G512 - Raumati Village Meats - Butcher - Wellington Region

Summary
This butcher has put in place a number of projects to improve on energy efficiency, reduce packaging waste, and conserve water.

Business Profile
Suburban butcher with two staff, located in the Raumati Beach shopping centre

Type of Project
Energy efficiency, material reuse and recycling, reduction in water use

Reasons for Project
To conserve resources and reduce wastes

The Project

Energy
The display fridge cabinet has recently had its motors serviced to ensure that it is running at maximum efficiency, and the deep freeze is defrosted regularly. As the water was too hot, the thermostat on the hot water cylinder has been turned down. The lowering of the water temperature has a safety benefit to the staff, reducing the risk of scalding. The shop is lit by fluorescent tubes. These are being replaced with smaller, more energy efficient fluorescent which are 10% more efficient than the old ones.

The business had its electricity tariff checked by a local electrical contractor on behalf of its electricity supply company, Electra. This move was initiated after several nearby shops installed new meters so that they could use a different tariff. The change in tariff should result in considerable savings on the electricity bill.

The business is keeping records of its electricity use, but the impact of the actions taken to date are hard to assess because of fluctuations in the use of other electrical equipment, often due to weather changes and differing demands for products. Trends will be more obvious after a full year's operation.

Packaging
Meat is packed into vacuum packs for ageing and these bags were being discarded after use. Now the bags are cleaned and used to pack pet food. Customers are encouraged to return bags and cartons, and the business reuses boxes. Cartons surplus to requirement are flattened and sent for recycling through the refuse collector. Egg trays are returned to the egg supplier for reuse. Flavourings for meat products are bought as refills and stored in existing containers.

The business has not had its refuse collection costs increased, possibly because of the return to the refuse collector from recycling the cartons. Less waste is being produced, thus conserving space in the local Otaihanga landfill.

Water
Cold water is used in the sausage machine, about 15 l for each batch of sausages. This water is reused for sluicing and scrubbing down. Hot water from the cooking vats is also reused for cleaning. The quantity depends on the season. As water is not yet metered in Raumati Beach, there are no direct savings on the cost of water, but staff are developing good water conservation habits, which will be useful when water is metered.

For additional information contact:
Bill Brown
Raumati Village Meats
8 Margaret Road
Raumati Beach
Phone: (04) 298 4631