New Plymouth tradies who want to reduce their waste, be more sustainable and lead with industry best practice will get the chance to hear directly from local and national experts on July 26.

The free event is the first in a series of Sustainability On-Site breakfasts which will be held across the motu. Waste reduction experts 3R Group will lead the events, in partnership with local councils, and hosted at local Mitre 10 stores, with the first at Mitre 10 MEGA New Plymouth.

3R Group Innovation Project Lead Steve Nicholls, who will run the session, says waste generated by the construction and demolition sector makes up around half of waste sent to landfill in Aotearoa New Zealand. The Sustainability On-Site breakfasts will inspire and educate industry professionals, showcase sustainable practices, and offer practical strategies for waste reduction, he says.

“We’ve held a number of these breakfast events in Hastings and Taupō and they’ve proven very popular, with some great feedback. We are looking forward to working with the New Plymouth District Council and the local industry to reduce C&D (construction and demolition) waste,” he says.

The event will feature industry locals who will discuss how they reduce waste on their building sites and the benefits of doing so.

New Plymouth District Council Commercial Sustainability Officer Dominique Scarf will discuss how council can support industry to enable waste sorting and reduction. The council has established a sorting facility, The Sorting Depot, for commercial waste recovery.

“What we hear from industry is that they don’t know where to start, so part of the breakfast will involve setting up a sorting display and delivering real examples of how it’s done,” Steve says.

Each session will open with an overview of construction waste minimisation, waste minimisation plans, principles for sorting materials, and how legislation and demand from clients are making sustainable practices more than a ‘nice to do’.

“These events are all about practical steps the industry can take now, what resources are available, and how these actions can deliver environmental and business sustainability,” Steve says.

The first Sustainability On-Site breakfast will run from 6.30am to 9am at Mitre 10 MEGA, 5 Vickers Road, Waiwhakaiho, New Plymouth. To register, head to Eventfinda.co.nz and search ‘C&D waste’.

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