Ever wondered where your recycled paper and cardboard goes after you’ve put it out for collection each week? Our founder, Tim Combs, was passionate about finding a solution that didn’t involve sending our waste overseas, but rather doing something productive with it.
Hawk are proud to be part of this circular story where we can take our regional waste and repurpose it to be such an important part of the success story that is NZ horticulture.
Our sustainability success story
Follow the journey of our moulded fibre trays
Kerbside recycling collection
Paper and cardboard is collected from approx. 44,000 households in Napier, Hastings & parts of the lower/central North Island and upper South Island.
These areas use the “separation-at-source” methodology, which ensures a simpler and more efficient process.
Paper and cardboard are delivered to Hawk’s manufacturing plant in Hawke’s Bay for processing
Approx. 14,000 tonnes of paper and cardboard per year.
Contamination is removed
This often includes potato bags, milk and juice cartons, polystyrene, strapping, shrink wrap and plastic bags.
The recycling is baled and ready to be turned into moulded fibre trays
The reclaimed fibre is then thoroughly and intensely cleaned, pulped into essentially a paper mâché, and turned into moulded fibre trays
Hawk have created and honed a ‘recipe’ for it’s pulping process that ensures quality moulded fibre trays are produced that protect and enhance fruit.
We don’t use any nasty bleaches, pigments, biocides or toxic chemicals in our manufacturing processes and ensure our products are compliant with international industry regulations and standards.
The resulting eco-friendly packaging is then used to protect fruit as it makes its way to many parts of the globe
After it has safely delivered high quality fruit to its destination, the tray is recycled all over again.
