Business Resource Efficiency

What is resource efficiency?
Resource efficiency involves using raw materials, energy, water and labour more effectively resulting in a reduction of waste and resource consumption.

By being more resource efficient a business can not only reduce it’s impacts on our environment but also improve it’s bottom line, competitive edge and reputation.

Resource Efficiency is becoming increasingly important to everyday business practices due to new legislation, pressure from suppliers, customers, the increasing costs of resources and waste disposal and the fact it makes good business sense.

What we want to do
North Shore City Council would like to work closely with local businesses to assist them with resource efficiency and waste reduction initiatives. We would also like to engage and support businesses to develop their own environmental capability by offering training programmes and resources.

The 2005 North Shore City Council Waste Minimisation Plan promotes the involvement, awareness and engagement of the whole community in waste reduction behaviour. This includes education and participation programmes for businesses. We would like to develop case studies of businesses undertaking best practice and promote their successes to the wider community.

Why we want to do it
It is estimated that 71 per cent of North Shore City’s waste (approximately 66,700 tonnes per annum) sent to landfill is from business (estimated from 2007 data). It is imperative businesses work to prevent waste from their on-site operations, as well as from the use of their products and services by the community.

We aim to reduce the quantity of waste disposal to landfill until we reach our ultimate goal of zero waste to landfill.

Working together with business we can help make North Shore a leader in waste minimisation and help our local businesses to become more productive and lessen their environmental impacts.

Resource Efficiency Programmes

North Shore City Council has initiated a number of programmes to assist businesses in resource efficiency and waste reduction, including:

EnviroSmart®
REBRI Project
Construction and Demolition Waste Reduction Project

We are currently developing further resource efficiency programmes and resources which will enable more businesses to engage in sustainable initiatives as well as providing practical advice and support to help business achieve real cost savings and other benefits.

If you would like to learn more about North Shore City Council business resource efficiency programmes or how council can assist your business please contact our Senior Advisor Resource Efficiency on: