Campaigning to stop waste incinerators and the beauty and functionality of zero waste design wrapped up the final day of Our Zero Waste World Summit, a free international digital conference hosted by the Zero Waste Network.

“Zero waste focuses on creating a world without waste. For us, the idea of burning valuable materials in an incinerator once we are done using them is one of the worst things we can do for our climate, environment and jobs. Yet vested industry interests keep pushing incineration as a quick-fix for New Zealand’s waste woes. We teamed up with the Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives to provide a regional overview of the struggles against incinerators from the Philippines and Malaysia to our own campaign here in Aotearoa,” said Dorte Wray, Executive Officer of the Zero Waste Network.

“As a counterpoint to the discussion on burning valuable materials, the closing content of the conference was zero waste design. The impressive team at Auckland University of Technology - Donna Cleveland, Kate Whittaker, Daniel Collings and Anke Nienhuis - are spearheading zero waste design in a range of contexts. Their work includes a project that engaged with New Zealand companies to re-circuit their manufacturing waste by developing a customised design solution to recycle their textile waste locally; an alternative solution to patterning that creates zero waste fashion; a project demonstrating how zero waste design processes can be used as alternatives to the wool dying process; and developing ideas and machinery with which plastic waste created at AUT can be recycled and used to make products needed around the university.”

“The conference has been a tremendous success. We have had the opportunity to connect and learn from people across the world and across Aotearoa, building our collective drive, imagination and knowledge to make a better world based on zero waste.”

The conference was supported by Zero Waste International, the Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives (GAIA), Auckland Council, Waste Not Consulting, Envision and Rothbury.

“The conference website will continue to be a platform not only for the conference content but for future conversations with local and international voices for zero waste. It can be found here: https://www.summit.zerowaste.co.nz”

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