Dunedin’s Aaron Dyson and Wayne Magee say more than 100,000 Corflute real estate signs are estimated to go to landfill in New Zealand every year, contributing to the plastic epidemic.
They decided to do something about it.
The duo have launched a business called Live Sign NZ, after developing a product which involved a powder-coated alloy frame that housed a reusable paper insert which was completely biodegradable down to the ink that was used. The Perspex that protected the paper was recycled and the unit was completed with solar-charged internal lighting for night display.
Having tested the signs over the past couple of years, they have now embarked on the next stage of their business model; allowing interested people to buy their own "territory" throughout New Zealand to manage their own Live Sign model.
Mr Dyson said his career in the travel industry was "completely decimated" by Covid and he saw the opportunity to branch out in another area, while Mr Magee had previously been involved in real estate photography.
Like any start-up, it had been "hard yakka", but he was excited by its potential, Mr Dyson said.
He was passionate about the environment, and the opportunity to make a change to some habits and reduce waste was definitely motivating, he said.
The amount of waste generated by traditional Corflute signs was both staggering and sickening. While some were used on multiple properties, meaning it could be said they were being reused, it was usually only three to five times and they still ended up in the landfill.
Feedback from the real estate industry had been positive. The majority of agents, when told about Live Sign, acknowledged there was an issue, he said.
While the initial focus was on real estate, the pair hoped to also get into the health and safety industry, particularly at building sites, and there was even potential for the likes of political campaigning.
"There’s a whole bunch of different opportunities for the signs to be used," he said.
