S2 Ep 19 - What to do with watery waste - Countney Giddens - Reliance Recovery
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What is the premise of Rethinking Waste and who is the guest on this episode?
This podcast was produced by RFM Dunedin with support from New Zealand on the Air. What happens when a local business decides that waste isn't just rubbish? It's a resource. In this episode, we explore how one business is diverting wastewater byproducts from landfill, improving there's real value in handling the toughest waste streams, smarter with the sustainability as a focus. Welcome to Rethinking Waste, the podcast dedicated to reducing, reusing and recycling in Otipoti-Dunedin. I'm Lisa DeClark and with me is my co-host, Rob Brittle Tiger. Each episode we explore innovative approaches, practical tips and the latest trends in recycling to help you rethink and refine your waste practices. Join us as we challenge old habits and discover new ways to make a meaningful impact on our environment.
Let's dive in and start rethinking waste recycling. Kyorakoto, it's Test Trotter here, filling in for Lisa today. And today we're chatting with Courtney Giddens from Reliance Recovery, a local organization doing some amazing mahi supporting businesses to reduce waste and recover more materials for research reuse and safer disposal. Courtney, no my so good to have you here. Can you uh introduce yourself and tell us a little bit about you?
Yes, absolutely. Um, so my my name is Courtney. Uh my husband, Tim and I own Reliance Recovery alongside Otago Vacuum Tank Services. Um I am actually originally from the States and have a background in HR which couldn't be further from waste. Uh luckily my um my husband has a huge background in um liquid waste and three waters and Um plumbing and drain laying. Um and has worked a lot uh since we moved to Dunedin in twenty fourteen. I now have uh two sons. Um and he's worked a lot uh before we purchased vacuum tank services with the likes of CityCare and um another large uh Three Waters company down here looking after their branches across the South Island. Um Yep, so that's really translated really well into when we purchased vacuum tank services.
Um and I'd say probably within the first year of owning that business the the thought process of reliance recovery was was there in the background. Um, particularly after um receiving uh, you know, the monthly invoices from the landfill and, you know, looking at that l as uh solely a TOGA vacuum tank services at a start and thinking there's gotta be a better, not only more cost effective way, but more sustainable way that we can get rid of this waste that doesn't involve just tipping it in a hole. Um Yeah, so that's uh that's my background. I I dare say I now know a lot more than waste than HR, which is something I never thought I'd say out loud.
How did Courtney Giddens and her husband transition from HR and plumbing to founding Reliance Recovery?
Um but um but yeah, it's definitely been a journey and it's a ever evolving process daily.
Sure, and um no doubt the HR skills are quite transferable in lots of ways. Yeah, yeah. A
hundred percent, hundred percent.
And um aside from the bills from landfill Um have you got a bit of a sustainability mindset yourself?
Yes, actually. Um I so when we first moved to Dunedin, I was working at uh Anderson Lloyd and then went over to go work at Porta Togo. Um and they both companies are really, really big in terms of sustainability and carbon emissions reporting.
Um Um
so I've been able to take quite a lot away from that and we do quite a lot of work with the likes of Porta Togo and they when it comes to Carbon emissions reporting and sustainability are really, uh, really big and work really closely with us in terms of us reporting to them. Um so looking at our carbon emissions as a business uh has always been quite key for me. Um, particularly with the way that, you know, the New Zealand climate is and the world in particular, it's always something we have to think about and try to reduce, especially when we're running big diesel trucks. Yes, yes indeed. Yes, yes indeed. Very
timely. So uh could you give us a bit of an elevator pitch on what reliance recovery is and how it's helping minimise waste?
Yeah, absolutely. It's um yeah, so as I mentioned before, it uh it's really grown from how can how can OBTS benefit from doing this a better way to how can we look at Dunedin as a whole and prevent all of this liquid waste going to landfill because at the end of the day the landfill doesn't want it.
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Chapters
8 chapters
1
What is the premise of Rethinking Waste and who is the guest on this episode?
0:00–3:00
2
How did Courtney Giddens and her husband transition from HR and plumbing to founding Reliance Recovery?
3:00–6:30
3
Why did Reliance Recovery start looking for alternatives to landfill for liquid waste?
6:30–9:51
4
How does Reliance Recovery treat and reuse sump‑water, bilge waste and contaminated dirt?
9:51–14:10
5
What role do bulking agents like sawdust play in reducing contamination of waste streams?
14:10–18:09
6
How did the Commercial Waste Minimisation Grant enable solar‑powered, off‑grid waste processing?
18:09–22:24
7
What practical tip does Courtney give for households to avoid sending waste to the red bin?
22:24–24:59
8
What are the broader opportunities for other businesses and communities to replicate this model?
24:59–26:25
Speakers
4 identifiedMore from REthinking Waste - From Recycling to Resources
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