Comspec have a flash new website with a great video on the opening of the plant. You can read more about how the Sustainable Initiatives Fund helped Comspec here with finanical assitance in the form of a loan or check out their video here.
SIFT Projects » Sift BlogArchive for the ‘SIFT Projects’ CategoryComspec’s New WebsiteTuesday, July 20th, 2010 by AdminCongratulations PlasbackMonday, May 24th, 2010 by Admin Plasback Product Stewardship Scheme - Photo copyright Agpac Congratulations to the team at Plasback for achieving government accreditation of their Voluntary Product Stewardship scheme. They received their accreditation for on farm collecton and then recycling of agricultural plastics along with the Glass Packaging Forum who are focussed on reducing glass that goes to landfill. Plasback Product Stewardship Scheme is the first for the agricultural sector. SIFT granted Agpac (who administer the scheme) funds for a Canterbury focussed education campaign for farmers on the collection scheme. Along with the development of an easy to understand brochure for farmers there was also radio, tv and press advertising. Through the Plasback scheme Agpac are looking to collect 200 tonnes of agricultural plastics by the end of this winter from Canterbury farms. When the plastics have been collected they are sent to Mastagard for recycling and then reused as recycled plastic feedstock for new products. The Hon. Dr. Nick Smith, Minister for the Environment said in the press release ” I would encourage other industries to recognise the economic and environmental benefits of product stewardship and get accredited” – we agree. Site Visit – Comspec in HornbyWednesday, April 14th, 2010 by Admin photo: SIFT One of our current long term projects is the financial assistance (in the form of a loan) we gave to Comspec in Hornby. We have written about them before on this blog but I thought it was time for site visit. Actually going to where the action takes place, talking to those who make it happen and being amongst the process gives a much thorough understanding of how we have helped. So, this morning I met Robert and Stephanie Fowler at their plastic recycling plant in Hornby. After going through some background info on what they do I was given a site tour. At one end you have baled plastic milk bottles waiting their turn to be shredded, then washed and then the resulting flakes are formed into resin pellets that are then turned into irrigation piping. A very simplified explanation but in a nut shell that is it and in person it is pretty clear to see the process work from one end of the plant to the other.  photo: SIFT  Shredded plastic Photo: SIFT In the past empty plastic milk bottles had been packed up and sent to China where they were recycled there. Now, with Compsec’s plant, plastic milk bottles can be recycled “on shore” and provide a feedstock of plastic resin for use in New Zealand (reducing the amount of virigin resin imported into NZ). On shore recycling (especially with New Zealand’s location in the world) will reduce the impact of transportation of materials going overseas thus reducing CO2 emissions from shipping. Plus, the Comspec process can save an average of 1 tonne of CO2 per tonne of plastic that is recycled, further reducing our impactful carbon footprint. With a network of collectors around the South Island Comspec aims to recycle 1000 tonnes of plastic milk bottles each year. With a 110,000 milk bottles making up a tonne that’s a lot of milk bottles. SIFT’s focus is to continue to help those who require financial assistance to develop a project that will reduce the amount of waste that ends up in our landfills which will in turn help to develop a strong network of commerically viable businesses and individual projects throughout Canterbury that can sustainable continue making an impact. Not only will this make Canterbury a healthy environment to live in but will also help the Canterbury and New Zealand economies. Thanks to Robert Fowler for taking time out of his busy morning to show me ’round. You can read more about Comspec here. You can also see all the photos from the Comspec launch here on Flickr. New Agriculture Plastics Recycling SchemeSunday, March 14th, 2010 by AdminA new agricultural plastics recycling campaign, partly funded by the Sustainable Initiatives Fund Trust, aimed at Canterbury farmers has recently been launched by Agpac. Agpac are running a new recycling scheme called Plasback – on farm collection of agricultural plastic wastes such as baleage wrap and silage sheets, polypropylene bags and HDPE Drums. The education campaign includes a helpful and instructional brochure for famers showing them how to recycle each type of waste stream which will be mailed to farmers in Canterbury as well as radio and press advertising and is part of the Plasback Product Stewardship Scheme.  Farm feed wrapped in Baleage This new campaign not only educates farmers on who can take their waste but how to handle it while it is on the farm such as the importance of triple rinsing HDPE drums and not including balenet or twine in the balewrap collection bins. Plasback also offers a recovery programme for the return of 100 and 200L containers for reuse. The Plasback Product Stewardship scheme for recycling farm plastics will go a long way to helping to clean up Canterbury’s countryside, reduce hazardous toxins and chemicals from the soil (from burying the plastic) and the air (from burning), reducing waste to landfill and recycling the approx. 4000 tonnes of LLDPE (Linear Low Density Polyethylene) used as crop packaging on New Zealand farms each year. The recycled plastic will be turned in pellets that can be reused as new resin stock for plastic production. For more information on the Plasback Education Campaign visit www.plasback.co.nz. ChCh Community House Funding Expo – next WednesdayWednesday, March 10th, 2010 by Admin Source: Flickr laffy4k's photostream The Christchurch Community House Te Whakaruruhau ki Otautahi is holding its annual funding expo next Wednesday the 17th from 10am to 3pm at the Christchurch Community House offices 141 Hereford Street, Christchurch. The Sustainable Initiatives Fund will be there as well as many others taking part in the different workshops that include “Making the most of the Charities Register” from the Charities Commission, “Funding for Arts Development” from Creative NZ, “Finding Funders using Fundview” from the Funding Information Service and “Strategic Fundraising” from UNITEC. There are other workshops as well as an expo area with stands from the different funders from Canterbury including SIFT. There are also two full days of workshops from Exult. On the 18th is the Sustainable Funding Workshop and on the 19th is the Secret to Sponsorship workshop. There may still be workshop spaces available for both the Exult and Christchurch Community House Workshops or if you would like more information on the funding expo call 03 365 3139. Christchurch Community House is a valuable central resource area for welfare, social service organisations and communtiy groups in Canterbury. And Exult is a Tauranga based organisation that supports other community groups with their fundraising, marketing and sponsorship tactics. Catalyst for ChangeSunday, March 7th, 2010 by Admin Source: Flickr Ed's Photostream 11 Butterfly The Sustainable Initiatives Fund Trust is a catalyst for change. We know (roughly) how much waste is generated, how much goes to landfill, what the negative environmental impacts are of that waste (leachate, toxins, global warming from methane emissions etc) and the amount of work and cultural behaviour change that is required to reduce how much waste is generated and sometimes that can be rather overwhelming and depressing. But, everyday we are reminded of those individuals, businesses and community groups who are doing good work and we are uplifted everyday by those we are helping to make the numbers better and improve the health of our environment – one step at a time, one day at a time. Sometimes it can take a few years from the start of the relationship to the final outcome of the project. And that final outcome may just be the first step in many steps to creating a sustainable and commercially viable process that can help to significantly reduce the amount of waste that goes to Canterbury’s landfills. It is about having a long term goal for our future – a sustainable Canterbury future where any waste generated is reused, recovered or recycled on shore first and where landfill and sending it offshore is the last resort (for all waste streams). But it will take time, patience, innovative ideas, advancement in technology, sound investment, collaboration (public and private partnerships), commitment, affecting cultural behaviour change, walking the talk, leading and being the catalyst for change. That is what SIFT is about – being a positive force for good as a social lender. We have profiled a few businesses that are leading in waste management on our blog in the past and you can see some of the good and impactful work that we have done here. We have a number of super exciting projects on the go at the moment that will make a difference to Canterbury’s waste and will let you all know in due course about what they are and what good they will do. If you are looking for funding for a project that will reduce the amount of waste going to Canterbury’s landfill or have a new idea that we could help with you can apply here. You can check out our Flickr photos here too. E-Waste Competition WinnersWednesday, January 20th, 2010 by AdminJust before Christmas we chose the winners of our e-waste competition. For the most sustainable/commercial category the winner is Alan Leifting from Christchurch. His idea was to modify cell phone battery chargers so they can be used as DC power supplies for other electronic products.  SIFT CEO Linda Norris with e-waste competition winner Alan Leifting. And the winner of the most artistic/creative category was Jo Wynne who won our artistic/creative category for our last competition. Jo entered two really cool 3D pieces of art made from old electronic equipment. Our favourite is the one on she is holding. Love the copper elements mixed with black and silver and hanging down on wire.  SIFT CEO Linda Norris with e-waste competition winner Jo Wynne.  Jo Wynne's e-waste art Both winners received a 2008 iPod Nano which they were super pleased with. A nice end to the year. Have an idea then do it.Wednesday, December 16th, 2009 by Admin Source: Flickr frank-chimero The 21st century is going to be about radical change. A radical change to the way humans live. In order to create this change for a better and healthier earth we need ideas, motivation and action (and funds). SIFT can help those individuals in Canterbury who have the ideas* (that need to be proven or are ready to be implemented) that will create a life with less waste and more sustainable living. We can also help with the motivation and the action! Christmas is a good time to slow down and take the time to just be quiet and let the brain have a rest. But, this is also normally when the good ideas are generated. So, if you start 2010 with an idea that you think might make difference to Canterbury’s waste then don’t hesitate to apply to SIFT. As No Impact Man recently said we have to choose whether we we want to be people who will at least try to create a better world. *Eligibility criteria applies Great use of Styrofoam Meat TraysWednesday, December 9th, 2009 by AdminAs you may remember the first competition we held was on what to do with un-recyclable styrofoam meat and vegetable trays (all 25 million that go to landfill in Christchurch). We had a stash of trays left over and our new temp Ally has used them, quite cleverly, as a desktop sorter and it looks great.  Image - copyright SIFT
Don’t forget to check out our e-waste competition which is still open. We are looking for great ideas on how to reduce e-waste. You can enter here. Plains FM Podcast – Green Biz with Linda Norris and Kinley Education 23/11Wednesday, November 25th, 2009 by Admin
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Monday’s GreenBiz PlainsFM podcast is now online 
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