ecostore’s manufacturing facility gains credit

ecostore’s manufacturing facility, Eco Tech Solutions Limited, gains international environmental certification

ecostore’s manufacturing facility, Eco Tech Solutions Limited, in east Auckland has achieved AS/NZS ISO 14001 certification – a worldwide standard in environmental management.

ecostore founder and CEO Malcolm Rands says gaining AS/NZS ISO 14001 certification for the Pakuranga factory is a big milestone, enabling ecostore to join a select group of companies worldwide.

“It’s important for our business and customers that we aren’t just making environmentally ground-breaking products but that our manufacturing process is leaving behind the smallest possible environmental footprint,” says Rands.

The certification is an affirmation of ecostore’s manufacturing facility’s commitment to the environment. It involved identifying environmental aspects of the factory’s operations, evaluating their environmental impacts and implementing controls to mitigate or lessen their effects.

Production Manager Tony Morpeth says: “A lot of effort was involved in formulating the factory’s environmental objectives and targets, identifying and implementing areas for improvement in operations and monitoring progress towards meeting them.

“It also had to identify all applicable legal and other requirements we have to comply with in New Zealand and implement measures to ensure compliance.”

Steps ecostore’s manufacturing facility has taken to ensure compliance includes: continuous monitoring and testing of wastewater effluent discharges, environmental incident/spill drills, building warrant of fitness and hazardous substance location test certificates, and other applicable legislation under the Resource Management Act and Health and Safety Act.

Morpeth says the factory’s environmental management system is no longer just focused on making sure products are made of the right quality and at the right time. Factors such as the level of waste and power consumption are just as important.

Last year, Eco Tech achieved Enviro-Mark®NZ Diamond certification – the highest level of certification in the Enviro-Mark®NZ programme owned by Crown Research Institute Landcare Research. This programme assists New Zealand businesses to reduce their environmental impacts and achieve certification.

“With ecostore’s continued focus on export markets, ensuring its manufacturing facility has credible environmental certifications such as AS/NZS 14001 certification is critical to our reputation in our ever-expanding global markets,” says Rands.

About AS/NZS ISO 14001
• AS/NZS ISO 14001 provides a framework for the development of an environmental management system and supporting audit programme.
• AS/NZS ISO 14001 was first published in 1995 and specifies the actual requirements for an environmental management system. It applies to those environmental aspects which the organization has control and over which it can be expected to have an influence.
• AS/NZS ISO 14001 is often seen as the cornerstone standard of the ISO 14000 series.
• AS/NZS ISO 14001 is for all organisations large or small and covers all sectors, including charities and the voluntary sector. It encourages organisations to be environmentally friendly and measure consumption and reduce waste.
• Benefits include cost savings, reducing environmental impact and enhancing environmental credentials.
• For more information go to http://www.iso.org/iso/iso_catalogue/management_standards/iso_9000_iso_14000/iso_14000_essentials.htm

ENDS

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