Environment

Dams could be Bay’s biggest investment

Two big dams and lakes are now being proposed to supply new irrigation schemes which will provide water to 90 percent of the Ruataniwha Plains in Central Hawke’s Bay at an estimated cost of $200 million – the biggest single investment ever made in the province.

The Ruataniwha Plains have suffered droughts in the last three years. One site is in the foothills inland from Tikokino on State Highway 50 and the other is further south, close to SH2 between Norsewood and Takapau.

Central Hawke’s Bay mayor Peter Butler says the dams will bring tremendous economic benefits. He says 200-300 farms are likely to benefit directly, and there will be gains for the wider community and the environment. The potential economic benefit has been put at $500 million a year.

"This dam is going to be nearly 100 metres tall, the wall of the dam and go back seven or eight kilometres - there's a massive amount of water there,” Mr Butler says.

However, the mayors of Napier and Hastings have asked the Hawkes Bay Regional Council to produce an independent economic analysis of the proposed dam scheme.

The regional council and its investment company have made applications to the Environmental Protection Authority on the project, which would supply water to about 25,000 hectares of land from a dam on a tributary of the Tukituki River.

Hastings mayor Lawrence Yule says the regional council is proposing to invest tens of millions of dollars of ratepayer money in the dam. He says both he and his Napier counterpart Barbara Arnott want to make sure the project does not place regional ratepayers at risk.

He says the regional council, which is driving the project, is considering investing up to $80 million of ratepayer money - the largest single investment ever in Hawke's Bay.

Power generation could be built into the dams, which would make the project more viable.

The northerly dam would be 68 metres high on the Makaroro Stream and form a lake covering 272 hectares. The second dam would go on the Makaretu Stream.

The latest proposals removed the need to pump water into storage lakes, and could probably supply piped water to farms under pressure. Water would be released from the lakes into the natural waterways and some of it channelled out for irrigation further down the system.

Council staff will spend 18 months checking the geology of the sites, ecological aspects and the demand for water from farmers. Twelve landowners would be directly affected by the lakes.

The chairman of the project leadership group, Central Hawke's Bay farmer Sam Robinson, said his community was "surprisingly supportive".

Excellence at 2013 NZ Hi-Tech Awards

At the NZ Hi-Tech Awards 2013 Gala Dinner in mid-May, the night belonged to the twelve award winners, selected by a 50 strong national and international judging panel.

The Hi-Tech Awards programme recognises excellence across New Zealand’s technology sector and, according to the judges, the calibre of this year’s entrants was outstanding.

Now in their 19th year, the New Zealand Hi-Tech Awards celebrate the success of our producers of goods and services from the software, electronics, telecommunications, mobile, agritech, creative and other hi-tech industries. The Awards are run by the NZ Hi-Tech Trust, a not-for-profit organisation that supports and promotes the wider industry.

Xero took out top honours this year, winning the PwC Company of the Year category as well as the HSBC and NZMEA over $5million export category. The judges in the Company of the Year category were full of praise for Xero.

"The hallmarks of a great company are focused leadership, rational planning, and superb results in the market, Xero exhibits all of these,” stated one judge. Another international judge remarked “Xero is executing the Web 2.0 playbook perfectly, blending brand building, product development, capital raising and value creation, and global expansion. Xero is the new benchmark for product-based tech companies in NZ."

Meanwhile, fellow cloud software company, Vend, took out both the HSBC and NZMEA under $5million export category and the State Government of Victoria Services category.

“Vend’s objective of ‘moving every bricks and mortar retailer onto the cloud’ and its execution of a strategy to achieve this goal impressed us. With thousands of retailer customers in more than 100 countries, Vend is well on the way to being a real NZ IT success story and has plenty of growth left in it yet,” the judges said.

Amongst the winners in other categories were several first time entrants, including Wynyard Group, ikeGPS, Carnival Labs and Trigger Happy. NZ Hi-Tech Trust Chair Wayne Norrie says this is a great sign for the industry.

“It’s exciting and gratifying to see a whole new generation of Kiwi technology companies coming through and achieving at this level they represent a strong and vibrant future for what is an increasingly important industry for the country.”

“Tonight’s finalists are all incredibly innovative, creative and very, very smart and it’s great to see so many new success stories emerging. It’s a key reason why our industry continues to be the fastest growing contributor to New Zealand’s export economy. We should all be very proud of that.”

Mr Norrie said the Hi-Tech Awards programme continues to go from strength-to-strength every year, with 2013 seeing a record number of first-time entrants and record attendance at all events.

“We’ve also attracted fantastic local and international judges that would be the envy of any awards programme in the world,” Mr Norrie said, “Our twelve strong international judging panel included co-founder of Apple, Steve Wozniak, the director of engineering for Google in New York, Craig Nevill-Manning; Director of Texas Venture Labs, Rob Adams; Head of IDG Ventures in the US, Pat Kenealy and Cisco’s senior vice president, Howard Charney as well as an array of high profile Kiwi ex-pats.”

“It is a credit to the high standard of the technology we produce in New Zealand that we can attract such well-known and respected international judges each year,” Mr Norrie concluded.

The 2013 NZ Hi-Tech Award winners:

Fronde Hi-Tech Young Achiever: Robert Bell, UBNZ World Markets/KlickEx Corporation

New Zealand Trade and Enterprise Best Contribution to the New Zealand Hi-Tech Sector by a Multinational Company: Navico

HSBC and NZMEA Hi-Tech Exporter of the Year Award, under $5million: Vend

HSBC and NZMEA Hi-Tech Exporter of the Year Award, over $5million: Xero

Duncan Cotterill Innovative Software Product Award: Wynyard Group

Endace Innovative Hardware Product Award: ikeGPS

State Government of Victoria Innovative Service Product Award: Vend

Telecom Business - Most Innovative Mobile Technology Award: Carnival Labs

NZVIF Pre-commercialisation Company of the Year: Trigger Happy
Special commendation: Performance Lab Technologies

Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment Best Hi-Tech Start-up: BIMstop

Cisco Hi-Tech Emerging Company Award: GreenButton

PwC NZ Hi-Tech Company of the Year Award: Xero

www.hitech.org.nz

Don’t let dust destroy your business

Dust on overhead pipes, purlins and machinery can make any business look unhygienic or unprofessional, but there are far greater risks than giving a poor impression. Damage and the subsequent costs to your business can include the following;

dust residue clogs machinery causing unnecessary wear and costly breakdowns
dust can absorb moisture, fats and other substances. The damp mix can provide an ideal breeding ground for bacteria, mould and rust
dust may contain harmful fibres or chemicals

However, damage caused by dust build up can be spectacular as it is a major fire risk. Dust is highly explosive and a collision or gust of wind can unsettle and lift the dust into the air where any spark could ignite the airborne particles creating a devastating explosion. Dust explosions have the power to flatten concrete factories and warehouses.

What is the solution?

A regular cleaning programme will reduce the risks caused by dust. However, much will depend upon the cleaning method used. Water blasting and compressed air just move the problem from one area to another without removing it. The most effective method is by vacuuming as it ensures that the dust is removed. From a risk management perspective, vacuuming dust from hard to access places above an operational plant is a task for a specialist company. Check that your service provider has established systems in place for risk assessment and a good reputation for safety compliant work practices.

Caterpillar launches 336E H hybrid excavator

Caterpillar, in cooperation with its German dealer, Zeppelin Baumaschinen GmbH, had several different exhibit areas at bauma 2013.

The main indoor stand focused on technology to deliver leading productivity, fuel economy and sustainability. The centre part of the stand showcased:

The new Cat® 336E H hybrid excavator, launched at the show. This revolutionary model uses a new hydraulic technology developed by Caterpillar and delivers uncompromised performance
The 988K wheel loader, was also introduced at the show. It meets the stringent European Union (EU) Stage IV/United States (US) EPA Tier 4 Final emission standards and offers up to 20 percent greater fuel efficiency compared to the previous model
The Cat 966K XE wheel loader, equipped with an advanced powertrain system
The Cat D7E electric drive track-type tractor

Additional Cat machine introductions featured four mini excavators – Cat 302.2D, 302.4D, the compact radius 301.7D and the 308E2, the 444F equal size tyre (EST) backhoe loader and the D6K2 track-type tractor. The recently introduced 318E hydraulic excavator and M313D wheel excavator, the 120M2 AWD motor grader as well as the 91-tonne capacity 777G off-highway truck were also on show.

Optimally matched with the 777G truck, the 6020B hydraulic shovel is a brand new, “clean-sheet” design that made its market debut at bauma. With a 220-tonne operating weight and a 20-tonne payload, the 6020B was the largest Cat machine on display. Designed for simplicity and reliability, the 6020B features a new, state-of-the-art cab design with class-leading visibility, modular construction with walk-through power module for superior serviceability, and a single-engine configuration for superior efficiency.

The broad range of machines displayed includes a full representation of Cat paving products and the introduction of three new models: the AP300D paver and two utility compactors: the CB24B and CB34B XW.

Caterpillar industrial featured a full range of EU Stage IV/U.S. EPA Tier 4 Final engines. These engines span 8.2-895bkW (11-1200bhp) and are used by OEMs in the construction, mining and general industrial sectors. On display was a C2.2 and C7.1 ACERT™ engine, in addition to a C4.4 ACERT and C13 ACERT power unit.

www.uk.cat.com/bauma

Mining suppliers join

Straterra has signed a New Zealand affiliation agreement with Austmine, Australia’s largest industry association of mining equipment, technology and services (METS) suppliers to establish AustmineNZ.

This allows AustmineNZ members to benefit from the Austmine global brand that is made up of a METS sector with some of the world’s leading innovators in mining technology, which boasts sector revenue of over $50 billion and exports of more than $15 billion for Australia to over 100 countries in the world.

Straterra hosted Austmine Executive Officer Robert Trzebski at the first meeting of AustmineNZ.

He emphasised the importance of Austmine in providing New Zealand members with the opportunity to compete in global markets and leverage off the reputation and activities of Austmine.

Straterra Chief Executive Officer Chris Baker says Austmine has done a great job, achieving a lot for Australia and Straterra is proud to be a part of that success.

“AustmineNZ opens up opportunities for New Zealand METS companies to market themselves on the world stage through trade missions, networking events and other promotional activities that Austmine offers.”

IEDA group takes in new and old at A&G Price

A contingent from the Industrial and Engineering Distributors’ Association (IEDA) paid a visit to the 145 year old A&G Price facility in Thames in April.

Informative host A&G Price contracts engineer Garth Doherty combined historical twists and current export market anecdotes as the team learned how the company cut its teeth during the heady days of Coromandel gold mining and the burgeoning New Zealand railway system.

While the original building remains in use it has been augmented substantially over the years and equipped with both people and equipment that combine to make the company internationally competitive.

A&G Price machines, fabricates and refurbishes an impressive range of industrial machinery in all grades of steel and aluminium.

The fully equipped machine shop offers a comprehensive range of services, including CNC machining and gear cutting, and is supported by a dedicated tool room for making and maintaining specialised tools.

The company’s continual expansion policy has seen the CKD lathe (the country’s largest vertical turning lathe) retrofitted with CNC capability. A&G Price

This enables complex shapes to be programmed offline to enhance machine capabilities.

A Zaire 10m horizontal CNC milling machine machines large items such as maxi racing yacht keels in three dimensions.

The fabrication and assembly shops are able to form large section thickness steel plate and can fabricate and weld aluminium to the highest military specifications.

Product from this long established Thames icon is exported to military, mining and other users across an impressive range of international markets.

Doherty puts the company’s success down to teamwork, quality and lack of complex management and communication layers.

When you talk to them, you’re talking to the people who make it.

www.ieda.co.nz

Spray Nozzle Engineering launches new pre-rinse nozzles

Spray Nozzle Engineering has released the Strahman Kwik Clean 3® and Vari-Spray® Pre-Rinse Spray Nozzles for commercial kitchens. These two new industrial-strength wash-down spray nozzles are the result of highly engineered technology in the line of pre-rinse products for commercial food service kitchens, restaurants, hotels, cafeterias and institutional markets.

The new and revolutionary Kwik Clean 3 tri-spray nozzle has outstanding performance with 15.6 seconds cleanability over most at over 20 seconds. In addition to its robust stainless steel body, each of its three tips uses only less than 3.79 LPM and can save up to 640,000 litres of water. Each Kwik Clean 3 is US EPAct 2005 compliant, comes along with a reliable five year warranty and provides a lifetime value at 35 percent savings in hot water, sewer and energy. Kwik Clean 3’s cost effective and durable benefits contribute to the labor savings from our industry-leading cleanability.

Strahman’s Vari-Spray® is the low-flow pre-rinse spray nozzle with top-notch flexibility and superior cleaning performance. Vari-Spray® is an industrial strength nozzle previously with a pre-rinse handle now ingeniously converted into a pre-rinse nozzle. There is an infinite choice of spray patterns (from a hollow cone to a powerful solid jet stream) instantly available at the squeeze of the trigger. Not only does it eliminate the need for a separate handle, Vari-Spray® stands at a low-flow rate of 4.73 LPM at 413 kPa; this consumes 12 percent less water, sewage and energy than the industry standard.

Both Vari-Spray® and Kwik Clean 3 comes along an all stainless steel operating parts with a reliable five year warranty and provides a lifetime value with cost cutting and environmentally friendly benefits.

sales [at] spraynozzle [dot] co [dot] nz%0d">sales [at] spraynozzle [dot] co [dot] nz

Profile extrusion machinery goes down to Red Line

Austrian company Greiner Extrusion has a revolutionary new generation of profile extrusion machinery called Red Line, which includes the Red Line system and Red Tooling.

Greiner engineers reviewed all functions of previous technology and re-engineered with the goal to increase productivity, minimise energy and improve quality for extrusion profile manufacturers.

The Red Line system provides for maximum possible savings in terms of energy and water consumption, securing process reliability and improved handling at the same time.

The Red Line extrusion downstream system consists of Red Cal calibration table and the Red Com haul-off combination unit.

Water consumption is conserved by up to 50 per cent with the closed water circuit system that uses the water twice. Firstly, it is used for calibration – as the water does not flow freely on the calibration table, there is no contamination.

Secondly, the water is reused for the cooling tanks. An internal water circuit with an automatic filter system filters the water and automatically backwash filters removing dirt particles.

The Greiner Energy Saving System (GESS) incorporates a demand actuated control solution that controls individual vacuum and water pumps along with side channel compressors, saving up to 90 percent of energy costs. It also reduces the sound levels by 50 percent to only 10dB.

A guidance system on both sides of the haul-off provides for accurate parallel alignment, ensuring no tension is exerted on the profile. The significantly wider pads can be changed without tools and retrofitting time is reduced by half.

The Red Cut cutting unit provides for the exact cutting of profiles at variable cutting speeds utilizing a rapid tool-less knife changeover enabling tool changeover ‘onthefly’. The PLC control system allows for centralised operation of all functions, data logging, monitoring and evaluation and control of the knife heating.

Red Tooling incorporates tooling features for the toughest demands. Utilizing Flow Control, profile sections can be slowed down or accelerated, variably and accurately utilizing cold or hot air without affecting adjacent solid sections. The post dry calibrator (PDC) improves process stability, quality fluctuations are minimised and roller templates improve surface quality of the profile, resulting in up to 90 percent fewer scratches.

A single multi-pin connector between the Red Line equipment and the extruder eliminates wiring and ensures fast connect/ disconnect eliminating the potential for errors. The modular design also allows customers to retrofit parts of the Red Line into existing lines if required.

Greiner Extrusion is represented in Oceania by HBM Plastics Technologies.

www.hbm.com.au

Clever hose keeps greenhouses green

A greenhouse hose is a critical – and problematic – element for the agricultural industry in the Netherlands.

The Netherlands leads the world in both greenhouse cultivation and the technologies necessary to maintain optimum growing conditions and output. In 2010, the total area for vegetables under glass was 4850 hectares, producing 1540 million kilograms of exported fresh greenhouse vegetables.

There are three main types of greenhouse: “cold”, using the sun as a heat source; “frost”, in which a low-power heating system maintains a small temperature difference between outside and inside temperatures; and “warm”. This last condition is the greenhouse environment typically used by Dutch growers, deploying new technologies and methods in robotics, water and waste recycling, lighting and energy efficiency.

The main Dutch system of greenhouse heating uses an overhead suspended hot water steel pipe network interconnected with flexible hoses that can be raised or lowered to make room for equipment and machinery used inside the greenhouses and to deliver heat to the optimum position of growth for a plant. In the 1980s the hoses used in these systems were constantly giving growers problems, one of the most serious being the release of toxic gases from the hose material that could kill crops.

Trelleborg has found a solution for this.

Olivier Libes, Marketing and Product Development Manager for fluid handling solutions at Trelleborg explains: “In response to serious problems with the hoses being used in many greenhouses, we developed a dedicated hose, Kledam, which has become the de facto standard.

“We worked in collaboration with Dutch greenhouse builders and installers, with substantial input from heating technicians and agricultural engineers, to produce a hose that has exceptional resistance to wearing, aging and weathering. It’s flexible and remarkably reliable, with zero emissions of toxic gases.”

Each year the Kledam hose undergoes and passes rigorous testing.

Andre Persoon is the heating engineer at Certhon, one of Holland’s leading greenhouse design, construction and installation companies.

“We supply greenhouses and installations worldwide and have a reputation for excellence in greenhouse horticulture solutions. It’s vital for us to know that components in our systems are the best.

“There are three critical criteria for the hoses that we use to connect the steel heating loops: The hose material cannot give off any toxic gases, it needs to be flexible and strong to cope with the variations in height of the heating loops, and it must seal cleanly and tightly over the connectors. The Kledam hose system fulfils all these requirements and has never let us down.”

Equally enthusiastic is Arjen Bonneman, director of Arbon Agenturen BV, sole distributor for the Kledam hose in the Netherlands.

“The hose is made of a special EPDM (ethylene propylene diene monomer) compound developed by Trelleborg for the inner tube, reinforced with synthetic textile material,” he says.

“It’s able to withstand temperature ranges of –30°C to +95°C and performs superbly. It has rope-like flexibility, the strength of steel, does not leak, and despite wide variations in environmental conditions is very durable.”

Reinventing the wheel - Protean puts electric motor inside wheel hub

The auto manufacturers of today are chasing reduced carbon emissions, and one company has found a solution in electric traction.

In the push to reduce carbon emissions and meet government targets quickly enough, vehicle manufacturers are looking for ways that allow them to incorporate new elements into existing designs.

This innovative element comes from Protean Electric, which houses an electric motor inside the wheel hub.

The technology, now in the final stages of testing, is a modern development of an old idea. Ferdinand Porsche sold 300 cars using electric in-wheel motors more than a century ago. The ready availability of cheap gasoline put an end to that. Now, however, the escalating economic and environmental costs of gasoline are bringing the potential for in-wheel motors back.

Ken Stewart, vice president, business development at Protean Electric, says the philosophy behind the idea is simple: “Why not put the torque at the wheel? That’s where you need it.”

The idea also has the advantage of freeing up space inside the vehicle. “Not only does the motor fit inside wasted space,” Mr Stewart says, “you don’t need drive shafts, transmission, differential or any mechanical connections. You just press the throttle pedal, which sends a command along a wire to provide more torque at the wheel.”

Protean is still testing the motor on prototypes and expects to go into serial production next year.

The motor would be ideal for retrofitting on a car to augment the existing powertrain. One of the main uses Protean sees in the medium term is for fleet operators who can improve the carbon footprint of their fleet by making all their cars into hybrids with two electric-driven and two conventionally driven wheels, all controlled by smart software.

It will also be useful for manufacturers redesigning existing models. “Companies realise they can meet the increasingly tough environmental norms over the next two or three years with their own technology, but after that they need larger reductions,” Mr Stewart says.

And looking to the future, wheel-based power could lead to the total redesign of the automobile, with, for example, pod-like vehicles moving sideways into parking spaces.

But if the wheel is an ideal home for the motor in some ways, in others it’s the worst possible place. It’s subject to vibrations and road irregularities, it gets splashed with water, and it is often knocked against curbs. So the seals within the in-wheel motors have a difficult job to do. They have to keep foreign matter out of the gap between the rotor and the stator.

The challenge is the wide variety of conditions under which the seal has to work.

“The car could be parked in a puddle in Alaska that freezes overnight,” Mr Stewart says, “but when the motor starts, the seal quickly reaches a potential friction heat of 160^oC.”

Appleton adds to Powertite range

Appleton has released the newest member of its Powertite family of switched hazardous location receptacles, the Powertite FSQC.

The Powertite FSQC is an interlocked receptacle offering NEMA 4X corrosion protection to greatly reduce maintenance and replacement costs, especially in wet or marine environments.

It also offers superior electrical performance in hazardous industrial environments, plus features the most compact form factor that Appleton has ever engineered for a device of this type. Targeted applications include Class I environments such as petrochemical plants, petroleum refineries, paint and chemical plants, or Class II environments such as grain silos, flour processing plants, or any location where ignitable dusts are present.

As well as providing explosion proof and dust-ignition proof protection in hazardous environments, FSQC 30, 60 and 100 amp receptacles and ACP plugs incorporate an interlocked disconnect switch for added safety.

Simply insert the plug and rotate the receptacle face to the “on” position to lock it in place. The receptacle is then energised. For installations where different line voltages are used, a special polarisation option prevents plug insertion into a receptacle wired for a different voltage.

The Appleton FSQC is the ideal drop-in replacement for competitors’ existing FSQC receptacles. They are UL listed for use with Appleton Powertite plugs as well as UL classified in specific combinations for use with competitors’ plugs. The receptacles are horsepower rated to meet the requirements of the most demanding applications.

www.appletonelec.com

Energy efficiency can fuel innovation and growth

Business commentator Rod Oram explained how energy efficiency can fuel business innovation and growth at an EECA Business process heat workshop, held recently in Auckland.

Consuming energy worth more than $2 billion dollars every year, process heat systems (furnaces, boilers and ovens) are used in most industries – from bread making to milk powder production, and timber processing. EECA Business is part of the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority. It makes the decision to invest in energy efficiency easier by providing relevant, accurate information and connecting businesses with energy efficiency experts who give practical advice, and provide access to funding.

EECA Business project manager Pramesh Maharaj says improved process heat systems efficiency is one of the biggest opportunities for New Zealand manufacturers to make cost savings, increase productivity and enhance green credentials.

“The workshop was a great success. Having more than 50 process heat users and energy efficiency experts sharing their experiences and knowledge really helped raise awareness of the opportunities in process heat.

“Participants particularly enjoyed hearing Rod Oram explain how process heat energy efficiency connects to the big picture for the national economy,” he says.

Rod Oram also spoke about the critical need for senior level executives, particularly chief executives and chief financial officers, to make energy efficiency a business priority.

The workshop included case study presentations from companies that have benefited from improved process heat efficiency.

Highlights included wood processor Nelson Pine, that saved more than $2.5 million in two years through improved process efficiency and reduced heat wastage; and Energy Plant Solutions, which recently installed a 95 percent efficient boiler and heat recovery system for a new milk powder near Balclutha.

Mr Maharaj says EECA Business expects to hold similar workshops over the coming months.

EECA Business has the following grants available for industrial heat users:

Boiler tuning grants to assist businesses put six-monthly boiler tune-up regimes in place. Up to 40 percent of the cost of a two-year tuning regime (maximum of $5000 per site) is available for sites with total boiler capacity of 1.5MWt or more. See www.eecabusiness.govt.nz/ boiler-tuning-grants
Process heat energy audit grants: part-funding towards base-level or investment- level energy audits of heat systems of 1.5MW or more. See www.eecabusiness. govt.nz/services-and-funding/industrial/ energy-audit-grants/process-heat
Project grants: EECA Business may also help fund economic energy efficiency improvements to process heat systems. See www.eecabusiness.govt. nz/services-and-funding/industrial/ energy-audit-grants

See the EECA Business Process Heat Best Practice Guide at www.eecabusiness.govt. nz/node/11672

www.eecabusiness.govt.nz

Ericsson to add 30 jobs for Kiwis

Swedish telecommunications giant Ericsson is planning to create 30 production and production development jobs in Porirua in the second half of this year.

This rare bit of good news for the manufacturing sector means the company will be investing $15 million to convert the 10,000 square metre former Todd Motors plant near the Porirua CBD to a facility for making plastic ducting for ultrafast broadband (UFB) and rural broadband (RBI) networks.

Ericsson said the new plant will be its only such facility outside Sweden.

Read the full article in the March edition of New Zealand Engineering News, due out on 11 March.

Berlin conference addresses strategies to meet global growth of bioplastics

The significance of bioplastics as a central component of the European bioeconomy strategy is undisputed. That was the core message of key speakers during the 7th European Bioplastics Conference held on 6 and 7 November in Berlin.

More than 400 participants caught up on the latest developments and progress in the bioplastics industry during the conference.

Numerous questions connected to the growth of the bioplastics industry were discussed during the conference – such as:

How is the growing supply of bioplastics affecting public awareness?
Which market segments will grow in particular and what impacts will this growth have?
What are the potential side-effects of adding bioplastics to existing recycling streams?

In particular the latter was a hot topic at the conference.

“Give us a sufficient amount of any plastic - be it PLA or any other bioplastic – and we can sort it and recycle it”.

This was the main message of the recycling industry to the bioplastics industry during a podium discussion moderated by Thomas Probst of the Federal Association of Secondary Raw Materials and Disposal.

The 7th Annual Global Bioplastics Award ceremony by bioplastics magazine was another highlight of the conference. 2012 saw two winners take the award. Both companies come from the automotive industry and achieved the same score.

TAKATA AG received the Bioplastics Award 2012 for its demonstrator of a steering wheel/airbag system that shows both, the potential and the limits of bioplastic applications. The University of Hanover was awarded with its tailgate of the Bioconcept Car racing car.

Mine tailings collapse seen as “no longer a threat”

The major threat posed by the abandoned Tui Mine site at Te Aroha has now been removed with the completed stabilisation of old mine tailings.

Waikato Regional Council Chairman Peter Buckley described the achievement as “a hugely significant milestone”.

“It means there is no longer any risk of the dam made up of old tailings collapsing and sending toxic chemicals down into the Tui Stream and on to nearby fl ood plains.

“I’d like to thank our partners in this project – the Ministry for the Environment, Matamata-Piako District Council, the Department of Conservation and local iwi – for their major contributions and support for this important project.”

Matamata-Piako councillor Phillip Legg said the successful completion of the milestone work in the $16.2 million project was welcome news for the local community.

“Besides removing the threat of a tailings dam collapse, the potential danger from old cyanide drums left in the tailings has also been dealt with after empty drums were located and treated.”

The Tui Mine was an “orphan” contaminated site requiring a major clean up due to the threats it posed. Old mine tailings were dumped at the site behind a geo-technically unstable dam built of the same tailings and local material, thereby blocking a tributary of the Tui Stream and leaching heavy metals into the stream.

If this dam collapsed, the tailings – which contain lead, zinc, arsenic, copper and cadmium – would have contaminated the Tui Stream and nearby land. There were also reports of old drums of potentially deadly cyanide in the tailings – cyanide was used during mining. Now the old tailings have been reshaped and had cement and lime injected into them to stabilise them.

“The result is tailings that have an even, well-drained slope, and the risk of them moving down into the Tui Stream and nearby land has been removed,” said the regional council’s project manager Ghassan Basheer.

“Old drum fragments found have been treated within the stabilised tailings mound and are now be well-buried in the stable old tailings and therefore are not at risk of being exposed.”

By March this year a cap of clean fill is due to have been placed over the newly shaped land. The first stage of landscaping and planting of the site is set to be finished by the end of May.

“We will continue to keep the local community updated on progress,” said Mr Basheer.