Mount Maunganui Businesses Sign Environmental Accord; Commit To Actions To Improve Footprint

Twenty-nine businesses in the Mount Maunganui industrial zone have pledged to take further action to improve their environmental footprint, signing an Environmental Accord.

It commits businesses, who sign on voluntarily, to up to five actions each over the next three years.

The Accord is being launched by Priority One, the Western Bay of Plenty region's economic development agency. However, it will be up to businesses who have signed on to the Accord to collectively keep one another accountable to implement actions and improve their environmental impacts.

Priority One Chief Executive, Nigel Tutt, says businesses hear the community’s concerns about air quality – and they are taking it seriously.

“We all want to see more progress made across the board to support the community and businesses to have a healthy co-existence.”

Signatory businesses accept they need to improve their environmental impacts to make this possible. Making a commitment through the Accord holds them accountable, which will lead to better outcomes for our community who also live, work, and play in the area.

Among the 29 signatories is Allied Asphalt Limited. Its spokesperson, Dale Eastham, National Environmental Manager, says taking this step is important.

“Before signing on, we and many other businesses had already been investing in initiatives to improve our environmental footprint, such as upgrading our onsite stormwater treatment system in line with best practice so as to ensure that our stormwater is fit to discharge into the Harbour. However, the Accord is another step we at Allied Asphalt Ltd are choosing to take as part of our commitment.”

The Mount Maunganui Industrial Area is crucial to the economic success of the Western Bay of Plenty and our country’s trade ecosystem. The surrounding area is also home to people and communities. The buffer between industrial and residential zones has decreased as the population has increased. Local communities have expressed concerns about industry’s impact on the environment, primarily around traffic congestion, air pollution and odour. The Accord, and its actions, aims to improve environmental outcomes in these areas.

It is supplemented by the ‘Mount Maunganui Industrial Blueprint’ – a document collated by Priority One that provides information on the area and sets out a pathway for the future through a set of actions.

Independent research detailed in the Blueprint includes 83 percent of large organisations surveyed acknowledge improving their environmental impact is important. In addition to this, 93 percent of organisations surveyed in the area with higher impacts are investing in equipment or upgrading their facilities to improve this.

“Businesses located in the Mount Maunganui Industrial Area are there because they need to be. They either use the port themselves or support associated, nearby businesses and industry,” says Nigel.

“Being close by plays a role in limiting congestion on the roads, as well as reducing some transport emissions. We expect to work on these emissions collaboratively with councils, businesses, and the community.”

Port of Tauranga Chief Executive, Leonard Sampson, says the Accord demonstrates business’ commitment to continuously improve their environmental performance.

“As one of the many businesses in the Mount Maunganui industrial area, Port of Tauranga takes air quality very seriously. We have invested heavily in reducing dust from port activities and will keep doing this work to continue the trend of improving air quality.”

Port of Tauranga has increased wharf sweeping, installed traffic control barriers, improved cargo handling procedures, developed custom dust suppression systems, and installed wind fences to reduce dust.

Industry and businesses in the Mount Maunganui Industrial Area operate under strict regulatory conditions based on national guidelines. These conditions are enforced locally by Bay of Plenty Regional Council.

Some businesses have their own on-site air quality monitors, in addition to those being monitored by Bay of Plenty Regional Council. Many organisations are also investing in technology to reduce their emissions to the environment. Further case studies, detailing these investments, are available in the Blueprint.

“We have identified organisations that are either major or have air discharge consents as the most appropriate to lead this Accord, and we expect to take it to the wider Mount Industrial business community with the knowledge that these businesses have pledged improvements to start the process,” Nigel explains.

“It will take a collaborative effort, including with local and central government, to improve our environmental impacts. We need our councils to keep supporting this work with action, including supporting decarbonisation initiatives, and implementing buffer zones, so businesses can get this right for our community and industry.”

The Blueprint, and more information about the Accord, can be found here.

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