Sustainability

A multi-faceted approach to its responsibilities as a manufacturer means Marley promotes the use of renewable energy, recycles its products, designs ranges that encourage sustainability, and works hard to reduce the amount of materials it consumes.

The building and construction sector is one of the significant contributors to greenhouse gases, through the manufacture of materials, during the construction of buildings, and from the energy used once they are completed and operational.

Along with most of the world, the New Zealand Government is actively planning ways to achieve its climate change goals, including net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.

Using renewable energy sources and recycling materials are both essential parts of this equation, and most industries are now looking at how they can improve their systems, technology and practices to become more sustainable.

Marley, one of New Zealand’s largest plastics manufacturers, is an excellent example of an iconic local company that is actively working to improve its practices. Owned by Aliaxis group, a privately owned global business based in Belgium, Marley is strongly focused on achieving a number of ambitious sustainability goals.

Scott Townsend, general manager of marketing at Marley, says the company is committed to these goals and knows that the people that specify, install and use its products – architects, builders and homeowners to name just a few – increasingly are too.

Aliaxis has a goal globally to reach 100 per cent renewable electricity by 2025 to help reduce CO₂ emissions by 75 per cent per tonne of production across its sites. As part of that goal, in New Zealand, we have joined Meridian Energy’s Certified Renewable Energy programme. This means we support Meridian’s sustainability commitment to only generate electricity from 100 per cent renewable sources – the wind, water and sun.

Marley: manufacturing its products sustainably by using renewable energy

“We hope by being part of this programme more businesses are encouraged to join, which will put pressure on other electricity producers and drive the demand for renewable energy. New Zealand’s goal is to be using 100 per cent renewable energy by 2030 and we would love to see that happen even faster,” says Scott.

At the same time, Marley is continually developing other innovative initiatives to reduce the company’s environmental footprint.

We are always looking at developing new products that use less energy in their production or contribute in some way by having less environmental impact.

Twist^®, a compact rainwater diverter, is a good example – it’s made from 100% recyclable materials and is designed to help households reduce their overall use of mains water. It is easily connected to an existing downpipe system, diverting rainwater to a storage facility such as a tank or barrel for watering the garden, washing the car or running water features. Depending on the rainfall, Twist^® can capture up to 300 litres of water per hour and can be turned off to resume normal downpipe flow.

“We see this as a great way for homeowners in urban areas to easily utilise rainwater and, at the same time, reduce pressure on infrastructure,” says Scott.

Marley’s leaf and debris diverter Curve^® is also made from 100 per cent recyclable material; it’s a diverter that can be added onto downpipes to protect tanks and stormwater systems from leaves and debris. As well as improving the quality of water going into tanks, it also reduces the amount of debris entering the stormwater system and ultimately reduces problems of blocked and overflowing sewers.

Both Curve^® and Twist^® are available in the full colour range from the Marley Stratus Design Series^® to ensure they blend seamlessly into the downpipe system.

Recycling as much production waste as possible is a key initiative that Marley takes very seriously, and the company recycles over 99 per cent of its own production waste, grinding, crushing and reusing products that don’t meet its stringent quality standards.

We are increasingly taking products back from contractors and consumers to avoid them being sent to landfill, and we recycle them into new products.

“This may mean when plumber replace parts like stormwater pipe systems, we take back the old products and recycle them, or it could be off-cuts left over at the end of a job.”

Marley: working with the business community to encourage recycling 

Partnering with other businesses and customers is part of the strategy to become more sustainable. Scott cites the example of its partnership with Mitre 10 and Naylor Love for a project at Onehunga High School.

“We provide recycling bins on-site for subcontractors to put PVC product waste into, and we collect the bins and take them back to our factory for recycling. We see the demand for these relationships increasing as the government takes steps to encourage and incentivise waste minimisation. Even now, it is becoming more expensive for construction companies to send waste to landfill.”

“We have also run several trials with one of our key customers, Plumbing World, providing dedicated uPVC and PE recycling bins at their branches so that plumbers and drainlayers can return off-cuts or end=of-life product. The bins are regularly collected and product returned to Marley for recycling.

Another initiative is to accept uPVC and PE from other manufacturers that don’t have the recycling resources that Marley has invested in. This ranges from taking the off-cuts from a company that makes vinyl records to processing old milk bottles, and equates to around 100,000kg per year from external sources – all of which would otherwise have gone to landfill.

“Our aim is to try and create a circular economy for uPVC and PE. Both are fantastic materials for use in building and infrastructure products where durability and high performance are essential and both are infinitely recyclable. If you can keep it in the circulation loop, you reduce the need for new material to be produced and reduce the embodied energy of future products and therefore buildings” says Scott.

“We are also actively reviewing all our products to increase the recycled content where possible, or to reduce the amount of material in the product where we can do this without affecting its quality. Both these help to further reduce the amount of uPVC or PE that is needed.”

Marley’s efforts in this area are recognised in the number of certifications it has earned. It was the first NZ plastics manufacturer in NZ to achieve ISO1401 environmental accreditation 16 years ago; its products are BEP-certified and certified for use on GreenStar projects.

Learn more about Marley’s sustainability goals and the products it produces.

Often, when we’re confronted by the big issues in the world, we think there’s nothing we can do about them. But when it comes to the environment, it’s the small things we do that count. Here are 8 simple and creative ways to make your home eco-friendlier, so that you can do your bit for the universe, your conscience and your wallet.

1. Start a compost bin

Composting is a great way to recycle waste and do good for your garden. You’ll find all types of compost bins at your local hardware store or, you can build your own.

Compost bins take care of most of your vegetable and fruit scraps, tea leaves and coffee grounds (apparently worms are coffee connoisseurs) egg shells, grass and hedge clippings. You can add a shred or two of newspaper or cardboard to the mix but don’t overdo it. Don’t add animal waste though – it doesn’t break down very easily and can attract pests.

2. Cool down the fridge

It sounds bizarre, but keeping your fridge cool on the outside can actually cut down on running costs. That means not having your fridge right next to your oven, in direct sunlight, or installing your fridge in a tight space so that there isn’t enough air circulating around it to keep it cool.

The inside temperature of your fridge is even more important in keeping costs to a minimum. The colder the temperature, the more power is used. Freezers should be kept between -15°C and -18°C and fridges between 2°C and 4°C. To help maintain ideal temperature, don’t put hot dishes straight into the fridge and don’t have the door open longer than necessary.

If you’re about to go shopping for a new fridge don’t overlook the Energy Rating Label. The more stars the better.

3. Bring plants indoors

Pot plants inside the home can be little miracle workers. Some increase the level of oxygen in the air, others reduce pollutants and airborne dust, some keep air temperatures down, and nearly all are good for the soul. Plus, they look great!

If you don’t have a green thumb, start small. Get an easy-care cactus, or an Aspidistra, which are incredibly difficult to kill. But once you’ve got a taste of the nature indoors, you’ll be hooked. Fortunately, there is every imaginable shape, size and colour of indoor plant at a garden centre near you.

Some popular indoor plants are:

• The Rubber Tree
• Split Leaf Philodendron
• Mother-in-law’s Tongue
• Peace Lily
• Fiddle Leaf Fig
• Heart Leaf Philodendron

4. Do your dishes the right way

A dishwasher is a great labour saver, and if you stick to a few simple rules it can also be a highly efficient use of resources too.

The main rule is: only use it when you have a full load. Then you’re making the most of the detergent, the water and the electricity the dishwasher uses. A full load is not just throwing things in anywhere as well. You’ll be amazed how many more items you can get into a dishwasher if you stack it properly.

And there’s no need to rinse before you load either. Modern dishwashers should have sufficient grunt to remove it all in the wash. Eco tip: use dishwashing powders or liquids that are free of phosphates.

5. Green up your cleaning routine

Supermarket shelves are groaning with every imaginable cleaning product. But many aren’t too friendly to the environment. However, there are now many eco-friendly products on the market too. These are cleaning products that are non-toxic, biodegradable and made from renewable resources meaning they are gentler on the environment. Take some time out to look into brands before you go shopping, a little bit of research about chemicals can go a long way!

Pro Tip: One of the best ways to keep your house floors clean, is to leave the dirt at the door. Try a socks or bare feet approach inside, you’ll be amazed what a difference that makes to the amount of cleaning you have to do.

6. Support suppliers who care about the environment

You have a lot of power in your pocket when it comes to who you buy from. If a company doesn’t have an environmental policy in place, or doesn’t have the same ethical and environmental interests you have, then you shouldn’t have to buy from them. Not only is ecological sustainable development good for the planet, it’s good for business!

Marley is a New Zealand manufacturer that takes environmental matters seriously. We have some very ambitious goals such as reaching 100% renewable electricity by 2025 with the help of Meridian Energy’s Certified Renewable Energy programme. Read more here.

In addition, we’ve cut water consumption by 63% since 2007, substantially reduced energy use, eliminated environmentally damaging raw materials, minimised waste to landfill by 57%, introduced recycling programmes and more. Plus, every year, processes and procedures are measured and evaluated to ensure that the manufacture, distribution and use of product has a minimum effect on the natural environment. Read more about our policies here.

7. Save water and use what you can for free

For years, water has been something we in New Zealand have taken for granted. But not any longer. We’re beginning to realise just how precious it is and why we should conserve it. A great place to start doing that is in the home.

There are a number of simple things every household can do to cut water usage and reduce those water bills:

• Turn the tap off when you brush your teeth
• Have showers not baths
• Fix any dripping taps
• Harvest rainwater from your roof
• Install a Marley Twist^® – a rainwater diverter that easily turns your downpipe into a tap. Connect a hose and feed it into a small tank to get a free source of water for the garden, topping up the pool, cleaning pets or even an emergency supply. Check it out here.

8. Keep your drinking water safe and healthy

Fortunately, most urban water supplies in New Zealand are very safe. But as our population grows and land use intensifies we need to be extra vigilant to keep impurities and other contaminants out of our drinking water.

Charcoal filters can now be easily connected to kitchen taps and they provide an additional line of defence against water nasties. Some remove the chlorine taste too.

Rural homes are still largely dependent on tank water so keeping tanks and guttering clean and well maintained is vital. So too is stopping leaves and debris going into your tank which can be achieved with the new Marley Curve^TM.

The Marley Curve leaf diverter is a very simple, effective way of keeping unwanted debris out of your water supply. It’s incredibly easy to install –just fit it onto an existing downpipe and it needs little maintenance. You’ll find everything you need to know about the Marly Curve here.

It really doesn’t have to be hard – get started now on small changes to help make a big impact!