Sustainable Futures Accelerator

Your sustainability journey.

Our sustainable futures accelerator is a process developed from years of experience. It will help you assess where you are now on your sustainability journey, and accelerate it into the future.

Illuminate

What problem do you want to solve? Who is material to your success? Our expertise and your inside knowledge – together we’ll clarify the situation.
Validate

Is there a clear and compelling case for you to move forward? We’ll arm you with the right information to make an informed decision.
Collaborate

What are your options? We’ll work with you using our proven plan from initiation to completion.
Activate

Are you ready? Let’s hit the start button and deliver on our promise.
Innovate

You’ve raised the bar and are recognised as a market leader. Let’s add value and create continuous improvement.

What’s new?

Stay up to date with our latest product stewardship projects.

Middle-aged white man sits in front of a bookcase looking at new over-the-headphones as he takes them out of the box.

Right to Repair Bill a good start, but lacks vital detail

16-07-2024 / Consumer goods / Policy, regulation and legislation / Product Stewardship / Re-imagining

In rethinking e-waste, and how we deal with it, businesses have a golden opportunity to deliver on both sustainability goals and consumer expectations. And the Consumer Guarantees (Right to Repair) Amendment Bill has a part to play.

Circular economy opportunities for paint and packaging scheme

12-06-2024 / Circular Economy / Paint and textiles / Product Stewardship

Minimum recycled content, product as a service, and refillable options are just some of the circular economy opportunities highlighted in the second report of a project to create an all-of-industry product stewardship scheme.

Sustainable New Zealand – how far have we come?

29-05-2024 / Circular Economy / E wana ake: 20 years of 3R / Product Stewardship / Re-imagining

Think back 20 years. It’s difficult, for sure, but do you remember anyone talking about a “circular economy”, or “product stewardship”, or there even being any real public urgency to reduce waste and emissions?

Report finds circular economy is a huge opportunity for paint and paint packaging industry

1-05-2024 / Paint and textiles / Product Stewardship

An industry-led project to improve recovery, reuse and recycling of paint and its packaging across the country has passed its first milestone.

Where 3R began – with two men in a shed

17-04-2024 / E wana ake: 20 years of 3R / People and community / Product Stewardship

Twenty years ago, in a rural shed just outside Hastings, two men sat down to solve a problem. Armed with a couple of laptops, an innovative mindset, and a vision to tackle waste in a different way, Graeme Norton and Bruce Emerson formed what would be

Sending recyclables is often the only choice for New Zealand.

Walking the line between local and global sustainability

14-11-2023 / Circular Economy / Product Stewardship

Published in Bay Buzz If we want to live in a sustainable New Zealand then we have to move to a circular economy where resource use is maximised and waste is eliminated. A big part of this is using product stewardship to ensure products are properly

Tyrewise ushers in a new era for product stewardship in Aotearoa

3-11-2023 / Product Stewardship

It may have gone under the radar for some, but regulated product stewardship has finally arrived in Aotearoa New Zealand.

3R paint and packaging stewardship woman painting wall

Our work: paint and packaging product stewardship

2-08-2023 / Paint and textiles / Product Stewardship / Work

We're partnering with industry to develop product stewardship and innovative solutions that all of the industry can get behind.

Cutting through the noise on sustainability

28-07-2023 / Circular Economy / Policy, regulation and legislation / Product Stewardship

The release of a summary of submissions to the government's Transforming Recycling consultation highlights the challenges and opportunities of engaging communities on policy initiatives.

Outputs: Synthetic refrigerant co-design project

13-06-2023 / Product Stewardship / Refrigerant gases

Read about the synthetic refrigerants product stewardship project and view the milestone reports.

3R Group the good the bad and the opportunity of the waste strategy

NZ’s waste strategy – the good, the bad and the opportunities

3-04-2023 / Circular Economy / Policy, regulation and legislation / Product Stewardship

The NZ Government’s newly released Te Rautaki Para Waste Strategy (Getting rid of waste for a circular Aotearoa New Zealand) aims to tackle the problem head on. While it’s a high-level document, it outlines a direction that puts the circular econ

3R and sustainable is attainable Hawke's Bay

Case study: Sustainable is Attainable Hawke’s Bay

12-09-2022 / Case studies / Primary industries / Product Stewardship

We partnered with Sustainable is Attainable, local councils and businesses to create a project which minimises waste in the food manufacturing sector.

3R CE Adele Rose with tyres pulled from Auckland harbour

Trailblazing regulated stewardship in New Zealand

21-06-2022 / Product Stewardship

Today (21 June) we officially announced the start of Tyrewise, which will be the first regulated product stewardship scheme in New Zealand.

Holistic approach crucial to sustainability success

8-06-2022 / Product Stewardship

Humans can be wonderful problem solvers but, while we are good at tackling individual issues, a holistic approach isn’t always the norm.

3R Tyrewise new zealand's first regulated product stewardship scheme

Our work: Tyrewise, NZ’s first regulated product stewardship scheme

14-02-2022 / Automotive / Product Stewardship / Work

Find out how we helped the lubricants industry develop product stewardship scheme design to mirror requirements for a mandatory scheme.

3R CE Adele Rose Project Manager for Tyrewise

We did it – New Zealand gets its first regulated stewardship scheme

4-11-2021 / Automotive / Policy, regulation and legislation / Product Stewardship

New Zealand’s first regulated product stewardship scheme, Tyrewise, was announced by Minister for the Environment David Parker on 4 November. As project managers this is a huge day for 3R.

Bulldozer at landfill 3R's take on new government waste strategy

A must read if you make, sell or import products in New Zealand

4-11-2021 / News / Policy, regulation and legislation / Product Stewardship / Waste reduction

The effects of government's proposed new waste strategy will be seen across the business landscape, with a focus on product stewardship, right to repair and right to return.

NZ produces one of the highest amounts of waste per capita

Are you ready for Gov’s proposed new waste strategy?

19-10-2021 / Policy, regulation and legislation / Product Stewardship

Product stewardship, circular economy principles - these are all part of the proposed changes as outlined by Minister Parker.

Gov lays out national action plan for tackling plastic

18-10-2021 / Food and beverage / Policy, regulation and legislation / Product Stewardship

The National Plastics Action Plan, which was released mid-September, outlines Government’s drive to tackle problematic plastics by changing what plastic types are used, and how they are used.

Case study: Glass Packaging Forum

4-09-2021 / Case studies / Circular Economy / Product Stewardship

Read how we helped Villa Maria meet the environmental requirements of a key customer and build a better decision making framework.

Our work: Synthetic refrigerant co-design project

6-08-2021 / Product Stewardship / Refrigerant gases / Work

Find out how we're helping Recovery and industry stakeholders avoid environmental harm from synthetic refrigerants.

Plastic packaging regulation is coming 3R asks are you ready

Plastic packaging regulation is coming, are you ready?

10-03-2021 / Food and beverage / Policy, regulation and legislation / Product Stewardship

A government announcement means regulated product stewardship schemes will have to be established to manage single use plastic packaging from creation to end of life

pain cans 3R pain industry group project

Paint and packaging industry get around the stewardship table

11-12-2020 / Paint and textiles / Product Stewardship

New Zealand’s paint industry is the latest to move forward with creating an industry-led product stewardship scheme. An all-of-industry working group has recently been formed to create a pathway for unwanted and unused paint and its packaging to be

3R product stewardship lubricant containers

Our work: Lubricant containers scheme design

13-11-2020 / Automotive / Product Stewardship / Work

Find out how we helped the lubricants industry develop product stewardship scheme design to mirror requirements for a mandatory scheme.

3R seatsmart collections in central otago

Child car seat recycling now in Central Otago

21-09-2020 / Circular Economy / Consumer goods / Product Stewardship

Damaged or expired child car seats don’t need to go to the tip in Central Otago now the SeatSmart programme has launched in the district.

Child car seat dismantling at 3R premises

Dismantle a child car seat – how hard can it be?

18-09-2020 / Consumer goods / Product Stewardship / Waste reduction

Wouldn't it be nice if child car seats were designed for end of life, as well as for saving lives?

3R Trojan Kawana of LIFT dismantles a child car seat for recycling at 3R Group

Child car seat recycling helps lift youth employment

18-09-2020 / Media Releases / People and community / Product Stewardship

Dismantling child car seats isn’t the first thing which comes to mind when finding work experience, but a group of young men and women from LIFT Youth Employment have been taking it in their stride.

Product stewardship – what does success look like?

17-09-2020 / Circular Economy / Policy, regulation and legislation / Product Stewardship

Product stewardship is set to come into it's own following the recent Government announcement declaring no less than six priority products. But what does good product stewardship look like?

Why I’m celebrating the government’s latest announcement on waste

11-08-2020 / Circular Economy / People and community / Product Stewardship

Adele Rose explains why the Ministry of the Environment's recent announcement on priority products means to her.

3R Adele Rose speaks at the Government announcement on regulated product stewardship

3R Group CE speaks at priority product announcement

31-07-2020 / People and community / Policy, regulation and legislation / Product Stewardship

3R's CEO Adele Rose recently spoke at the Government announcement on regulated product stewardship. Read her speech.

Game-changing Government announcement in the war on waste

29-07-2020 / Circular Economy / Media Releases / Product Stewardship

Making a declaration of priority product signals which products the Government considers cause the most harm and therefore need to be covered by a regulated product stewardship scheme.

3R Paint product stewardship paint bucket and brush

Resene PaintWise™ welcomes Minister’s priority product announcement

29-07-2020 / Consumer goods / Policy, regulation and legislation / Product Stewardship

PaintWise programme manager Trevor Tutt says the announcement is a game changer for New Zealand. “This means importers, producers and retailers would have to be participants in a regulated product stewardship scheme."

3R refrigerant recovery product stewadship project wraps up

Project to tackle synthetic greenhouse gases wraps up

21-07-2020 / Hazardous waste management / Product Stewardship / Refrigerant gases

A project aimed at tackling one of the most potent causes of climate change has wrapped up, with its working group and managers now eagerly awaiting Government regulation.

The time for sustainability is now

28-04-2020 / Circular Economy / Product Stewardship

Working in sustainability can be frustrating sometimes. The problems can look too big, too embedded, changes take too long.

Case study: Dulux paint and packaging takeback scheme

31-03-2020 / Case studies / Paint and textiles / Product Stewardship

Find out how we helped Dulux activate their take back service, save money and innovate.

Leadership on sustainability is key says 3R

New campaign to help businesses take more responsibility for what they make

19-08-2019 / Circular Economy / Media Releases / Product Stewardship

A business campaign to increase ‘product take back’ schemes has won the support of the Government’s Waste Minimisation Fund.

Priority product consultation announcement Eugenie Sage big move says 3R

Minister’s priority product announcement “groundbreaking”

9-08-2019 / Product Stewardship

Government’s announcement that it will begin consulting on a plan to make multiple industries accountable for their products and packaging at end of life is groundbreaking, but long overdue, for New Zealand.

Case study: Resene PaintWise

31-03-2019 / Case studies / Paint and textiles / Product Stewardship

Find out how we're helping Resene realise their vision to be respected as an ethical and sustainable company.

Lubricant Container Stewardship Scheme

24-01-2019 / Automotive / Product Stewardship

The number of lubricant containers sold into the New Zealand market has been revised down following further investigation by the Waste Lubricant Container Working Group.

The plural of plastic

21-01-2019 / Circular Economy / Product Stewardship

The terrible effects it has on the environment are undeniable, and there is evidence those effects are circling back to us. Plastic has also become something of the posterchild for society’s conspicuous over-consumption.

Courtyard facelift with recycled paint

10-09-2018 / Paint and textiles / People and community / Product Stewardship

The back courtyard at our 3R offices has been transformed, using recycled paint for a mural.

A circular future with stewardship at the centre

31-07-2018 / Circular Economy / Product Stewardship

Mention the term ‘product stewardship’ to the first person you bump into on the street and chances are you will be met with a blank look.

Our work: Rebound mattress recycling

31-07-2018 / Consumer goods / Product Stewardship / Work

Find out what we're doing about a recycling programme for the estimated 300,000 mattresses that go to landfill each year.

Call to end lubricant packaging waste

22-06-2018 / Automotive / Media Releases / Product Stewardship

Major lubricant industry brands are calling on importers and distributors in the market to join them in tackling the issue of millions of lubricant packages being discarded every year.

3R Associate minister for the environment Eugenie Sage

Moves to declare end of life tyres a priority product

18-05-2018 / Automotive / Product Stewardship

New Zealand has edged one step closer to solving its ever-mounting problem with end of life tyres.

Reimagining solutions for recycled paint

16-05-2018 / Circular Economy / Paint and textiles / Product Stewardship

I recently had the opportunity to present on my work around recycled paint at Australia’s leading waste management industry conference, the Coffs Harbour Waste Conference.

Case study: Agrecovery

31-03-2018 / Case studies / Primary industries / Product Stewardship

Find out how 3R designed Agrecovery to provide a responsible and sustainable nationwide product stewardship solution for agricultural chemicals and their containers.

Twelve years of partnering with Resene

1-06-2017 / Paint and textiles / Product Stewardship

3R Group have been partnering with Resene for 12 years, operationally managing Resene PaintWise and finding innovative uses for paint.

Our work: SeatSmart child car seat recycling

30-11-2016 / Consumer goods / Product Stewardship / Work

SeatSmart gives consumers a simple user-pays nationwide recycling programme for child car seats. We continue to work with industry to make SeatSmart a voluntary product stewardship programme.

3R Cows FlashMate heat detection waste reduction

One of our more unusual projects – FlashMate®

1-08-2016 / Product Stewardship

There is no limit to the type of product for which 3R is asked to find a recycling solution - Gallagher's Flashmate® was an unusual one.

Finding answers with Westland Milk Products

14-07-2016 / Product Stewardship / Waste reduction

Westland Milk Products sells to some of the world’s biggest companies and they ask tricky sustainability questions - we help answer them.

3R Rebound mattress recycling dismantling trial

Fresh bounce for old mattresses

17-09-2015 / Consumer goods / Product Stewardship

Everyday items only represent the tip of the iceberg in terms of what we could (and should) be recycling rather than sending to landfill.

A three pronged approach

29-04-2015 / Product Stewardship

The future of product stewardship in New Zealand as I see it is a place where stewardship is the norm, not the exception; where end-of-life considerations for the impacts on human and environmental harm sit at the beginning of the design process, not

3R Electronics e-waste product stewardship

E-waste – it won’t go away by itself…

20-11-2014 / Product Stewardship

This week saw the final day to submit feedback on the E-Waste Product Stewardship Preliminary Report.

Waste Tyres economic research

12-11-2014 / Automotive / Product Stewardship

3R has partnered with KPMG to deliver a project for the Ministry for the Environment, building on the Tyrewise reports to recommend an investment strategy for on-shore end-of-life tyre (ELT) processing.