Waste Management have won the Most Sustainable Large Business Award at the Keep New Zealand Beautiful (KNZB) Beautiful Awards in Auckland.

The company said the award recognised their positive actions and growth under six focus areas of their Sustainability Commitment: Waste Optimisation, Energy Efficiency, Research and Innovation, Community and Leadership, Our People, and Reporting and Accountability.

The award followed the recent addition of Waste Management‘s sixth electric truck to their heavy fleet. This rear-loader truck was converted from diesel to electric and recently joined the Christchurch fleet serving Christchurch City Council residential customers.

KNZB have been a valued partner of Waste Management for over six years. In 2017 Waste Management‘s sponsorship of KNZB‘s annual Clean Up Week contributed to the collection of a projected 67,104kg of unaccounted for community waste and $1,139,071 in community contribution.

Keep New Zealand Beautiful said with a long-term commitment to waste optimisation, energy efficiency, and research and innovation, Waste Management have already made a significant difference by producing electricity from landfill generation and alternative fuels by hazardous waste.

Since opening its Electric Vehicle Innovation Hub in March, Waste Management now operates six electric trucks, saving 125 litres of diesel per day for each truck, and have replaced 26 light vehicles, saving nearly 50,000 litres of petrol.