Plastic posts stand alone at Enviro Awards

Projects making an environmental impact across the region were celebrated last week, with a revolutionary plastic recycling option winning the overall award.

The 2024/25 Port Marlborough Marlborough Environment Awards were hosted at the ASB Theatre on Wednesday, with almost 30 local organisations taking part.

FuturePost scooped the 2025 Supreme Award, as well as winning their specific wine section, for their efforts in turning soft plastics into fence posts and landscaping materials.

“It was fantastic to be a part of the Environment Awards process and humbling to be a finalist - everyone nominated is a winner as there’s many significant contributions with environmental impact going on so it’s difficult to pick a specific winner because everyone is,” said FuturePost’s sales and marketing manager Alistair Kirk.

FuturePost’s business model contributes to waste minimization by recycling soft plastic from Marlborough vineyards, businesses and the public to produce fencing posts, which impressed the judges for its scale, circular economy set-up and technological innovation. “It’s a difficult process. We’re combining low and high-density polyethylene and polypropylene and carbon which a lot of people, including plastics experts, just said couldn’t be done”, said Alistair.

“Jerome Wenzlick [FuturePost founder] is a very entrepreneurial, clever guy who came up with workarounds, persevered, and ended up with a system and strong IP which enables our environmental efforts.

“We’re really pleased for the people that deserve the acknowledgement at the core of FuturePost, in our factories in Blenheim and Waiuku.”

Awards co-ordinator Julia Brown said the diversity of entrants and impacts from across all different sectors in Marlborough was engaging throughout the selection process.

“The vibes are all really positive and I think everyone really enjoys a good story to celebrate so it’s one of those evenings where we’re here to share and celebrate everyone’s achievements.

“I love working on this event, it’s so interesting to see the diversity of the entries that come in and it’s great to see so many people and new faces here tonight as the event keeps growing.

“There’s something in each entry that someone can take home with them and maybe implement themselves in their own business or on their own property.”

As the awards’ sponsor for the first time, Port Marlborough CEO Rhys Welbourn said part of their aspirations to be a good community partner is to celebrate the commitments Marlborough makes to its environment.

“Environmentally, success is celebrated differently, but all of the entrants are making a commitment to Marlborough, leading sustainability as a region.

“As a port, we understand and take our role as a kaitiaki seriously by leading the way and being environmentally positive and restorative in these fragile ecosystems which we coexist with by being the only port to track our sustainability to a global standard.”