Product Stewardship

Under the Waste Minimisation Act, the Minister for the Environment has the ability to recognise product stewardship schemes that meet the requirements set out in Section 15 of this Act. This recognition is known as accreditation.

The table below summarises the number of schemes that have been accredited under the Waste Minimisation Act and those that are currently being assessed.

Scheme status Number of schemes
Schemes accredited 5
Schemes pending decision 2

 Two accredited product stewardship schemes have recently submitted their annual progress reports for the Minister.

Used Oil Recovery Programme

The Holcim/Geocycle Used Oil Recovery Programme was the first product stewardship scheme accredited by the Minister for the Environment under the Waste Minimisation Act (2008). Through the scheme a total of 3,943,000 litres of used oil was collected and co-processed at the Westport Cement Works during this first year of accreditation (April 2009-April 2010). Since the Used Oil Recovery Programme began in 1996, over 100 million litres of waste oil has been safely removed from the New Zealand environment.

Further information on the Used Oil Recovery Programme can be found on their website.

Glass Packaging Forum

In May 2010 the Glass Packaging Forum’s voluntary glass packaging product stewardship scheme received accreditation from the Minister for the Environment under the Waste Minimisation Act (2008).
The scheme is providing funding for a range of innovative projects that develop alternative uses for local waste glass and provide infrastructure to aid the collection of colour separated glass including:

  • The development of a unique household recycling bin and modified truck, allowing glass to be kept separated from other household recyclables, preventing contamination.
  • Using glass as a medium in the construction of golf greens and as an aggregate for roading and building foundations.
  • Implementing glass recycling facilities and engaging with the public at the More FM Winery Tour 2010. The initiative helped to divert three tonnes of glass from landfills, from 18 locations and it will be implemented again in 2011.  

Further information regarding the Glass Packaging Forum’s product stewardship scheme can be found on Forum’s website.

 

Last updated:4 June 2010