Treated Timber Source: Lockwood.co.nz

New Zealand’s forestry industry contributes 12% of the country’s annual export earnings, making it New Zealand’s third largest industry. Within this powerful industry, there is the manufacturing of CCA treated timber. In 2005 4,215, 000 cubic metres of rough sawn timber was produced within New Zealand. We found a great report on Extended Producer Responsibility within the Timber Industry by Simon Love (2007) which is a great resource for information on Treated Timber and finding a solution and states that estimates for 2006 show that the amount of treated timber within that timber production total is 830,250 cubic metres.

Data from the Ministry for the Environment from their waste composition analysis from 2008 statistics states that for the whole country Timber makes up 11% of the total waste to landfill. An estimated 3.156 million tonnes of waste went to landfill in 2006 so that’s 347,160 tonnes of timber waste. More here.

A certain percentage of this timber to landfill is CCA Treated Timber which is an issue for all landfills and the surrounding environment.

Radiata pine is one of the world’s most widely planted plantation species and has the ability to grow to a large diameter faster than almost any other tree species. In New Zealand, both the ideal climatic and soil conditions exist for advanced radiata pine plantations, making pine New Zealand’s number one commercially grown tree species and is used for external building structures, including fences, decks, landscaping, pole houses, playground structures, marinas and walkways. However, due to a natural susceptibility to fungal decay, radiata pine must be extensively chemically treated in order for it to withstand the outdoor exposures.

Internationally, CCA treated timber has been banned or had restrictions placed on it due to the growing concern over its possible health implications for humans, and the environmental implications that can result from the chemicals leaching during landfill.

In 1997, The Department of Conservation commissioned a report on CCA treated timber within New Zealand. Written by Dr. Michael Hedley, the report explored the possible future disposal of treated timber, including controlled incineration and fully encapsulated landfill disposal. Dr. Hedley stated in the report that  ‘Though these may be possibilities…while there has been little significant evidence produced within New Zealand on the effects of CCA timber landfill disposal, municipal landfills, will continue to be the most viable option for CCA timber disposal.’ Download the report.

Here are some facts on what exactly CCA treated timber is, and why internationally, jurisdictions have been placed on its use.

What is CCA treated timber?The most commonly treated timber is CCA treated, or Chromate Copper Arsenate. The chemical mixture is injected into the wood under pressure, ensuring that the wood is saturated with the chemicals.

What are the possible health effects from exposure to it? According to the United States’ EPA’s Incident Data System, exposure to treated timber can result in ‘itching, burning, rashes, neurological symptoms, and breathing problems after handling lumber; damage to nerves in feet and legs from CCA sawdust and fumes from construction; chronic rash; eye swelling from dust; headache, nausea, shakiness, and thirst from cutting timber; rashes on arms from dust; nausea and headache from drilling timber’. These side effects are linked to the exposure to high arsenic levels. Internationally, the concern for the health implications has led to the United States, Canada and the European Union banning the use of CCA-treated wood in residential and recreational settings.

Why is their concern for the environment? Currently in New Zealand, the most common disposal for CCA treated timber is straight to landfill. The concern for the environment comes from the issues of chemicals leaching from landfill into the soil. For Christchurch, CCA treated timber is to be placed in kerbside red wheelie bins – for  landfill dumping.

With such prolific use of treated radiata pine within New Zealand, and landfill being the most common disposal of treated timber within New Zealand, it seems worth taking a look at international responses and the reasoning for so many countries placing jurisdictions on the use of treated timber and also to find a solution to the large amount of treated timber that goes to our landfills and affects our ecosytems and human health.

Is there a solution out there that could remove the CCA from the timber so it can be reused or a solution for recycling the timber in some way? Would the Extended Producer Responsibility programme describe in Simon Love’s research work for New Zealand. What could we do? What do we need to do to solve this waste stream issue?

We would love to know. Treated Timber is one of SIFT’s key waste streams to be solved. As such we are inviting expressions of interest to help solve this problem from anyone who thinks the have an idea, the solution, or could help set up a Producer Responsibility Program.

The Story of Electronics

Annie Leonard, who brought the world the wonderfully informative animated video called the Story of Stuff has just released a new one on e-waste called the Story of Electronics. Again she has researched how  e-waste is produced in the first place, the design elements that need to be changed and the problems with how e-waste is disposed of. E-waste is “designed for the dump” she says. Although the videos have an American focus they are still relevant to New Zealanders. We import tonnes of electronic goods each year that all have been designed with relatively short lives (due, mostly, to new product coming in all the time) and dispose of approximately 80,000 tonnes to landfill each year. 80,000 tonnes! Think of what happens to the toxins and heavy metals contained in the those items while they sit in a landfill.

The New Zealand government has recently announced funding from the Ministry for the Environment’s Waste Minimisation Fund into two key e-waste collection programmes. The first one was e-Day held last Saturday around the country. They received $750,000 to hold e-Day at 40 locations around New Zealand and for the first year I heard and saw advertising. And this helped. This year’s e-Day was a success with around 900 tonnes of e-waste (computers and phones) being dropped off (around 110 shipping containers). More here. There were over 17,000 cars and over 76,000 items dropped off. This e-waste will be sent to other countries for proper disposal. New Zealand does not have the facilities to process e-waste on shore. As with other waste streams it is cheaper for it to be sent off shore.

The other project that has received funding from the government is $400,000 to the RCN Group and the Community Recycling Network who are planning to set up a nationwide network of 20 e-waste drop off depots and 3 recycling facilities in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch. This is so e-Day can be everyday!

The solutions that need to come in order to reduce the amount of e-waste that is polluting our environment is to 1) consume less (always #1), 2) businesses to take responsibility for the products that they produce (Product Stewardship Schemes), 3)  redesign products with less toxins and longer lives, 4) develop urban mining offshore so that the e-waste can be disposed of safely (and not negatively impacting the environments of other countries) and 5) finding solutions to old e-waste (can it be reused in new ways). There are solutions but we just need to start focussing on using them and building them.

Other relevant blog posts:

• 2010 Waste Minimisation Fund Recipients
• e-waste that isn’t going to landfill
• The Story of Stuff

You can watch the other Story of Stuff videos here:

The Story of Stuff

The Story of Cosmetics

The Story of Bottled Water

Cap and Trade

Source: Flickr speckled_beckle's photostream

Yesterday, most of the 164 applications for funding for waste project(s) from the Ministry for the Environment’s Waste Minimisation Fund would have received a letter telling them their application has been turned down. Congratulations to the 29 who did make it through to the next stage – we are interested to see what these projects are. If this was you and your project is based in Canterbury have you thought about approaching the Sustainable Initiatives Fund for assistance?

The purpose of the Waste Minimisation Fund is not too dissimilar to the objectives of the Sustainable Initiatives Fund Trust. The WMF was developed to boost New Zealand’s performance in waste minimisation through educational, promotional, technological or infrastructure projects. The objectives of the Sustainable Initiatitives Fund Trust are about reducing or avoiding waste that goes specifically to Canterbury’s landfills through new technology/process or recovering new waste streams or by developing new products or technologies out of recovered materials. Other sub-objectives include creating useful sustainable educational applications from the products or technologies that are developed and/or creating sustainable energy products out of waste and/or creating sustainable job opportunties and contributing positively to Canterbury’s economy. The Sustainable Initiatives Fund Trust is apart of a new generation of social lenders with the primary motivation of reducing negative environmental impacts – decreasing waste to landfill.

We have a number of projects on the go at the moment that are a mix of grants, loans and equity investments and cover a range of waste streams and issues. You can check out more of our past projects here.

We had a board meeting yesterday and again the board reiterated that projects need to show their reduction in environmental impact first and foremost. We are super keen to see the waste reduction numbers for the waste stream your project deals with.

If you have an idea that requires financial assistance we may be able to help. Call myself (Olivia Day, General Manager) to discuss if you are eligible and if we can help. Our number is 03 3655655.

Light at the end of the tunnel Hidcote Manor Garden

Yesterday the Ministry for the Environment announced that it was into the first stage of looking at all the eligible applications to its Waste Minimisation Fund. All 164 of them. That means some  might have missed out as they were not eligible.

If that is you or someone you know you might be eligible for financial assitance from us, the Sustainable Initiatives Fund Trust. Check how to apply here.

With 164 applications requesting $55 million from a total of only $6 million there will be many who do not receive funding for what are possibly worthy projects. If you have a project that is focussed on Canterbury feel free to call or email us to discuss whether or not your project might be eligible for funding from us.

Photo source: AntonyChammond Flickr

Picture window from spmaxi on Flickr

5% or 11,579 tonnes of waste that went to Kate Valley landfill the year to June 2009 was a metal. Types of metals that end up in landfill are broken up into two types 1) Ferrous (steel based metal products) and 2) Non-Ferrous (Aluminium, Copper and Lead based products). For the Christchurch figures we work from the amount of metal that was sent to Kate Valley landfill in the year to June 2009 increased 52% and nationwide metal represents 4.5% (4% Ferrous and 0.5% non Ferrous).

Interestingly, the Scrap Metal Association stated that for 2006 between 495,000 and 550,000 tonnes of scrap metal was diverted from landfill in New Zealand.

Types of waste table and Scrap Metal Industry figure sourced from MfE here.

**Source – Christchurch City Council, based on % breakdowns of waste sent to landfill as sourced from the Christchurch City Council’s 2008 solid waste survey conducted between July and December 2008. The figures are indicative only.

Source: Flickr Trippykel

From the Ministry for the Environment site: approx 600,000 units of whiteware are sold each year, over half are imported into New Zealand. MfE estimates that whiteware could represent between 48,000 and 56,000 tonnes of waste per year (out of the estimated 80,000 tonnes of e-waste). Some is sold by second hand stores, some is recovered, crushed and parts recycled and others go straight to landfill leaching hazardous substances such as lead, cadmium, brominated flame retardants and CFCs (in pre 1995 refrigerators). The MfE states that most whiteware is not ending up in landfill but being recycled (especially steel components) and that there are two Product Stewardship Schemes currently in operation by Fisher and Paykel and Electrolux.

More information on whiteware and a Product Stewardship Programme here.

Scoop article on the most energy efficient refrigerator from Electrolux here with top 10 tips on buying an energy efficient fridge.

Practical Action: When looking to buy a new piece of whiteware ensure it is the most energy efficient one you can buy (check for the Energy Star labelling – the most energy efficient fridges and freezers will have a blue energy star label) and check with the dealer you buy from that they can take your old one and that it will be recycled.

Recently, the government announced that the city and district councils around the country (73 in all) will receive the first payment from the Waste Minimisation Fund of $3 million dollars. The Waste Minimisation Fund is made up of the levies taken from landfills from around the country.

“The Waste Minimisation Act discourages waste disposal by imposing a levy of $10 per tonne of waste on disposal facilities such as landfills. Half of the money collected is allocated to councils on a population basis to spend on minimising waste in their area and the remaining levy money, minus administration costs, is made available for waste projects and education through the Waste Minimisation Fund.” said Environment Minister Hon. Dr. Nick Smith.

Here is how much each council will get in Canterbury:

• Christchurch City Council $263,175
• Timaru District Council $32,378
• Waimakariri District Council $32,353
• Selwyn District Council $25,428
• Ashburton District Council $20,674
• Hurunui District Council $7,913
• Kaikoura District Council $2,735

That’s a total of $384,656. Even though this is an excellent use of the levy from landfills the question is – will this money be enough to fund priority waste minimisation projects across Canterbury councils? Will it be enough to make a real and lasting difference to our waste?

More information here and here.

The Kate Valley Landfill site looking South-East