This article provides an overview of accredited product stewardship in NZ and how it works well for construction.
Accredited Product Stewardship
Product stewardship is about manufacturers taking responsibility for the end life of a product. It aims to reduce waste, which can be done through better product design which then leads to a longer life for the product or an easier recycling process. Where waste can not be designed out, then it should be minimised through reuse.
Envirocon is a voluntary Product Stewardship Scheme accredited by the Minister for the Environment under the Waste Minimisation Act 2008. Our members include the leading Ready Mix Concrete manufacturers in New Zealand.
The scheme exists to improve the more traditional, unsustainable, waste management practices of the industry, such as;
- Landfill - announced changes to the scope and price of the waste levy mean this is quickly disappearing as an option for waste management.
- Crushing - drying and crushing usable concrete is perhaps the worst outcome of all. Not only is a sub quality product created, it also dramatically increases the embedded carbon cost of that product.
- ‘Recycling’ - essentially washing uncured concrete with large quantities of water to separate big aggregates from the cement residue, leading to significant water treatment issues.
The scheme's mandate is to take uncured excess ready mix concrete and turn it into high quality precast concrete products. Taking this approach creates a truly sustainable waste management system for the ready mix concrete industry by creating high value, high productivity products and creating new employment opportunities.
Why this works for Construction
Concrete is the perfect example of how this approach delivers the most practical solution for the construction industry.
Concrete is central to modern construction - virtually every construction or civil project will use it in some form. It's also highly perishable, with just a few short hours of usable life before it sets. The economies of transporting concrete and its short usable life mean it’s sensible to slightly over-order the amount of concrete required. Across the country, this leads to large volumes of excess concrete which often goes straight to landfill or crushed into carbon hungry recycled concrete aggregate.
Under most sustainability models, excess concrete becomes a waste stream and a penalty point against your project. However, by using the circular economy approach it becomes an asset, not only allowing you to continue business as usual but also potentially saving you time, labour, and cost.
By diverting unused wet concrete from landfill and upcycling it into valuable construction products, we are playing an active role in the product stewardship of this incredibly important construction material.
Accredited Product Stewardship Schemes are also recognised by most sustainability rating schemes.
Accredited Product Stewardship Schemes are also recognised by most sustainability rating schemes.
Benefits of Accredited Product Stewardship for Construction
- Reduced waste and environmental impact
- Improved sustainability performance
- Potential to save time, labour, and cost
- Recognition in sustainability rating schemes