Product stewardship, $430k grant awarded to Interbloc

  • Nick Smith
Environment

Interbloc was today recognised for its efforts to responsibly manage the environmental effects of its products, with Environment Minister Dr Nick Smith awarding product accreditation to the company’s Envirocon scheme under the Waste Minimisation Act.

“Envirocon is a concrete collection system which reuses wet waste ready-mix concrete to manufacture products like stackable concrete blocks for retaining walls. Currently under the scheme, 13,000 tonnes of waste concrete is diverted from landfill or energy-intensive reprocessing. The aim is to increase this to 23,400 tonnes by 2018,” Dr Smith says.

“This is a good example of how innovative, forward-thinking businesses can manage and mitigate their impact through proactive product stewardship. I commend Interbloc on the effort they have made voluntarily to take responsibility for the impacts of their products in a way that provides benefits for the environment, and also stacks up commercially.

“I encourage other organisations and industries to seek accreditation so they too can receive the environmental and economic benefits of product stewardship.”

Envirocon is the 14th scheme to receive accreditation since the Waste Minimisation Act was passed in 2008. The Act gives the Government the ability to award accreditation, which serves as recognition and endorsement for schemes that meet waste and environmental harm reduction criteria.

“I am also pleased to announce today a $430,000 grant from the Government’s Waste Minimisation Fund for Interbloc to develop a way to stop wet concrete from setting. This will enable them to expand the geographic reach of the Envirocon concrete collection system – meaning more waste concrete can be repurposed in a sustainable way. Interbloc will commission Callaghan Innovation to develop the necessary science behind the process.”

The Waste Minimisation Fund provides financial support to projects that reduce environmental harm and provide social, economic and cultural benefits. It is funded from a levy that is charged on waste disposed of at landfills and over $65 million has been awarded to more than 120 projects from the Fund to date.

Further information on product stewardship and the Waste Minimisation Fund is available from: www.mfe.govt.nz/waste.