Minimising waste is not just for staff at work, it is also about minimising waste for the consumer, as Wayne Leary, Manager of The Warehouse Invercargill Branch can attest too.  

Not only does the company provide recycling bins for customers they are also working towards presenting product in a manner that minimises packaging as much as possible i.e. shirts that are not packaged in clear plastic bags.

• ‘Separation at source is the key ‘says Mr Leary.   The Warehouse has found that is it more productive to recycle by doing it straight away. For example as goods are unloaded the delivery packaging (strapping, plastic wrap) is removed and put into separate collection receptacles for recycling.
• The Warehouse promotes “Say NO to Checkout Bags. Say YES to the Environment and Help Clean Up New Zealand”. 
• Reusable Cloth bags are sold at the counters. 

The Warehouse Invercargill daily recycles polystyrene, hard and soft plastics, plastic strapping, aluminium cans, cardboard and paper.

• The company is a large consumer of cardboard. Cardboard is placed in wire cages that are emptied on a daily basis. During peak times (i.e. Christmas) they can be emptied up to three times a day.

• One goal for The Warehouse Invercargill is to eliminate the need for the skip bin, and they are well on the way to achieving this. Currently the skip bin is only emptied fortnightly (and this is only on request).

For more information email: theirwins@xtra.co.nz or write to Southland Community Wastebusters Trust c/- A Irwin, Hokonui, RD2, Winton.

Thanks to WasteNet Southland and Southland Community Wastebusters Trust for providing this information