MEDIA RELEASE

More businesses signing up for waste swap

For immediate release: Friday 2 February 2007

Bay of Plenty businesses are making the most of a unique service that helps them connect their unwanted materials with new owners.

The Waste Exchange is a free, non-profit service supported by Environment Bay of Plenty and all six local authorities in the Bay of Plenty.

It assists businesses wanting to find alternatives to sending their waste to the landfill.

More than 500 Bay of Plenty companies are now signed up. Last year, the service exceeded its targets, with more than 1500 enquiries and 282 successful exchanges resulting in 660m3 of business waste being diverted from the landfill.

However, Waste Exchange’s new regional coordinator Michael Fox wants even more businesses to use the exchange service. The key to making it work is for organisations to list re-useable and recyclable materials they are currently throwing away. “It’s easy – all you have to do is sign up to the website or give us a call.”

The service saves money for businesses by reducing their waste bills. It benefits the people and organisations picking up on the product offers. It also helps the environment, Mr Fox says. “The aim of the Waste Exchange is to develop a culture of re-use rather a throwaway attitude.”

Only businesses can register unwanted products but anyone can take them, including community groups, schools and individuals.

Comvita, last year’s supreme winner in Environment Bay of Plenty’s Sustainable Business Challenge, is a keen user of the Waste Exchange. It has found users for its waste colostrum, beeswax, plastic containers, rubber bands and even old computers The Paengaroa-based company also uses the exchange to find materials it needs, such as large, 1000 litre containers.

For information visit www.nothrow.co.nz or call 0800 NO THROW (368 4769).

Environment Bay of Plenty also supports the Resene PaintWise service, which allows people to return used Resene paint and packaging. Resene also accepts other brand product for a small fee and larger volume of paint by arrangement. This service operates in Tauranga and encourages people and businesses to return used paint for community reuse, recycling and responsible disposal.

ENDS

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