| Year |
Decision |
Result |
| 2005 |
We approached the country schools
and offered them a share in the surpluses if they would
coordinate the collection and delivery of bale wrap from
the farms.
|
We were not prepared for the amount
of bale wrap that came in – particularly as the
condition of most of it was very dirty and contaminated
with the mesh that is also used to hold the bales of
grass together, as well as bits and pieces picked up off
of the farms. To clean it we tried many and varied
different process ranging from hanging to dry then
sweeping off the dried mud, cutting of the most soiled
parts and washing in an old bath or hosing down and
sweeping with brooms. This made the whole operation
very labour intensive. |
| We decided that
we needed to look ahead years and procure equipment and
facilities that would enable us to be a serious player
in the recycling market. Consequently, in 2006 we
started fundraising for a new complex that will house
all of our recycling activities. We have raised almost
250000 so far. |
| 2006 |
The processing of recycled wood
continued as systems and methods were refined. |
A new machine was designed to assist
in the dismantling of the wooden pallets and additional
markets cemented in, with the policy of quality and
always “under promise and over deliver” being the
cornerstone of this service. |
| The tonnage of recycled items that
processed at the Kerbside rose to exceed 1800 tonnes per
annum. |
The environment is enhanced by a
huge reduction on items that would otherwise go into the
landfill. Utilising recycled materials means that
natural resources are not reduced at the same frenetic
pace as other places and pollution is reduced as a
consequence. |
| We established a Business
Collections Depot, employing five people. It operates
independently of (but in close liaison with) the
Kerbside recycling Site. |
The main items collected are plastic
bags, shrink film, poly prop bags, car bumpers and bale
wrap. By 2009, we will have collected, sorted, baled,
and dispatched in excess of 1000 tonnes of product. |
| 2007 |
A major competitor of firewood and
kindling wood closed down and SDE gained almost the
whole market throughout Southland. |
This placed immense pressure on our
organisation for the winter of 2008, but with our
systems and procedures in place, we stepped up
production to some 12,000 bags or 120 tonnes of kindling
wood annually. |
| 2008 |
We had been educating
the farmers about the importance of keeping the bale
wrap clean. This year we received and processed over
100 tonne of bale wrap, and to date have returned over
$15,000.00 to the 43 schools involved. |
We put the material through a
washing cycle in a commercial washing machine. (The
first one was purchased in 2007, with a second one being
bought in 2008). |
| The price difference between clean
products versus soiled product can be as much as $50.00
US per tonne so the exercise is worthwhile financially.
|
| We use a moisture meter to ensure we
meet international standards regarding the quality of
our firewood and kindling. |
No wood is sold unless the moisture
content is below 20% which is the level that determines
the wood being burnt is dry. |
| Firewood sales
have increased to such an extent, that in the middle of
winter our supply is exhausted and we have to turn
customers away. |
