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3R celebrates success of Paintwise Programme
Hastings company 3R Group Ltd is celebrating further success with the announcement the Resene Paintwise programme has won a Green Ribbon Award.
The awards recognise outstanding contributions of individuals, community organisations, businesses, and local government to sustaining and enhancing New Zealand’s unique environment.
3R is a leader in product stewardship programmes and another notable achievement for the company in June was the first year anniversary of the Agrecovery Rural Recycling Programme which 3R designed and now manages on an ongoing basis.
3R directors are new chamber councillor Graeme Norton and Bruce Emerson. The Resene Paintwise programme won the Green Ribbon Innovative Solutions for the Environment Award. 3R also developed and now manage and deliver the Resene PaintWise programme nationally. The award is for an individual, business, group or organisation who have designed or produced an innovative solution that will protect, enhance or improve the environment.
Paintwise is a “world first” paint and paint packaging recovery programme, combining innovative mobile processing technology. The programme now has over 50 Resene ColorShops all over New Zealand that are designated Paintwise Collection Centres. The PaintWise trucks also service council depots and selected Mitre 10 stores, with Hastings and Napier Mitre 10 MEGA stores accepting paint returns from late 2007.
In just over a year over 160,000 packs were collected from Resene ColorShops and a further 52,000kg from 11 council depots. Over 47,000 litres of solvent borne paint was sent to solvent recovery while over 40,000 litres of waterborne paint has been donated to community groups and used to cover up graffiti. Also over 56,000kg of steel has been recycled.
Most of the waterborne paint is being used as an additive in concrete, improving its flowability, strength and reducing concrete’s carbon footprint. A custom built Paintwise mobile truck service visits the stores, processing the materials received before returning to its depot.
Founded in 1975, LeaderBrand is recognised as one of New Zealand’s largest and most diversified horticultural and fresh food businesses.
With farms located in Gisborne and Canterbury, LeaderBrand is the largest grower, packer, and shipper of buttercup squash (Kabocha) in the world, and the largest grower, packer, and shipper of broccoli, lettuce and fresh sweetcorn in New Zealand. They are also one of the largest growers of 'Gisborne Chardonnay' and Pinot Gris grapes.
“The highly discerning Japanese market is a large scale export customer and the protocols they require are applied to all LeaderBrand produce,” explains the company’s Annual Crop Manager Richard Burke (pictured).
“We’re certified with NZGAP and have a certified HACCP-based food safety programme. We also conduct regular random residue tests and only use certified non-GMO seed stocks.”
Customers can trace the origin of a delivery directly to the paddock it was grown in, and view online documentation relating to the planting, crop management and harvesting of the produce in that paddock, plus subsequent storage, packing and shipping to the customer.
“We grow over 3,000ha of fresh produce every year, so we’re probably the largest single user of agrichemicals in the country,” says Richard.
And when it comes to recycling their plastic containers, Richard supports Agrecovery all the way.
Agrecovery Rural Recycling and Westland Milk Products are working together to achieve the co-operative's aim of ensuring the West Coast leads the New Zealand dairy industry in sustainable rural recycling initiatives.
Chris Pullen, Environmental Manager for Westland Milk Products says “We want to ensure that the West Coast dairy industry is highly regarded for its contribution to environmental sustainability.
“With Agrecovery’s help we can promote international best practice and protect New Zealand’s reputation for sustainable agribusiness practice right here on the West Coast.”
The collection of unwanted agrichemicals this year is set to be stronger than 2010's record of nearly 10 tonnes collected through the nationwide Agrecovery Chemicals Programme.
Otago topped the seven regional collections in 2010 with 1921 kilograms collected.
According to Debbie Sherwood, coordinator for the Agrecovery Chemicals programme, booking volumes have been equally strong in 2011, showing chemicals are still a problem on many properties.
“We have completed three collections so far this year, with a record 2060 kg collected in Canterbury. Four other regional collections are in the planning stages, including the Otago/Southland collection where bookings close on 2nd September.”
National leaders in product stewardship development 3R Group has added another accolade to its impressive CV with a paint recycling programme under its management gaining Product Stewardship accreditation.
3R manages the PaintWise paint and packaging take-back scheme on behalf of Resene.
Resene PaintWise is one of six programmes to secure Ministry of Environment (MfE) accreditation to date.
3R Group Executive Director Graeme Norton said the company was thrilled the Resene PaintWise programme joins another programme the company has developed, Agrecovery Rural Recycling, in receiving accreditation.
Hastings company 3R Group Ltd is celebrating further success with the announcement the Resene Paintwise programme has won a Green Ribbon Award.