In this member spotlight, we talk to Andrew Reynolds, Technical Facilties Manager at Foodstuffs North Island, who has recently been nominated for a Facilities Management Association of New Zealand for the Sustainability Impact Award, in large part for his efforts in achieving a high landfill diversion rate at the flagship Landing Drive Office and Distribution Centre.
Andrew says he is passionate about new innovative solutions and technology, with a spotlight on end-of-life green energy waste, such as solar panel, wind turbine and battery recycling.
Tell us about your organisation
Foodstuffs NI is a grocery cooperative, with over 350 stores, a vast supply chain and thousands of employees. It provides produce to communities across Aotearoa through retail banners such as Four Square, New World, Pak n’Save and Gilmours.
Why did you want to join WasteMINZ?
To expand my knowledge, to complement my ongoing studies [BSc Environmental Science and BBus Economics] and passion for sustainability, to network, find out about events and the general discussions/Kiwi good news stories etc which may aid in my job role.
What topic/issue are you most passionate about when it comes to waste, resource recovery or contaminated land?
Most general topics interest me, however, I am most specifically interest in new innovative solutions and technology, with a spotlight on end-of-life green energy waste, such as solar panel, wind turbine and battery recycling. I plan to undergo a Masters after my current studies, delving into the recovery of minerals of batteries from EV, and the different use-cases for end-of-life battery cells.
What are you reading or listening to right now?
Podcasts: Catalyst, Zero: The Climate Race, The Carbon Copy, Volts, TED Climate, Switched-On.
Books: Climate Capitalism, The Blue Commons, The Rare Metals War, Doughnut Economics
Describe your perfect day outside of work.
A gym session, followed by a walk along the beach or regional park with a coffee [in a reusable cup of course], then maybe a kayak in the ocean where I often pull out floating debris/rubbish, and ending with a BBQ and drink in the hot tub, then a book reading session before bed! 😊