Browsing by Author "Hannon J"

Now showing 1 - 2 of 2
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Design and trial of a comprehensive home composting evaluation tool
    (OICCC Press, Witney, United Kingdom, 2025-06-01) Mensah S; Hannon J; Hytten KF
    Purpose: In this study, a comprehensive home composting evaluation tool (HCET) was designed and trialled to support the analysis of empirical and quality assurance parameters of home composting systems. Method: The proposed HCET was developed based on a review of relevant scientific literature, a range of ‘how to’/‘good practice’ guidelines for home composting, and guiding principles from the New Zealand Compost Standard. It was then trialled within a research project examining home composting practices in Palmerston North, Aotearoa New Zealand. Results: This research showed that whilst home composting is widely undertaken in Palmerston North and diverts a significant amount of organic waste from landfill, home composters often encounter technical challenges and have variable results. Critical reflection on the practical experience of trialling the draft HCET in the context of the broader findings from the research project enabled the HCET to be refined and finalised. Conclusion: A growing body of literature demonstrates that home composting is a popular and cost-effective opportunity to divert municipal organic waste from landfill, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and enhance local soils and home gardening. As such, effective and systematic evaluation of the various home composting technologies, practices and outputs is a critical opportunity to accelerate the development of a more sustainable, low emission circular bioeconomy. The proposed HCET provides a quick, accurate and effective way to undertake data collection and system analysis, which will support future research further developing and optimising home composting technologies and practices.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Is Voluntary Product Stewardship for E-Waste Working in New Zealand? A Whangarei Case Study
    (MDPI (Basel, Switzerland), 30/05/2019) Blake V; Farrelly T; Hannon J
    New Zealand currently manages its annually generated 99,000 tonnes of e-waste via voluntary product stewardship schemes. Limited data is available to determine the success of this approach. This lack of data is cited as the logic preventing the declaration of e-waste as a priority product by the Minister for the Environment which would trigger the enforcement of mandatory product stewardship. This case study, involving a survey of e-waste creation and management in Whangarei District households, as well as analyses of local services, and local and national policy, found that only 1.8% of the estimated e-waste created in the district is recycled by municipal services. The ‘cost to recycle’ and ‘a lack of knowledge’ present as barriers to engagement in these services, with ‘the lack of ability to repair/the cost to repair’ found to be the most significant driver for e-waste creation. The adoption of mandatory product stewardship for e-waste was recommended, as this measure would ensure robust and transparent data collection, see recycling services become more accessible, and raise awareness of these services, thus reducing the value-action gap. Mandatory e-waste management would also impact product design to ensure affordable repair-ability further supporting a circular economy for electronic goods.