The waste process

Finding the right home

While APL is working hard to build a more circular business, not every material is able to be repurposed. That’s why we’re working closely with Enviro NZ, a materials management and resource recovery company.

The aim is to reduce the amount of waste we send to landfill by 50% through circular practices, recycling and diverting food waste.

All of our recycling goes to the Hamilton Materials Recycling Facility, a critical piece of Enviro NZ's nationwide infrastructure. At this facility, the paper, cardboard, grade 1, 2 and 5 plastics, tin and aluminium collected from roadside wheelie bins are sorted and separated with the help of optical sorting technology, imaging sensors, magnets and eddy currents.

World-class facilities

After diverting all food waste and recyclables, any remaining waste is then taken to Enviro NZ's Hampton Downs Resource and Energy Precinct facility, an 87 hectare class 1 site that serves the fast-growing regions of Waikato, Bay of Plenty and Auckland.

The site is consented to safely dispose of 30 million cubic metres of waste in its lifetime and, based on current volumes, it is not expected to reach capacity until sometime around 2055. When that time comes, the landfill will be covered in clay and can safely return to farmland.

Just as APL is looking to turn its waste streams into revenue streams, Enviro NZ runs a ‘Gas to Energy-Recovery’ initiative at the Hampton Downs facility, where methane gas (a greenhouse gas) to electricity generated. Methane gas generated under the landfill is captured, filtered, and cleaned to drive seven engines. The landfill generates power for approximately 6000 households in the region.

Hampton Downs has also scaled up its organics infrastructure to capture more food scraps and green waste that might have otherwise ended up in landfill and turn it into nutrient-rich compost.

Moving forward

Through our partnership with Enviro NZ we undertake annual waste monitoring reviews, enabling us to assess current process and identify areas of opportunity, to further increase diversion from landfill by highlighting new diversion streams.

More stories

Soft plastic recycling

Continuing our journey to circularity through our partnership with PACT Recycling, the largest recycler of post-industrial plastic in the Southern Hemisphere.

An aligned future with Toitū

Independent assessments and accreditations are crucial and that’s why we’re working closely with Toitū Envirocare, one of the country’s leading carbon certification organisations.

Working towards a circular economy

They say you can’t manage what you don’t measure, and that’s why a partnership was established with environmental consultancy Circularity to explore the impacts of all their waste streams.

Diversion from landfill

By collecting food scraps, we're helping power local homes and protect the environment.

The importance of ThermalHEART®

While reducing the environmental impact of construction is a major focus of the building industry, another big focus is on reducing the amount of energy that’s required to run those buildings when they’re completed.

Environmental Product Declaration

Three of APL’s window and door ranges have been the subject of an independent environmental and life cycle assessment by external consultants.

Biodiversity Initiative a New Zealand First

Profile Group, parent company to APL Window Solutions, has become the first participant in a new biodiversity market, purchasing biodiversity units from Sanctuary Mountain Maungatautari, in the South Waikato.

Going Electricity-Neutral

The parent company to APL Window Solutions, Profile Group, has acquired renewable energy certificates from Kawatiri Energy.

The power of the ocean

At APL, we understand the power of the ocean, and what it means to our fellow New Zealanders. We play in it. We eat from it. We live by it. It connects us all.

Homes of the future

A major sustainability project by Kāinga Ora, the government’s public housing agency, will use a new, thermally efficient product range from APL Window Solutions.

Closing the loop on waste

We’ve introduced a series of day-to-day sustainability initiatives aimed at circulating high value materials, innovating new solutions and designing out waste and emissions across the business.

Hautapu ~ Our Green building

We planned carefully to make our large, new manufacturing facility at Hautapu an example of ‘best practice’ sustainable design and construction.

Upgrading for the environment

In 2016 APL upgraded it's powdercoating lines to achieve an environmentally-friendly standard.

'Declared'

Leading the way

At APL, we are well on the way to reinventing the way we do business.