Integrated Sustainability Analysis
@ The University of Sydney

John Wichman

I commenced recycling in the private sector in Rarotonga in 2000. I had seen the generation of waste increasing as part of the supply chain, operating and importing for my supermarket for the previous 20 years. In 2004 we began to export the baled cardboard, polystyrene and plastic wrapping back to New Zealand for recycling on a cost neutral basis. After 7 cyclones struck the Cook Is in 2004/5, I formed a collaboration with one of my colleagues and set up a company Recycle Cook Is, to be the infrastructure to deal with the repatriation of ferrous, non ferrous and hazardous waste from the Cook Is. I sold the supermarket business in 2008 and have focussed on recycling since then. I was employed as a Technical Assistant for 3 months in 2009, to the Ministry of Infrastructure to mentor the LandfilL Manager on recycling. During that time I attended the review of the solid waste strategy for the South Pacific Regional Environment Program in Samoa and voted to Chair the committee for the 2010 to 2015 strategy. I have chaired the Rarotonga Solid Waste Committee 2012/13 comprising one private sector, Govt Agencies, NGOs and community sectors to make recommendations to the Minister which were accepted by Cabinet.

I have a Diploma for Project Management, Worksafe NZ Certificate of Competency for asbestos and operate in a number areas in the Pacific, doing resource recovery for recycling or hazardous waste for responsible disposal. I specialize in solutions to put the wheels under projects that have stalled or got into the "too hard basket". I have performed a number of NZ Aid Funded projects reducing secondary risks post cyclone since 2005.

• In 2012 - Project Manager for the buyer from contractor for a French Military Project from the Tuamotu Archipelago in French Polynesia, removing a single shipment of 900 tons of ferrous and non ferrous metal recovered after burial 19 years ago.
• In 2014 - Project Consultant for the repacking and removal of 58 containers of asbestos sheeting for responsible disposal in NZ. The three shipments comprised 1000 tons from Niue Island contained since 2004. The project is still going and will be completed 2015.

John Wichman

For further information please contact