SafetyNews New Zealand - Aotearoa's industrial safety news for decision-makers
New Zealand

Circular economy Stories

Kiwi Stories

Circular economy stories

Opportunity to piggyback on recycling contaminated soil
Sustainability

Opportunity to piggyback on recycling contaminated soil

Victoria’s new soil-washing plant will let construction firms reuse polluted earth, easing landfill pressure as infrastructure demand rises.

By Staff Writer • 3 min read • Sat, 9th May 2026
2026 World Battery & Energy Storage Industry Expo in China
Manufacturing

2026 World Battery & Energy Storage Industry Expo in China

The Guangzhou expo will draw global buyers to battery and energy storage suppliers seeking new trade opportunities in September 2026.

By Staff Writer • 1 min read • Tue, 7th Apr 2026
Paving Hawaiian roads with recycled plastics and abandoned fishing nets
Sustainability

Paving Hawaiian roads with recycled plastics and abandoned fishing nets

Hawaii is testing whether roadbuilding can reduce landfill pressure by turning marine debris and household plastic into asphalt without extra shedding.

By Staff Writer • 5 min read • Sat, 28th Mar 2026
Air con investment brings jobs with recycling benefits built in
Data centers

Air con investment brings jobs with recycling benefits built in

A Christchurch logistics hub will keep climate-damaging refrigerant out of landfill, cutting emissions and easing supply pressures for heat pump owners.

By Staff Writer • 6 min read • Sun, 22nd Feb 2026
From Problem to Produce: Rethinking Sanitation in a World of Scarcity
Climate change

From Problem to Produce: Rethinking Sanitation in a World of Scarcity

Water scarcity is pushing researchers to turn treated wastewater into a safe irrigation source, easing pressure on farms and rivers.

By Staff Writer • 3 min read • Thu, 12th Feb 2026
Time to address the elephant in the room — renewables
Agricultural Technology

Time to address the elephant in the room — renewables

Weak methane controls could blunt the benefits of biogas and RNG, making leak detection crucial for farms, utilities and SME alike.

By Staff Writer • 6 min read • Thu, 12th Feb 2026
Think donor registries not a bank of materials
Digital twins

Think donor registries not a bank of materials

Material passports will fail to deliver reuse at scale unless builders can match salvaged components with compatible new projects.

By Staff Writer • 5 min read • Thu, 5th Feb 2026
The economics of refurbishment vs. replacement
Power / Energy

The economics of refurbishment vs. replacement

Refurbishing ageing waste-to-energy plants can cost a third as much as rebuilding, with SWANA saying the choice could secure landfill capacity for decades.

By Staff Writer • 11 min read • Mon, 8th Dec 2025
Rubber hits the road in South Island trial
Local Government

Rubber hits the road in South Island trial

Residents in Glentunnel could see New Zealand’s first rubber road next January as Selwyn District weighs a trial using recycled tyres.

By Staff Writer • 3 min read • Wed, 19th Nov 2025
Waste to worth to a circular economy
Clean technologies

Waste to worth to a circular economy

Austria’s green sector is growing despite a weak economy, while a Polish WtE plant has cut landfill use from 90% to 12% in a decade.

By Staff Writer • 4 min read • Wed, 15th Oct 2025
Add a little salt and kiss lithium goodbye
Clean technologies

Add a little salt and kiss lithium goodbye

A German pilot due in 2027-28 could store renewable power for months, offering a long-lived alternative to costly lithium-ion batteries.

By Staff Writer • 2 min read • Wed, 1st Oct 2025
Enhanced steel frame design for seismic resilience
Sustainability

Enhanced steel frame design for seismic resilience

Engineers in earthquake-prone New Zealand now have updated guidance aimed at reducing building damage and improving safety in major tremors.

By Staff Writer • 5 min read • Sat, 26th Jul 2025
The E-waste security crisis
Data Protection

The E-waste security crisis

Old computers and discarded phones are exposing organisations to data theft, with up to a fifth of cyber incursions occurring at disposal time.

By Staff Writer • 4 min read • Thu, 29th May 2025
Manufacturing’s next ‘Henry Ford moment’
Robotics

Manufacturing’s next ‘Henry Ford moment’

Only 30% of manufacturers have scaled Industry 4.0 beyond pilots, leaving billions in value on the table as AI and automation spread.

By Staff Writer • 5 min read • Tue, 20th May 2025
Cover for harsh conditions
Internet of Things

Cover for harsh conditions

The new coating will help Philips outdoor luminaires last longer in harsh weather, cutting replacements and reducing manufacturing resources.

By Staff Writer • 3 min read • Wed, 9th Apr 2025
The way it is and the way it should be
Digital Transformation

The way it is and the way it should be

A skilled labour crunch, weak investment and slow policy change are set to keep Aotearoa New Zealand’s construction sector under strain in 2025.

By Staff Writer • 12 min read • Wed, 12th Feb 2025

Global Stories

Circular economy stories

Stories from Other Regions

Circular economy stories

Sydney community drive expands e-waste recycling at university
Clean technologies

Sydney community drive expands e-waste recycling at university

Konica Minolta Australia, Macquarie University and ANZRP's TechCollect launch Sydney drive to recycle e-waste via free drop-off events and campus bins.

By Melania Watson • 4 min read • Tue, 26th Aug 2025