport more than 40 years ago. Richard Tong was part of making it happen and recounts how it came about.

LOOKING BACKNEW ZEALAND’S FIRST KERBSIDE RECYCLING SERVICE


The first official bags were black

plastic 60-litre bags, and for a few

years council staff hand-delivered

packs of 52 to each household with

their rates demand. That was of

course doomed to fail.

People moving to a new house

would use their remaining bags

for the move or take them with

them. Large villas broken into

multiple flats had fights over the

undersupply of bags, and older

folk who had no need of a weekly

bag, because of their frugal habits,

multiple compost heaps and super-

productive veggie gardens, thought

it was all a waste of money.

And, yes, there was even an anti-

plastic movement back then, mainly

based on the stupidity of wasting

foreign reserves to buy a fossil fuel-

derived bag when a locally grown

tree-based bag could do the job just

as well.

By the late 1970s, Devonport had

moved to a true user-pays waste

collection model, where the cost of

the bag was calculated by a simple

formula, which included the cost

of the bag, the cost of collecting it,

the cost of disposing of it, the cost

of administering the collection

contract and a retailer’s mark-up.

People could buy as many, or

as few, bags as they wanted from

the local supermarket and place as

many, or as few, bags on the roadside

as they wished.

Enter recyclingIn mid-1976 I had my Bachelor of

Science behind me and was writing

up my master’s thesis, when I

noticed in the local newspaper

that a delegation from some

environmental NGOs had suggested

to the Devonport Borough Council

that they should look at recycling.

I wrote to the council with a

few ideas and offered my services.

I pointed out that I had a practical

appreciation of what was involved

from my experience working for

them, and I was added to the sub-

committee exploring recycling.

Rubbish collectionsI still have my Kiwi-made squat,

galvanised-iron rubbish bin that was

the standard requirement for street

collections half a century ago. All

you had to do in Devonport was take

your bin to the kerb and council staff

emptied it and left the empty bin,

without the lid, one or two houses

down the street.

These solid metal bins and

the collection service were direct

replicas of the British model. Only

they made much more sense in the

original setting where ash from coal

fires was a significant component of

household waste.

Even way back then the set-up

with council staff collecting bin

loads of waste was crying out for

change. The first stage in Devonport,

in the early 1970s, was the move to

rubbish bag collections, coinciding

with the introduction of the ‘official’

bag and the move from collections

by council staff to collections by a

private sector trucking firm.

visit scarlett.co.nz | call us today 03 688 2900

SCARLETT EQUIPPED TRANSFER STATION

SCARLETT STATIC COMPACTOR 350-3

SCARLETT WEIGHBRIDGE

SCARLETT HOOKLIFT CONTAINER

SCARLETT SAFE REFUSE TIPPER

SCARLETT RECYCLING BINS

Nuts and boltsThe council’s refuse contractor at

the time was Alexander Freights. I

met with the directors and explained

how the sub-committee wanted to

develop the recycling collections.

They were receptive and keen to stay

onside with the council.

We agreed that separating

the total waste into some of its

component parts for separate

collection was not going to change

the total volume of material to be

collected substantially but was

going to add some inconvenience to

them as operators.

We were going to ask them

to place a movable barrier in the

tray of their open-topped truck so

that at each collection a specified

recyclable material could be placed

in the portion nearest the tailgate,

enabling this material to be dropped

off at the recycling depot at the

entrance to the tip before the

rest was dumped at the tip face.

The barrier was to be movable to

accommodate the relative bulk of

different materials: lots of bottles

and not so many cans.

The business trade-off for the

extra work involved was that we

would use Alexander Freights to

provide the bins and haulage for

the bulk recyclables, including the

bulky items such as scrap steel

going to South Auckland. They got

extra work, and we had a willing and

known contractor.

The council’s side of the bargain

was to provide all the necessary

promotion so that the public

would have a clear idea of their

responsibilities. The highlight of

this was the six-monthly recycling

calendar delivered to every

household, which specified the

recyclable material to be placed for

collection in each week in a four-

weekly cycle. The calendars were a

hit from day one!

Devonport’s 1977 recycling calendar shows which materials to put out for kerbside recycling on which week.

Richard Tong coordinated the Devonport recycling scheme from 1976–1980 and was

then appointed deputy manager to the Devonport Borough Council from 1980–84. He then established his own environmental

consultancy, Tong & Associates, and led the teams that developed the recycling strategy for the Auckland region in 1988

and the recycling and waste minimisation implementation plan for Auckland Regional

Council in 1989, as well as other waste minimisation developments around

New Zealand and overseas.

visit scarlett.co.nz | call us today 03 688 2900

SCARLETT EQUIPPED TRANSFER STATION

SCARLETT STATIC COMPACTOR 350-3

SCARLETT WEIGHBRIDGE

SCARLETT HOOKLIFT CONTAINER

SCARLETT SAFE REFUSE TIPPER

SCARLETT RECYCLING BINS

The council also had to provide

the recycling depot, where the

contractor could drop off the

collected materials. I can still

remember marking this out with

separate bays for everything from

scrap steel to used oil and firewood.

Two days after opening, you could not

see half of them because they were

buried under a mountain of roofing

iron, car parts and old appliances.

It was back to the drawing board to

provide for larger spaces.

The council also provided the

two other legs of the recycling

scheme: the promotion of home

composting and the development

of composting for green waste from

large sections.

Focus on end marketsWe opted for the separate collection

of specified recyclables in a four-

weekly cycle because that was the

best way to provide the high-quality

material that the market wanted

and paid top dollar for.

In those days, whole bottles

were fetching premium prices to

be washed and refilled. We had

problems at various stages with

suitable markets for plastics and

tin cans, and in both cases had huge

stockpiles of each to show visiting

dignitaries and the news media —

which will be very familiar to waste

managers today.

By always aiming for the best

quality and unmixed recyclables we

were able to meet some very specific

material requests. In short, we were

delivering top quality materials

to local markets to be reused or

recycled locally.

I firmly believe, even 41 years on,

that our core ethos of providing the

highest quality recyclables paired

with a flexible service that can adjust

to changes in the marketplace

remains central to real, successful

and sustainable recycling.

ALBANY MANUKAU HAMILTON

WELLINGTON NELSON

CHRISTCHURCH INVERCARGILL

Adstaff Personnel is a New Zealand owned recruitment company established in 1963.

We provide top quality service in the supply of temporary and permanent workers.

CALL US TODAY 0800 277 1740

LEADERS IN STAFFING TOWARDS SUCCESS

ACCOUNTANTS

ACCOUNTS PAYABLE

ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE

ADMINISTRATORS

ASSEMBLERS

BUILDERS

BUTCHERS

CALL CENTRE

CARPENTERS

CREDIT CONTROLLERS

CUSTOMER SERVICES

DEVANNERS

ELECTRICIANS

ENGINEERS

FABRICATORS

FORKLIFT OPERATORS

FREIGHT

GASFITTERS

HAMMERHANDS

INVENTORY

CONTROLLERS

LABOURERS

MACHINE OPERATORS

MACHINISTS

MACHINE SETTERS

MOTOR MECHANICS

PACKERS

PICKERS

PLUMBERS

PRODUCTION WORKERS

QUALITY CONTROLLERS

REACH DRIVERS

RECEPTIONISTS

STORESPERSON

TRUCK DRIVERS

VAN DRIVERS

adstaff.co.nz

staffing towards success




In June, Ministry for the Environment senior analyst Bruce Croucher updated in a webinar the status of amendments to the National Environmental Standard for Assessing and Managing Contaminants in Soil to Protect Human Health (NESCS) and Hazardous Activities and Industries List (HAIL). WasteMINZ’s CEO Paul Evans summarises the key points.

NESCS interim reviewThe interim review of the NESCS

focused on how the HAIL framework

is working, how the NESCS is being

applied and whether sites subject

to the NESCS are being remediated

or contaminants managed on-site

appropriately, and what factors are

driving the approach used.

The review highlighted:

• concerns about inconsistency

around the country

• resource consents being required

for sites for which the risks could

be managed better in other ways

• landowners considering the cost

of complying and the associated

delays as substantial.

Following the review, MfE worked on

proposed amendments and tested

them with a working group.

The proposed amendments:

• require a more risk-based

approach to decide whether the

NESCS applies

• remove resource consent

requirements for low-risk

activities

• increase certainty of the

consenting process and target

controls more closely to effects

• provide risk-appropriate site-

specific management options.

This consultation was undertaken

in September and October 2016,

with 91 submissions received from

territorial authorities, regional

councils, practitioners and industry

groups. The summary of submissions

is expected to be released soon.

Key findingsSubmitters were generally

supportive of changes to the

HAIL, particularly clarification of

categories. They considered sites

were being identified that didn’t

need to be, such as sports turfs,

where many are caught, not just

intensively managed ones as

intended.

There was split support for

risk-based assessment, with

slightly more in favour. Concerns

were around who should make

that assessment, with a view

that this should be done by a

suitably qualified and experienced

practitioner (SQEP). Those against

felt it would introduce more

uncertainty and cost into the

consenting process.

Removing consents (where there

are more efficient alternatives) was

supported for:

• activities on soils below the

NESCS soil-contaminant

standards

• soil disturbance by network

utility operators

• paper-based subdivisions (such

as moving from cross-lease to

freehold title)

• soil disposal.

Status of the NESCS and HAIL amendmentsRecommendations were taken to

the Minister for the Environment

and Cabinet who granted approval

to Parliamentary Counsel Office to

draft amendments to the NESCS.

These were workshopped with MfE’s

working group, who considered

there was significant work required

before the regulations would be

clearer and simpler to implement.

MfE’s post-election priorities

(climate change, freshwater quality,

urban development and the

circular economy) and emerging

contaminants (such as per- and

poly-fluoroalkyl substances), have

moved the Ministry’s emphasis away

from the amendments. Its focus is

on publishing guidance work that is

underway, which includes the new

HAIL guidance, which should go out

in the next few months.

MfE is also continuing to work on

Contaminated Land Management

Guideline 1 (Reporting on

contaminated sites in New Zealand)

and Guideline 5 (Site investigation

and analysis of soils), with release of

the revised guidelines planned for

this financial year.

You can view the webinar at

bit.ly/NESCSWebinar. If you have

questions, contact Bruce Croucher

on [email protected].

ALBANY MANUKAU HAMILTON

WELLINGTON NELSON

CHRISTCHURCH INVERCARGILL

Adstaff Personnel is a New Zealand owned recruitment company established in 1963.

We provide top quality service in the supply of temporary and permanent workers.

CALL US TODAY 0800 277 1740

LEADERS IN STAFFING TOWARDS SUCCESS

ACCOUNTANTS

ACCOUNTS PAYABLE

ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE

ADMINISTRATORS

ASSEMBLERS

BUILDERS

BUTCHERS

CALL CENTRE

CARPENTERS

CREDIT CONTROLLERS

CUSTOMER SERVICES

DEVANNERS

ELECTRICIANS

ENGINEERS

FABRICATORS

FORKLIFT OPERATORS

FREIGHT

GASFITTERS

HAMMERHANDS

INVENTORY

CONTROLLERS

LABOURERS

MACHINE OPERATORS

MACHINISTS

MACHINE SETTERS

MOTOR MECHANICS

PACKERS

PICKERS

PLUMBERS

PRODUCTION WORKERS

QUALITY CONTROLLERS

REACH DRIVERS

RECEPTIONISTS

STORESPERSON

TRUCK DRIVERS

VAN DRIVERS

adstaff.co.nz




UPDATE ON THE NESCS AND HAIL AMENDMENTS

28

Screening with a star: the MultistarStar screen

Drum-roll: the CribusDrum screen

THE WORLD IS GETTING GREENER.

Perfect design: the TopturnCompost turner

Shredding and chipping made easy: the AxtorUniversal shredder

Less fuel, more power: the Crambo direct Dual-shaft shredder

SHREDDERS | TROMMEL SCREENS | STAR SCREENS | WINDROW TURNERS

Of course we´re not the only people helping to make the world a greener place. But we´re still very proud of our solutions for handling waste and biomass!

www.komptech.com

The NEw MUStang: the Nemus Drum screen

0800 4ELBNZ | elbquip.com


Zealand — now known as WasteMINZ

— was born.

The formative Institute was

first led by Jonathan Fletcher from

the Ministry of Health, supported

by his colleague Lew Thorstensen,

Stu Clark from the then Ministry of

Works, myself and industry players

such as Gavin Bush and Alton

Jamieson. Industry kicked in some

seed funding, and the organisation

was off and running.

Conferences and technical input keyIn 1989 an inaugurating conference

was held in Wellington at what is

now the Grand Mercure Hotel. We

invited newly elected Prime Minister

Sir Geoffrey Palmer to deliver

the opening address, which he

graciously did.

The first conference led to the

development of the Institute’s

formal structure and constitution.

It was recognised at the time

that for the association to have

an effective voice it needed to get

industry stakeholders together

and up the ante on technical

development affecting waste

management practices throughout

the country. A key way in which

this was achieved was to continue

holding regular conferences, and

the annual conference soon became

the go-to event for the sector.

THIRTY YEARS ON from

WasteMINZ’s formation, it is

pleasing to reflect on what

has happened since the

humble beginnings of the Institute

in the late 1980s.

Back in early 1988 I was a

somewhat younger consultant

with a geotechnical background,

and I was taking an increasing

interest in the waste sector and the

opportunities it presented. This was

amidst some very interesting and

turbulent times in New Zealand

society, with the aftermath of the

October 1987 share market crash,

the key issue for the economy.

This event, which I know will

predate many of our readers, is

not to be overlooked in terms of

the history lesson. The crash really

put pressure on the private sector

and devastated many businesses,

large and small. Coupled with the

new Lange Labour government,

Rogernomics and public sector

reform, the private sector was

hungry for opportunity back in

1988.

There were other noteworthy

events happening in New Zealand,

such as te reo Māori becoming an

official language, the Bastion Point

protests, Cyclone Bola, AJ Hackett

bungying off the Eiffel Tower and

Dennis Conner’s Stars and Stripes

beating KZ7 in the Americas’ Cup

challenge. They are all different,

but it’s a common theme that they

all led somewhere in terms of our

history as a nation.

Waking up to waste management Interesting times indeed, and this

all started to precipitate wider

and more tangible environmental

change in New Zealand. In a sense,

we suddenly woke up and decided to

smell the roses, in line with changing

environmental and social attitudes

emanating from abroad.

Around this time, some key

figures in the Department of Health

were concerned about the need for

improved solid waste management.

Others in government, local

authorities and the private sector

were also concerned that the waste

sector in New Zealand lacked a

voice and policy-making impetus.

At the time, waste management

was very much a local authority

responsibility, with the emphasis on

providing for its disposal, generally

at least cost.

Following some formative

discussions in Wellington in 1987–88,

at an historic meeting I attended at

the Station Hotel in Anzac Avenue,

Auckland, in 1988 an inaugural

waste group broke away from what

was then the New Zealand Water

and Wastes Association, and the

Waste Management Institute New

Founding and life member of WasteMINZ Tony Kortegast surveys the history of WasteMINZ over the past 30 years, including its role

in changing waste management practices in Aotearoa.

Screening with a star: the MultistarStar screen

Drum-roll: the CribusDrum screen

THE WORLD IS GETTING GREENER.

Perfect design: the TopturnCompost turner

Shredding and chipping made easy: the AxtorUniversal shredder

Less fuel, more power: the Crambo direct Dual-shaft shredder

SHREDDERS | TROMMEL SCREENS | STAR SCREENS | WINDROW TURNERS

Of course we´re not the only people helping to make the world a greener place. But we´re still very proud of our solutions for handling waste and biomass!

www.komptech.com

The NEw MUStang: the Nemus Drum screen

WASTEMINZFROM HUMBLE BEGINNINGS

TO AGENT OF CHANGE

The conferences were always

fun and social, and they supported

technical progress and forged

relationships that in many cases

have endured over decades. The

conferences have always been

well attended and particularly

memorable — the industry was and

really continues to be a big family

that gets together at that once-a-

year event.

Carole Inglis was central to

organising this string of successful

conferences that travelled the

country, as well as many other

supporting activities, and her role

and efforts are to be acknowledged

and thanked. There is no doubt that

the conferences were the place to

be if you were in the industry and

I was proud to be associated with

many of them. The stories and

characters are simply too many

to mention, but the learnings and

relationships formed will always

stay with me.

In addition to the conferences,

a number of technical working

groups were set up, including

the landfill working group that I

was involved in for a number of

years. Their efforts, combined

with the support of government

as well as industry, allowed us to

engage, challenge and seek to raise

standards.

The Institute was a key player

in the implementation of recycling

programmes in New Zealand and

especially the introduction of

kerbside recycling programmes

through its member councils. In the

early days, this led to some feisty

debates between some member

groups and representatives of

Greenpeace and several other

environmental and zero waste

groups. There were polar views on

some aspects of how to best go

about waste management, and the

Institute was there to encourage

the debate.

This was all encouragement

enough for everyone to continue

supporting the association and

its events, and progressively the

association grew bigger, added

more staff and was able to focus on

specific issues, all the while keeping

the increasingly broad church of

members involved and interested.

Progressively re-shaping the industrySince those early beginnings, a lot

of progress clearly has been made.

Thirty years on, landfills are still

a key part of the waste system,

recycling bins are ubiquitous, and

recycling is now part of the fabric of

New Zealand life, albeit the sector

now faces some new challenges.

A range of initiatives

supported by the Institute led

to improvements in landfill

standards for example, in line with

key projects such as the Redvale

landfill development in Auckland

in the early 1990s, where technical

standards were deliberately

aligned with emerging regulation

in the USA, such as the USEPA

Subtitle D regulations. This drove

change, and from those beginnings

and emerging international

environmental trends, the whole

modern landfill industry in New

Zealand and Australia ultimately

developed.

The advent of the Resource

Management Act in 1991 sharpened

the country’s environmental focus

and drove further improvement

Tony Kortegast is a technical director and former managing director international at Tonkin & Taylor. He has had a lead role in many major New Zealand waste and infrastructure projects, including the

Redvale, Omaranui, Silverstream, Bluegums and Kate Valley landfills, along with other

landfill, civil and environmental engineering projects here and in Australia. Tony was a founding member and is a life member of

WasteMINZ.

in standards. The ensuing change

across the country was remarkable,

with waste disposal sites, such as

Silverstream in the Hutt Valley,

upgrading and aligning design

and management practices to the

point where this and many other

New Zealand landfills, like Redvale

and Kate Valley, are now examples

of best practice that compare

favourably with benchmark

facilities elsewhere in the world.

The ripple effect has seen local

authority facilities, in general,

raising their standards and

progressive re-shaping of the

industry in line with the aims of the

waste hierarchy. The progress made

in relation to organics, hazardous

waste management and resource

recovery over the past 30 years has

perhaps been slower than many

would have liked, but nevertheless,

it is remarkable. We have come a

long way from the baby steps taken

in 1988, and we are better for it.

The voice of the industry

through WasteMINZ and its wide

range of stakeholder groups

continues to be a key catalyst for

change and improvement, and like

many others, I have been proud to

be part of that journey from those

brave first steps back in 1988.

InSinkErator food waste disposers are not only convenient and hygienic, but environmentally responsible too. That’s because when food waste goes down the disposer it’s not going to end up in a landfill site where it generates methane, a potent greenhouse gas. It’ll actually end up at a wastewater treatment plant.

Modern wastewater plants throughout New Zealand capture the methane gas generated during processing and convert it to renewable energy in the form of heat and electricity.

So as well as using minimal electricity and about 1% of an average home’s annual water consumption, a food waste disposer offers a compelling solution for responsible food waste management.

FOOD WASTE PUT DOWN A DISPOSER CAN BE TURNED INTO RENEWABLE ENERGY!

ARE YOU STILL SENDING FOOD WASTE TO A LANDFILL?

www.insinkerator.co.nz

32

AUDITOR KEEPS AN EYE ON NEW PLYMOUTH’S RECYCLINGKerbside recycling collected from

South Taranaki, Stratford and New

Plymouth districts is currently

contaminated with a large quantity

of non-recyclables. The most

common contamination items are

plastic bags, plastic film, plastic

packaging, plastics that have no

recycling number, polystyrene and

fabric.

Over the next 12 months, bins on

every street in the urban recycling

collection area in Taranaki will

be audited. A tag will be left on

audited bins, noting whether

the recycling was excellent or

there were non-recyclable items

included. Recycling data will also be

collected during the audit process,

which will be used by the three

councils to target education that is

relevant to each area.

Bin auditor Beatrice Bjorn says her

role is to educate residents on what

can and can’t be recycled in the

yellow-topped green bins.

New Plymouth District Councilbit.ly/RecyclingAudit

CLIP-TOP WHEELIE BINS FOR PORIRUAKerbside recycling crates are a thing

of the past in Porirua now that the

Porirua City Council has supplied

residents with new wheelie bins,

complete with a clip to keep the lids

secure.

Residents had complained about

recycling blowing around the streets

on windy days, blocking stormwater

drains or ending up in the harbour

and waterways.

Porirua is the first council in New

Zealand to use the SafeWaste bin-

latch system on all its bins. The

“cleverly designed clip” keeps the lid

closed, even if the bin falls over, but

opens automatically when the truck

picks up the bin to empty it.

There are around 18,000

households in Porirua, which means

36,000 bins have been delivered to

residents, with the new collection

service operating from July.

Unique codes link each bin to its

respective property, and the pick-up

schedule has been designed so that

there will be fewer waste trucks on

the road.

Porirua City Councilbit.ly/PoriruaClip-TopBins

WHANGANUI RETAILERS URGED TO GO PLASTIC BAG-FREEA number of Whanganui retailers

have committed to scrapping

single-use plastic bags, but mayor

Hamish McDouall thinks more could

be done to reduce waste.

The mayor is encouraging smaller

retailers to offer alternatives to

single-use plastic bags and to

encourage their customers to bring

their own bags.

He would like to see Whanganui

become a plastic bag-free town.

“Imagine if we were the first district

in New Zealand to be fully plastic

bag free.”

Mitre 10 Mega will be plastic bag-

free from 1 July, with other ‘big box’

retail outlets following suit.

Whanganui District Council

bit.ly/WhanganuiPlasticBags

RECYCLING WASTE FROM FARMSEnvironment Canterbury,

Agrecovery, Plasback and Timaru

District Council were part of a recent

South Island farming field day that

included seminars on options for

dealing with farm waste.

FROM THE REGIONS

Beatrice Bjorn checks New Plymouth residents' recycling.


Timaru District Council and

Matamata-Piako Council are taking

part in a pilot programme that

provides alternatives to burning,

burying or bulk storage of waste

on farms. It is hoped that the

programme will encourage farmers

and growers to participate in rural

recycling by providing a reliable

and cost-effective one-stop-shop

approach to rural waste.

A key part of the project is outlining

recycling options that are already

available to farmers and to gauge the

response to councils making these

services more readily available.

The trial events are part of the New

Zealand Rural Waste Minimisation

Project, led by Environment

Canterbury with support from the

Ministry for the Environment.

Timaru District Councilbit.ly/FarmRecyclingFieldDay

NEW WASTE COLLECTION FOR TAURANGA Two kerbside recycling and rubbish

collection services are to begin in

Tauranga. An interim rates-funded

glass collection service will be

introduced in October to address the

lack of a kerbside glass-recycling

solution. This follows a decision by

private waste companies to stop

collecting glass at the kerbside in

March this year.

A grant of $165,000 from the Glass

Packaging Forum has helped fund

the cost of providing a recycling

container for glass at each

residential property. Forum scheme

manager Dominic Salmon said

“The funding is provided from levies

paid by members of the Forum’s

voluntary product stewardship

scheme. The main aim of providing

the containers to residents is to

improve the quality and quantity of

glass available for recycling”.

A full kerbside waste and recycling

service will be introduced to all

residential properties in 2021.

Currently nearly 70 per cent of the

kerbside waste Tauranga sends

to landfill could be recycled or

composted.

Tauranga City Councilbit.ly/TaurangaKerbsideRecycling

INAUGURAL HAZARDOUS WASTE WEEKEND IN PALMERSTON NORTHPalmerston North City Council

and 3R have combined to develop

programmes that recycle and

responsibly dispose of used products

and packaging.

The new programmes will see 3R

accept hazardous household waste,

automotive waste, garden chemicals

and pool chemicals.

Council’s behaviour change and

education coordinator Samantha

Battman said “Many households

regularly use chemicals around the

home that can be hazardous to

people, pets and the environment.

Often these materials end up being

disposed of down the toilet or the

sink, which is a disaster for the

environment”.

The programme is being run as a

trial to gauge the level of interest

and engagement from residents.

Palmerston North City Council

bit.ly/HazardousWasteWeekend

TE AWAMUTU GETS RID OF E-WASTE

Nearly 19 tonnes of waste — equal to

the weight of eight white rhinoceros

— are no longer destined for the

Te Awamutu landfill.

The Waipa District Council e-waste

collection focused on gathering up

anything with a battery or a plug and

collected 2,450 appliances — more

than 18.8 tonnes of material — in

just four hours.

Items handed in included 961 small

appliances (toasters, jugs, etc),

159 printers, 546 televisions,

five large photocopiers and

81 microwaves. More than 60 mobile

phones, 57 laptops and even an

exercycle were included in the waste

material.

The items have now been stripped

down and processed into products

ranging from bathroom tiles to

plastic piping. Some components,

like copper and gold from circuit

boards, have been recovered for

re-use. The recycling work was

undertaken by the South Waikato

Achievement Trust, which provides

employment for disadvantaged

people.

Waipa District Council

bit.ly/WaipaWasteDiverted

Samantha Battman with pesticide and insecticide, two types of hazardous waste commonly found in Kiwi homes.

34

BEHAVIOUR CHANGEThe launch of the autumn meal

planner, known as Easy Choice Family

Kai, was very successful. It has been

downloaded over 18,000 times and

was picked up by the NZ Herald and

multiple radio stations throughout

New Zealand. The meal planner

feeds a family of six with five evening

meals for $60, with zero food waste.

One member of the public emailed

us saying, “Thank you for sharing

this with the rest of New Zealand.

This has really changed the way I go

about planning, buying and cooking

my food. I’m saving a lot of money

and enjoying new recipes”. The winter

meal planner has just been launched

and we hope for similar success.

Another how-to video in our

preserving series, which is made in

partnership with Community Fruit

Harvesting, taught people how to

make sauerkraut. A lighthearted ad

showing people great ways to waste

their money by wasting food was

screened on TV3 On Demand in May

and elicited a great response.

In June, a root-to-tip cooking

competition was held around the

country with the Garden to Table

Trust. This saw 200 Year 5 and Year 6

school children compete in regional

finals to create dishes made with no

food waste.

CONTAMINATED LAND MANAGEMENTThe contaminated land stream for

the conference is shaping up well,

with the keynotes confirmed. The

theme of the workshop has also

been finalised: consent conditions

and remediation plans. The working

group is busy identifying the content

and structure for this workshop,

which will be held on Monday,

5 November.

The new Steering Committee had

their first meeting on 16 May and

agenda items included the Ministry

for the Environment’s contaminated

land work programme, the strategic

plan for the next two years, the 2018

work plan, lead paint, WorkSafe New

Zealand’s consultation on workplace

exposure standards and biological

indices, upcoming CLM webinars and

the CLM stream at the conference.

The committee then met again on

27 June to discuss their top three

priorities and how these could be

addressed.

DISPOSAL TO LANDThe Steering Committee met on

5 June. They discussed the Associate

Minister for the Environment’s

response to the Sector Group’s letter

regarding the waste disposal levy, a

potential thought piece, this year’s

work plan and challenges around

raising and broadening the levy.

The Steering Committee’s chair,

Alice Grace, and myself will be

meeting with the Ministry for the

Environment on 16 August to discuss

the waste disposal levy.

HEALTH & SAFETYConsultation on the draft Good

practice guidelines for waste collection

vehicle operators when they are

sharing the road with people on bikes

and collecting waste on cycle lanes

and cycle paths closed on 21 May and

the working group met on 19 June

to review the feedback. The final

guidelines will be published shortly.

The working group also met with

representatives from Auckland

Transport on 2 July to discuss

collecting waste on cycle lanes, the

challenges associated with this and

how to manage these.

Consultation on the draft Good

practice guidelines to manage the

collection, receipt, transport and

disposal of asbestos waste closed on

2 July. The working group will now

meet to discuss the feedback and

identify the updates that may be

required. The guidelines will then be

released.

A representative from the Scrap

Metal Recycling Association of New

Zealand attended the Steering

SECTOR GROUPS

Nic QuiltySenior Projects Manager

[email protected]

Committee’s meeting on 22 May to

discuss their members’ challenges

dealing with roofing tiles that contain

asbestos and rechargeable batteries.

The Steering Committee also

discussed glass collections, the

health and safety benchmarking

project, the asbestos guidelines,

lithium batteries, the waste

collections and cycle lanes guidance,

enforceable undertakings and the

Sector Group’s submission on the

Ministry of Business, Innovation

and Employment’s draft Health and

Safety at Work Strategy.

An election process was recently

held for the Steering Committee.

All previous Steering Committee

members were re-elected, and

Ian Gill, from Veolia, joined the

committee as a new member.

ORGANIC MATERIALS The Steering Committee is

continuing to work with The

Packaging Forum to investigate

a labelling system and national

standards for compostable

packaging.

A working group has been set up

to make it easier for the public

and manufacturers to understand

which products are legitimately

compostable. The working group is

proposing to:

• identify which, if any,

manufacturers are making

misleading claims around their

existing product packaging and

report them to the Commerce

Commission;

• make recommendations to

the Commerce Commission to

update their green marketing

and environmental claims

guidelines to take into account

the advertising of compostable,

biodegradable, degradable and

oxo-degradable packaging; and

• develop guidelines and a code

of practice for advertising

compostable products.

TERRITORIAL AUTHORITIES’ OFFICERS FORUMThe new Steering Committee met

in June. Charlotte Catmur (Hamilton

City Council), David Stephenson

(Tasman District Council), Emma

Richardson (representing the

Wellington region) and Ross

Trotter (Christchurch City Council)

have joined the committee. Craig

Goodwin (Ashburton District

Council) and Brent Aitken (Taupo

District Council), who stood down

from the Steering Committee, have

been invaluable in mentoring newer

solid waste officers and sharing their

expertise.

A number of waste remits have been

submitted to the Local Government

New Zealand conference, which is

taking place in July. The Steering

Committee worked closely with the

councils that submitted the remits

to ensure there was a coordinated

approach.

In June, the Steering Committee

made a submission on behalf of the

Sector Group on the Productivity

Commission’s draft report on

transitioning to a low-emissions

economy.

WasteMINZ hosted an intern for six

weeks earlier in the year to research

food waste in the hospitality sector.

The data from this project will be

added to the data collected by the

University of Otago to determine

the extent of food waste in the

hospitality sector.

In June, WasteMINZ was invited to

present at the Fine Food Trade Fair,

New Zealand’s largest hospitality

trade fair, on how the hospitality

sector can reduce its food waste.

0508 MILTEK (645835) SALE | LEASE | RENT

miltek.co.nzNationwide sales & service

40:1 volume reduction on EPS6

compacts up to 70kg per hour

reduce transpo�ation and disposal costs

simple and easy to operate

side or top fed

lean compaction

EPS1800 POLYSTYRENE SOLUTIONIdeal for businesses | transfer stations | community networks

“WE BELIEVE IN RESOURCE USE THAT PRESERVES THE ENVIRONMENT WHILE MEETING

THE NEEDS OF PEOPLE NOW AND IN THE FUTURE.” – ENVIRONZ SUSTAINABILITY POLICY

HO

US

EHOLD OR CO

MP

AN

YR

EMANUFACTU

RE

RECOVERY

RE

C

YCLED PRODUC

T

CONSUMERCOLLECTION

ELECTRICITY

LANDFILL

COLLECTION GAS PLANT

PROCESSING

OR

G

ANIC COMPOS

T

PRODUCE

Resource Recovery

Gas to EnergyCompostingGarden and kitchen

organic wasteResidual waste

Recyclables such as paper, glass,

plastic and aluminium

If you would like to know more about our services, visit www.environz.co.nz or call 0800 240 120.

THE FUTURE OF FARM INORGANIC WASTE STEWARDSHIP€¦ · OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF THE WASTE MANAGEMENT...

Documents

Transcript of THE FUTURE OF FARM INORGANIC WASTE STEWARDSHIP€¦ · OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF THE WASTE MANAGEMENT...