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Hazardous substances should never be ‘out of sight out of mind’

By Jason Richards on January 25th, 2022 in Hazardous waste management
3R's MyHazWaste hazardous household collection service

Did you know some of the things Kiwis routinely store at home under the sink or in the shed are so hazardous they are managed under an international agreement?

This agreement (the Basel Convention), of which New Zealand is a signatory, means the country is obligated to properly deal with hazardous materials – both in terms of how they are collected and transported, and how they are disposed of.

It shouldn’t come as a surprise the average New Zealand household has its fair share of hazardous substances and while many of them have relatively long shelf lives, they can’t be kept forever, and certainly can’t be tipped down the sink when they expire or aren’t wanted anymore.

Often people don’t know what to do with this waste and this is where residents look to their councils to offer a solution. While city, district and regional councils aren’t currently directly responsible for ensuring residents in their area correctly dispose of hazardous substances, citizens’ expectation is that they should be providing options. The alternatives, dumping them covertly in landfill amongst other rubbish or DIY disposal on land and down drains are direct risks to areas councils are accountable for.

In the future, under the government’s proposed new waste strategy, a duty of care approach and alignment of responsibilities through all levels of government may well see councils bearing some direct responsibility for hazardous waste disposal.

This is one of the reasons we developed the MyHazWaste service, a turnkey solution which builds and improves on traditional hazmobile events by using an updated collection model. This means there is a more controlled collection method, experienced and qualified staff on hand, accurate data collection and improved public education.

The MyHazWaste service was developed as part of 3R Group’s ChemCollect programme and we’ve run successful events for councils since mid-2018, collecting and safely disposing of all manner of substances. From general-purpose cleaners to banned pesticides, the range of what people bring in never ceases to amaze us – which only reinforces the need for events like these.

If you would like to find out more check out our MyHazWaste case study.

By Jason Richards is the 3R Group National Programme Manager – Chemicals

Previous 3R ChemCollect hazardous chemicals and ibc

Responsibility for hazardous substances doesn’t end when they go out the door

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Case study: Palmerston North City Council MyHazWaste

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ISO 14001:2015

Environmental management systems and safe work practices.

ISO 14001:2015 is an internationally recognised standard that certifies our commitment to environmental management systems and safe work practices.

Consistent with our environmental policy, the intended outcomes of our environmental management system include:

  • The enhancement of environmental performance;
  • The fulfilment of compliance obligations;
  • The achievement of environmental objectives.

Our ISO 14001:2015 certification includes 3R Operations, the Paint Product Stewardship Programmes, ChemCollect Service and the SeatSmart Child Car Seat Recycling Programme (owned and operated by 3R).

This certification is audited by TELARC.

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Keeping our people safe, healthy and happy.

ISO 45001:2018 certification has been chosen to demonstrate the importance we place in caring for our people as we bring to life our values of Kaitiakitanga and Manaakitanga.

Keeping our team safe, healthy and happy is a primary focus for our business. We feel that the work our operations staff do makes this particularly important. Their responsibilities can include collecting and processing paint; collecting chemicals; driving trucks around the country; and getting hands-on with work wherever needed.

3R received ISO 45001:2018 certification in 2021. The ISO 45001:2018 certificate is valid for 3 years and includes annual surveillance audits which provide a valuable framework for further growth.

What is a circular economy?

New Zealand is “one of the highest generators of waste per person in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)”. The way we currently produce and manage our waste is not sustainable.

The current economy in New Zealand is linear: this equates to a process of take-make-use-dispose. The aim of the government is to move towards a circular economy.

A circular economy can refer to either biological or technical materials.

With biological materials, the cycle could be defined as make-consume-enrich. In this cycle waste returns to the environment and enriches the land.

A technical materials cycle may be more like make-use-return. In a technical materials cycle waste is repurposed and used to make something new.

Whether you need help with biological materials, technical materials, or both; 3R can partner with your business to assess your current waste, then help you reduce it.