Product stewardship is about the right people taking responsibility for the products we see available on the market and hopefully engaging in a bit of future-proofing for forthcoming generations. It involves redesigning the product supply chain to ensure we are not doing unnecessary and preventable damage. Product stewardship is regulated in order to increase circular resource use and shift the responsibility for managing products onto the producers, importers and retailers; this involves taking responsibility for the items when they have come to the end of their life-span and thinking about the potential impacts these products have on our communities and Papatuanuku.

The fast-paced nature of modern life often means we find ourselves participating in a ‘throwaway culture’ in which our food packaging and service-ware are designed to be disposable. Takeaway containers, plastic bottles, glass bottles, plastic bags, boxes, condiment packets, plastic cutlery, coffee cups, lids and napkins are a massive part of the hospitality supply chain. Much of this avoidable waste is generated at large community events; local food stalls and food trucks often rely on disposable service-ware to provide their goods and services. The great news is the Res.Awesome team know the perfect solution for diverting unnecessary waste from landfills. Wash Stations are one component of initiating an alternative, reuse economy.

Coca Cola is one of the biggest companies in the world and was the world’s worst plastic polluter for the fourth year in a row in 2021. This was confirmed by Break Free From Plastic’s annual report 2021. Coca Cola produces over 120 billion plastic bottles every year with many of these harmful products ending up in our oceans and polluting waterways, our ecosystems, our kai and our people. Our Res.Awesome followers know we are amidst a global plastic crisis. Microplastic and plastic waste has become inescapable - with more plastic still being produced.. The Coca-Cola Company have announced they will aim to make 25% of their global packaging reusable by 2030.

Let us introduce you to the Kiwi Bottle Drive; an initiative designed with the aim to educate the public AND our politicians on the many benefits of a comprehensive Container Return Scheme. The Kiwi Bottle Drive is New Zealand’s campaign for bottle deposits. They have been working alongside communities, councils and organisations for over 20 years to get a bottle deposit scheme and start building a zero waste society.