We recently caught up with Vinnie Callister, the founder of event waste management company
Waste Wizards, who has recently embarked on a new venture with the launch of his charity
Make Waste History.
This initiative aims to address the various costs associated with waste in New Zealand, beyond just the financial aspect. Vinnie is a current client of Moore Markhams Wellington, working directly with
Bruce Stormer - Director.
SINGLE USE IS NO USE
“There are significant environmental, logistical, and emissions costs that come with single-use packaging, which is often made overseas, packaged, and shipped, contributing to a cycle of waste production”, said Vinnie.
While New Zealand has taken the lead in banning single use produce bags, the country's consumption of disposable coffee cups remains high. The Packaging Forum estimated in 2019 that New Zealanders used 295 million disposable coffee cups annually. Vincent now believes this number is closer to a million cups per day. Unfortunately, these cups, which are not recyclable, end up in landfills, posing a significant environmental cost to satisfy our daily caffeine cravings While some cups are compostable, the majority cannot be composted at home, creating a challenge in waste management.
“Single use cups are in fact, an example of greenwashing. The name speaks for itself, they are single use and a waste of resources,” says Vinnie. “While some coffee cups are technically compostable, they require controlled environments for composting due to their PLA (polylactic acid) and Aqueous lining. Unfortunately, there are no facilities (in the Bay of Plenty) that accept compostable packaging. Additionally, these cups do not contribute any nutrients to the compost, essentially resulting in the creation of dead soil.”
INVESTING IN A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE
Vinnie believes that investing in higher quality products is not just a one-time purchase but an investment in a sustainable future. “I am passionate about ensuring that there is no compromise on safety, particularly in avoiding the harmful effects of plastic, such as microplastics”, said Vinnie.
“We are replacing single use packaging with reusable, high quality consumer packaging. When you spend more, and get higher quality, you’re making an investment, not a one-off purchase”, says Vinnie. “Even though a single use coffee cup can be made for a fraction of the cost, think about the environmental implications due to manufacturing wastage, emissions, shipping etc. When you conduct a life-cycle analysis of single use plastic products, you quickly realise there is a huge problem.”
POOR WASTE MANAGEMENT
The inspiration behind Make Waste History stems from Vinnie's personal experiences managing waste at various events, which have left a lasting impact on him. “From attending multiple events over the years, I have seen firsthand the mismanagement of event waste,” says Vinnie.
One innovative solution that Vinnie has developed to aid event waste management is transparent bins that are specified for different waste types. This approach not only makes their operation more efficient but also contributes to the main goal of diverting waste from landfills. “Boosting efficiency is the best way to eliminate waste”, says Vinnie.
'MAKE WASTE HISTORY' MAKING A DIFFERENCE
Vinnie envisions building a fleet of high-quality reusable packaging to provide resources to a wide range of industries. Additionally, Make Waste History will offer consultancy, education, and compost systems to help reduce waste sent to landfills.
Through Make Waste History, Vinnie Callister is not only making a difference in waste management but also inspiring others to rethink their approach to sustainability. As he aptly puts it, "When you spend more and get higher quality, you're making an investment, not just a one-off purchase."
“Humankind is magic, and its habitat is worth protecting. That's why Waste Wizards aspire to Make Waste History.”