Waste
The Waste Industry is an important partner for business and government in
closing the loop, by allowing waste to be turned into a resource for another
process.
The waste industry have found a strong business argument behind the saying – “What is one man’s rubbish is another man’s gold.” Much of what is considered waste by business and consumers can be recovered and turned into a marketable commodity. The waste industry provides a valuable service to businesses by providing business with recycling options for their waste and selling them recycled resources for processing.
In addition, waste methane from landfills and waste water treatment plants can also be used to generate electricity, both reducing the amount of greenhouse gases released to air and potentially replacing an equivalent amount of fossil fuel.
The waste industry provides a valuable service to businesses by providing business with recycling options for their waste and selling them recycled resources for processing.
A new development is that the industry is are also starting to help businesses design their products to ensure they are recyclable.
The waste industry have developed their own programmes to assist in waste diversion from landfill – “Life After Waste” – and are also an important partner in Government-sponsored programmes such as: Tyre Track, Oil Recovery and NZ Packaging Accord.
Case studies
Tyre Track (Motor Trade Association)
Tyre Track is an example of the Ministry for the Environment working with industry to come up with a creative, voluntary solution to deal with a growing environmental problem. Millions of old and unwanted tyres are disposed of every year. Some are dumped illegally in unsightly piles creating fire hazards, while landfills are increasingly banning disposal of whole tyres. Tyre Track is a national tyre tracking system that links tyre dealers with registered transporters which deliver old tyres to an environmentally sound end. Started in July 2004, Tyre Track is managed by the Motor Trade Association (MTA) with Ministry support.
Guides
Guidance for Voluntary, Corporate Greenhouse Gas Reporting
This publication gives guidance for corporations on voluntary Greenhouse Gas (GHG) reporting, including emission factors. It is intended to help those corporates that wish to voluntarily monitor and report greenhouse gas emissions on an organisational basis for their New Zealand operations.
HDPE Plastic design and recycling guide [PDF, 184 KB] (NZ Business Council for Sustainable Development)
A guide to assist package designers and fillers. It identifies and reduces HDPE packaging contaminants that inhibit the recycling process and ensures HDPE packaging recovered by industry and sponsored collection programmes is able to be recycled.
Organisations
Packaging Council of NZ
The council provides information about the environmental effects of packaged goods, waste packaging, waste materials collection, recycling, reuse and residual management. It also works to initiate voluntary action addressing the issue of packaging waste.
Recovered Materials Foundation
The Recovered Materials Foundation is a trust set up to increase the diversion of materials from the waste stream for reuse and recycling. The foundation assists in the development of viable local ventures to utilise recovered materials, provides information on reuse and recycling opportunities, processes and products, and more.
Recycling Operators of NZ Inc (RONZ)
The Recycling Operators of NZ Inc (RONZ) is an organisation that represents recycling service providers, operators and educators in the recovered materials and recycling industry.
WasteMINZ
The Waste Management Institute of New Zealand (WasteMINZ) is a non-profit organisation that promotes sustainable waste management practices. Their primary functions are to provide a forum for presentation and sharing of information, and to act as a facilitator for the waste management industry in New Zealand.
Other resources
New Zealand Packaging Accord (Ministry for the Environment)
The Accord is an initiative to cut down on packaging. Industry, recyclers, local and central government have voluntarily committed to doing what they can to reduce the proportion of packaging in our total waste stream. Under the Accord, producers and brand owners will develop new packaging that gives higher regard to using fewer materials, and using recycled rather than virgin materials. They will also look at production efficiency, and the potential for recycling after the packaging is no longer needed.
New Zealand Waste Strategy (Ministry for the Environment)
The New Zealand Waste Strategy sets in place a framework for addressing how New Zealanders can minimise and manage waste.
Recovery of E-Waste in New Zealand (Ministry for the Environment)
Waste electronic and electrical equipment, or e-waste, can be defined as 'anything with a plug or battery'. E-waste poses an increasing waste management problem. Some companies in New Zealand are already taking an innovative approach to taking back and recycling their products
Recovery of Used Oil in New Zealand (Ministry for the Environment)
Visit this page to find out about used oil recovery programmes in New Zealand
Think something should be added to Simply Sustainable? Send your suggestion to webmaster@mfe.govt.nz.
