Clean Up Your Act: What Are New Zealand Companies Doing with Their Waste? |
Posted: May 13, 2019 |
New Zealand is a lot different from the rest of the world in many respects. We pride ourselves on having many points of difference that make us a desirable country to visit or live. What we share in common with many other countries in the world, however, is our love affair with plastic and our general disinterest in waste disposalmethods. The truth is, New Zealand has a growing waste problem. In 2018, China no longer wanted to be the dumping ground for the world’s waste. All of a sudden, the most effective method for getting rid of trash – sending it offshores – was no longer an option. Businesses and individuals now must come up with ways to minimize their usage and be smart with how they dispose of rubbish as well. Below, we cover what companies are doing, what they could be doing, and what future strategies for waste disposal may be. Hiring Waste Disposal CompaniesIf you don’t want the hassle or burden of dealing with trash, then two things can happen. The first is that you don’t put any effort into taking care of it. You put your rubbish in your bin and wait for rubbish day. It then ends up in landfill and as a potential blight on the landscape. The second option is much better. You can be more proactive by hiring waste disposal companies with an eco-friendly approach to trash. They will take almost anything with the goal of disposing of it safely or reusing it for something else. There are many benefits of hiring a company that cares about the environment to take care of trash. That eco-friendly image can fall back on you. Sending Back to ManufacturerDepending on the industry, some companies can send back their by-products and waste to the manufacturer. Take toner, for example. If you are in the printing industry, you don’t throw your environment-harming toner cartridges into the rubbish bin. You send them back to the supplier who reuses and recycles them. Canon New Zealand and HP are two of many printing companies who share this initiative. The 2025 Target Companies are beginning to see that waste is a problem, and they want (and need) to do their part to reduce their footprint. Many managers and owners held brainstorming sessions to see what they could do, and the results would surprise you. Many corporations vowed to make drastic changes by 2025. McDonald’s said they would have renewable and recycled packaging by 2025, with straw reduction campaigns in place now. The Warehouse Group also said they would make changes. They already recycle 82 percent of their waste, but their goal is 95 percent by 2020. Noel Leeming is getting creative by turning its polystyrene packaging into art frames. They also donate all their plastic bag sales money to charity – to the tune of over $4m. My Food Bag, the food subscription service, has removed all plastic wrapping from cucumbers and spring onions – a small step in the right direction of plastic reduction. What Can Your Company Do? Changes can be small but will make a significant difference. Conduct a waste audit to find out what your waste is and what you do with it. Come up with ideas for changes you can make. For example, swap to eco-friendly suppliers, and establish recycling stations. You could also get in touch with a local recycling centre to find out what options are available in your area, and whether they take your separated materials. There are many different ways you can make changes. Every small change is a step in the right direction. You could remove paper towel dispensers in bathrooms and replace them with hand dryers. Encourage people to use reusable coffee cups instead of disposable ones. There is even an opportunity to use recycled paper instead of “virgin” paper – or discourage printing unless necessary. As Neil Armstrong once said, that’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind. Imagine what New Zealand could do if everyone took measures such as these? There are many methods of waste disposal that companies are yet to discover. The previous mentality of “throw away and forget” is slowly being replaced by conscientious efforts to get rid of waste responsibly. As a company owner, the ball is in your court. Get in touch with waste disposal experts with an eco-friendly approach to waste removal. Alternatively, come up with in-house recycling methods that could dramatically reduce your waste output. Recycle, reuse, and repurpose could form the foundation of your new plan. Author’s Bio My name is Alison Hefer, I am originally from Cape Town, South Africa but I have spent the last few years in beautiful New Zealand. I write articles for various lifestyle websites including Junkrun.co.nz and regularly contribute articles about the always changing world of SEO to Clickthrough.co.nz. I am a busy blogger/mom by day and avid writer by night. My career goal is to one day write a novel of my own. Connect with me via email at [email protected].
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