Apr 30 - New Zealand previously sent most of its recycling to China. Spokesperson Graham Christian for waste company Smart Environmental said paper and plastic stocks had started to build up since the ban.

A Mackenzie Basin farm is again the battleground for two seemingly opposed arms of Government – one trying to protect conservation values and the other happily approving agricultural intensification on Crown-owned land.

A fund intended to tackle plastic pollution has been set up by the UK government raccording to a report in PackagingNews.

In response to the Government’s policy of achieving zero emissions by 2050 the Bioenergy Association says “Reducing greenhouse gas emissions from food processing sector waste should be at the top of the list for encouragement from Government if we are to achieve zero emissions by 2050” Brian Cox, Executive Officer of the Bioenergy Association said “Using food processing wastes as a source of energy for the manufacturing plant is so obvious that it is no wonder that more and more food manufacturers are starting to install equipment that turns waste into energy. The equipment and processes are proven and can…

Piles of plastic are mounting around New Zealand as companies look for other destinations for the millions of tonnes of waste that China no longer wants .

Swedish commercial vehicle manufacturer, Volvo, has announced its first all-electric truck, the Volvo FL Electric, for urban distribution and refuse operations, with sales and series production starting in Europe next year.

University of Canterbury doctoral researcher Emily Laing has been selected as a ‘talent’ to take part in UNLEASH, a global program for innovation, hosted in Singapore.

Saule Technologies has created a new kind of printable solar cell that offers almost infinite possibilities for its installation. Working with experts from across the globe, Olga Malinkiewicz and the Saule Technologies team have improved on existing technologies to create a panel that is not only lightweight, flexible and cheap to produce, but also incredibly efficient. By using perovskite, the solar cell is not only more effective in sunlight, but can also produce energy from artificial light, helping to ‘recycle’ indoor lighting. The versatility of this printable design opens the door to a huge number of innovative uses. “We can…

The Plastic Oceans Foundation has published a series of videos explaining how plastic waste gets into the oceans, breaks down into microplastics and enters the food chains.

Dairy company Fonterra is constructing an advanced plant that is set to reduce the amount of groundwater extracted for its Darfield manufacturing site by around 70%. Based on New Zealand’s South Island, Darfield is already considered a world-leading facility, according to Fonterra. Now the company is investing $11 million in new water processing technology for the site, which is expected to have a significant impact on its environmental footprint. “Thanks to the new plant we’ll save the equivalent of around 100 tanker loads of water every day,” said Robert Spurway, head of Fonterra’s global operations. “As well as reducing water…

The University of Canterbury Eco-marathon team is again coming home from Singapore triumphant, after beating more than 100 teams from 21 countries at the Shell Eco-marathon Asia 2018 event. The student team has won this year’s Technical Innovation award, an off-track prize which includes a trophy and US$3000, in UC’s second Eco-marathon competition entry after competing in the international event for the first time last year at Changi race track. The judges said the UC team “was awarded the Technical Innovation Award for the self-designed 3D-printed titanium engine in their UrbanConcept car, which makes for a stronger engine with finer,…