A small Takapuna business has been leading the way when it comes to recycling.
Phonak, a company that makes hearing systems, decided to undertake a major environmental transformation.
They gave senior technician, Craig Bennetts, the job of introducing environmental initiatives in the workplace.
Mr Bennetts and the Phonak staff introduced the usual changes such as paper and cardboard recycling, a worm bin for food scraps, and a change to recyclable and serviceable furniture.
The company also started using recyclable paper and vegetable-based inks in printed material and has reduced waste by implementing new technology used in the manufacturing process.
Not content to leave it there, Phonak contacted RENEW – an Auckland Regional Council service which matches waste generators with waste users – to find ways of recycling its plastic off-cuts.
Having had previous success in finding ways to reuse their waste through RENEW, Mr Bennetts was sure that the service could help them find a plastics recycler. The service referred him to Astron Plastics, a recycling company.
“Astron was very organised and helpful. They have worked with us to identify as many recyclable materials as possible,” he says.
Mr Bennetts says it was only a matter of weeks before Astron was recycling nearly all of Phonak’s plastic waste.
“We had been discarding tiny plastic off-cuts left over from the manufacture of earpieces, but when we sent them to Astron for analysis, they discovered that they too could be recycled,” he says. Astron now recycles the courier bags the company receives as well.
To make recycling easier, each work station at Phonak has clearly labelled containers for each type of waste material from paper to tiny plastic off-cuts. The remaining two types of plastic waste they are unable to recycle is donated to a local kindergarten for art materials.
The company has greatly reduced the need for rubbish bins because everything that can be recycled is – even staff lunch leftovers.
These and several other waste minimisation initiatives are bringing Phonak closer to achieving their zero waste targets.
“Small businesses often think there’s nothing they can do but it’s surprising how much you find when you start digging,” says Mr Bennetts, “The North Shore City Council’s Enviro-Smart business programme was particularly helpful.”
The programme gave him support and advice and showed him how to put in place environmental sustainability policies.
Phonak is an outstanding example of what can be achieved when companies want to become environmentally efficient.
For more information about RENEW, a free website run by the Auckland Regional Council, visit www.renewwasteexchange.org.nz.
Members can source cheap or free materials; reduce disposal and purchase costs; and reduce the amount of waste going to landfill.
To share your business success on our website, or to find out more about the North Shore City Council business advisory service, please contact Actionline, phone (09) 486 8600 or email actionline@northshorecity.govt.nz
