Composting to a sustainable future

Innovative post-harvest operator Trevelyan's is well on track to meet its aim of producing zero waste and be carbon and water neutral in future.

A compost trial carried out at its 20ha Te Puke site saw almost 50 tandem trailers of garden waste and 500 bins of production waste turned into an estimated 30 tonnes of compost during this year's kiwifruit packing season.


Trevelyan's is not only packing fruit, it's also making compost and saving money by doing so.

The continued development of its recycling hub has meant more than 350 bales of waste has been diverted from landfill so far this year.

Trevelyan's executive director, Alister Hawkey, says the impressive results will further enhance the company's fast-growing reputation for being leaders in sustainable business practice within the kiwifruit and avocado industries.

'Our sustainability framework helps guide every business decision made at Trevelyan's,” he says.

'Our vision is ‘to be a successful business that takes care of the world and its people, because we care about our growers, our staff and our community'.”

The environmental initiatives are also directly reducing landfill, transport and energy costs.

Trevelyan's sustainability coordinator, Rachel Brodie, says the compost trial involved grounds staff developing a closed-loop solution for pack house and garden waste over the past 12 months.

'Previously we trucked this waste to landfill or burnt it,” adds Alister. 'But turning it into compost on site and spreading it over our gardens, lawns and orchards reduces our contribution to leachate and methane from landfills, as well as carbon emissions.

'This is important because to be a truly sustainable business we need greater control over external factors such as increases in waste disposal levies and transport costs.”

The compost trial (developed in consultation with BioGro and Kiwifruit Vine Health) is ongoing, with avocado waste and kiwifruit flower waste from No. 1 Pollen milling operation now also being processed.

Collaborations with service providers for turning and spreading the compost has also been part of the success.

Meanwhile, Trevelyan's recycling hub continues to save the company a significant sum of money. Waste-to-landfill expenses have fallen 90 per cent since cardboard and general purpose compacting machines were installed on site in 2010 and 2012.

More than 200 bales of cardboard have been recycled so far this year, along with 43 bales of shrinkwrap and trayliner plastics, six bales of plix trays, 11 bales of strapping, 17 kiwifruit bins of bubble wrap and 88 bales of fruit label paper tailings.

Alister says the company's sustainability experience is now being sought-out by researchers and academics.

The company has recently contributed to studies at Auckland University and Aalto University in Finland, as well as a Zespri project on changes to industry carbon emissions.

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