Royal New Zealand Navy Go Green

On Monday 9 March the Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN) will become proud operators of one of only two ‘Big Hanna’ T240 composting units in the Southern Hemisphere.

The Big Hanna T240 composting unit can compost up to 62 tonnes of food waste generated on base each year. The RNZN will then use the compost to care for the gardens and other green spaces on Devonport Navy Base to ensure its shores and base are as environmentally friendly as possible.

To put that in perspective, one tonne of food waste that goes to landfill generates one tonne of carbon emissions. That’s the equivalent of driving the average car for four months, or a return trip for two to Sydney.

As a Government agency the RNZN is tasked with protecting New Zealand’s maritime environment and New Zealand’s pristine outlying islands.

“We take our role as an environmental guardian seriously and are always looking to do things more sustainably,” says Chief of Navy Rear Admiral (RADM) Jack Steer.

“We’ve been trialling Big Hanna on base for a few months now and it’s been making a big difference to the amount of waste going into landfills.”

“We have much work to do to on creating a sustainable Navy, but this project is a big step in the right direction,” says RADM Steer.

The unit is only the second Big Hanna in service in the Southern Hemisphere (the other is on Grand Terre, in the sub-Antarctic Kerguelen Islands). However there are many Big Hannas in service in the Northern Hemisphere in schools, universities, correctional facilities, offices, apartment blocks and hospitality businesses.

The project was made possible through a grant from the Government’s Waste Minimisation Fund.
The official handover of the Big Hanna unit will occur at 2pm on Monday 9 March.

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