News and media releases | WasteMINZ

Congratulations to our Board and Life Members

Written by WasteMINZ | 15 October 2025

We were pleased to announce this year’s Board members and a new Life Member at the WasteMINZ Annual General Meeting on Wednesday, 15 October. This was a tight election, with 11 people standing for election – an almost unprecedented number in the history of WasteMINZ. Thank you to everyone who put their hands up – it is a brave thing to do, and we appreciate your passion and dedication for our organisation.  

Congratulations to the following new Board members:

Sandy Botterill, Foodstuffs NZ (re-elected)

Sandy Botterill is driving Aotearoa NZ’s shift to a low-waste, circular future. As Head of ESG at Foodstuffs NZ, she leads national efforts in waste minimisation, climate action, and community impact and wellbeing across grocery retail. From piloting NZ’s first reverse vending machine to scaling food waste reduction and cutting non-recyclable packaging, Sandy is reshaping how New Zealanders engage with waste.

With a background as Circular Economy Lead at Plastics NZ, Sandy worked with industry and government to redesign plastic systems for circularity and resource efficiency. Her qualifications - a Master in Environmental Law (Hons) and a Postgrad Diploma in Business - equip her with a strategic, systems-based approach to change. Sandy has a number of other skills she brings to the board – financial/commercial, stakeholder engagement as well as regulatory and compliance.

 

Sophie Mander, Queenstown Lakes District Council

Sophie has worked in the sector for 20 years and is currently Strategy Planning Manager (Waste Minimisation and Management) at Queenstown Lakes District Council. She leads the strategic planning of services and infrastructure, with a strong focus on collaboration to deliver a reduced waste, lower carbon future.

Sophie has extensive governance and leadership experience, having served 15 years on the Territorial Authorities’ Officers (TAO) Forum Steering Committee, including two terms as Chair. In this role she has provided sector leadership, guided responses to national issues, and ensured councils have a strong, unified voice. She is well-versed in working with external stakeholders, elected members, executive teams and balancing governance and operational perspectives. Sophie will bring strategic insight, collaboration, and deep sector knowledge to help advance Aotearoa’s transition to a zero carbon, zero waste future.

 

Chris Purchas, Tonkin + Taylor  (re-elected)

Chris is a resource recovery and strategy specialist working across the waste and resource recovery sector in New Zealand. His work draws on his engineering training, alongside strong environmental science and policy experience. Since the mid-1990s Chris has worked closely with local authorities, government and the private sector to identify, evaluate and implement a range of options to maximise resource recovery and effectively manage residual waste. Chris also works internationally delivering waste systems design, capacity building and infrastructure planning alongside local counterparts. This breadth of experience enables Chris to bring a unique perspective to the WasteMINZ Board.

30 years of working in the waste sector means that Chris can frame challenges and opportunities with a focus on achieving best outcomes for New Zealand. With this experience, alongside strong relationships across the sector, Chris is well positioned to continue supporting WasteMINZ to focus on contributing evidence to key policy discussions and progressing areas of common interest across the membership.

 

A special mention to Sophie, who was also named as a Life Member, thanks to her commitment to WasteMINZ over many decades. Read about Sophie’s contribution below.

Sophie has had 20 years’ experience in local government, specifically in waste minimisation and management, and is currently the Strategy Planning Manager (Waste Minimisation & Management) at Queenstown Lakes District Council. Sophie has served on WasteMINZ's TAO Forum Steering Committee and the Behaviour Change sector group over the past 15 years including several terms as Chair. She has contributed an extraordinary amount to the industry, in particular:

  • WasteMINZ conference programme support - introduced the Pecha Kucha/Snapshots style presentation format, regular presenter on sector projects, regular facilitator of panel discussions and workshops.
  • Previous member of national technical advisory and working groups for Transforming Recycling, WasteMINZ/Taituarā (SOLGM) Covid Response and Recovery Group, LGNZ Container Return Scheme co-design, product stewardship programmes, Rethinking Rubbish and Recycling, Te Rautaki Para.
  • Written and/or coordinated submissions on behalf of TAO Forum/QLDC to consultations associated with the Waste Minimisation Act, Container Return Scheme, Basel Amendment, National Waste Data Framework, Te Rautaki Para, emissions reduction plans, product stewardship, Right to Repair, single use plastics, landfill levy.
  • During/post Covid worked with WasteMINZ, Taituarā (SOLGM) and the Ministry for the Environment to get broader acknowledgement and understanding of waste sector as NZ critical infrastructure
  • Initiated and steered WasteMINZ Organic Waste Guidance for Local Authorities and regular reviews of TAO Waste Management Manifesto.
  • Strong advocate for community-led solutions, working closely with partners such as Wanaka Wastebusters and Zero Waste Aotearoa.

The contributions above clearly demonstrate that Sophie is passionate about driving the change we want to achieve. She is well regarded and highly respected by her colleagues in local government, but also across the waste sector.