Waste Management’s electric innovation wins KNZB award

Waste Management has won the Keep New Zealand Beautiful award for the most sustainable large business.

The waste disposal company gained the award for businesses with more than 20 staff for establishing New Zealand’s first conversion workshop the Electric Vehicle Innovation Hub to replace its fossil fuel powered vehicles with electrics.

Since opening the hub in March, Waste Management now has six electric trucks saving 125 litres of diesel daily per truck, and it has also replaced 26 light vehicles – saving nearly 50,000 litres of petrol.

Announcing the awards, KNZB notes Waste Management’s long-term commitment to waste optimisation, energy efficiency and research and innovation has already seen it make a significant difference by producing electricity from landfill generation and alternative fuels by hazardous waste.

Among 15 awards presented, Dunedin was named the Most Beautiful City, Taupo the Most Beautiful Large Town and Raglan took out the Most Beautiful Small Town and the Supreme Award.
The Local Hero Award went to Wayne Davis who chairs Keep West Auckland Beautiful and who has worked in the automotive industry for many years.

“The Beautiful Awards celebrate the incredible inroads into sustainability, environmental excellence and community beautification that New Zealand is making as a nation,” KNZB chief executive officer Heather Saunderson says.