How Mount Maunganui businesses are striving to reduce their environmental impact

Panoramic view of the resort town of Mount Maunganui from the top of the Mount Maunganui volcano (Tauranga, New Zealand).
Photo: Ramunas Bruzas

Businesses in the Mount Maunganui Industrial Estate are responding to community concerns about pollution by promising to reduce their impact on the environment.

The agreement, sponsored by Bay of Plenty region economic development agency Priority One, committed businesses to voluntarily take up to five actions to address environmental issues over the next three years amid growing concerns from residents.

Priority One chief executive Nigel Tutt said 29 major industrial firms had signed the agreement, which aims to respond to growing environmental concerns and complaints from expanding residential areas.

He said the Mount Maunganui industrial estate was critical to the economic success of the Western Bay of Plenty and New Zealand’s international trade, but tensions between community and business had increased as the population grew.

“The buffer between industrial and residential areas has decreased as the population has grown,” Tutt said.

“Local communities have expressed concerns about the environmental impact of the industry, primarily due to traffic congestion, air pollution and odor.”

Businesses that signed the agreement were expected to hold each other accountable to their plans to address environmental impacts, while also influencing smaller polluters to also take action.

He said the agreement follows a recent survey of businesses in the area which found 83 per cent of large organizations believe it is important to reduce their environmental impact, and 93 per cent are responding by investing in equipment or upgrading their facilities.

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