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Waste reduction and materials efficiency
Develop and implement tools and techniques to reduce waste generation and maximise reuse, recycling and recovery by government, businesses and individuals
Background and actions
Before the New Zealand Waste Strategy, the Ministry for the Environment developed a number of tools and partnerships for waste minimisation. This included a number of voluntary industry agreements and partnership approaches (eg, the first New Zealand Packaging Accord to minimise the impacts of packaging waste, and the Used Oil Recovery Programme). Annual Sustainable Management Fund (SMF) grants also financially support a wide range of cleaner production initiatives.
In line with the New Zealand Waste Strategy objectives, the Ministry undertook a review of policy instruments for waste minimisation and management, and revisited its work priorities. One consequence of this was to redirect the Ministry's work programmes away from its earlier focus on the possible application of a waste tax towards the development of a wider suite of tools to reduce waste generation and enhance recovery and reuse.
This decision was in line with other thinking underway in central government. Chapter 4 of the Government-commissioned 2001 tax review (Tax Review 2001: Final report, October 2001) examines in some detail both the benefits and disadvantages of eco-taxation (taxes levied through the national tax system to achieve environmental benefits) and eco-charges (local authority usage fees, such as those levied on water supply and waste disposal) as tools to achieve environmental outcomes.
The decision to move away from consideration of a waste tax led to an acceleration of other aspects of the Government's work programme to reduce waste generation and maximise the reuse, recycling and recovery of waste. In particular, emphasis returned to a full complement of tools and techniques to achieve waste reduction and materials efficiency, for example:
- funding support for voluntary community, industry and local government programmes
- provision of technical assistance to the waste industry
- development of guidelines and standards
- partnering to support voluntary industry-led agreements
- development of a draft national product stewardship policy
- leadership by central government agencies in showing what can be achieved
- public awareness and education programmes.
More information on selected projects is provided below.
Government funding support for waste initiatives
The Ministry for the Environment's Sustainable Management Fund (SMF) aims to make a positive difference to the environment by funding projects that strengthen proactive partnerships between the community, industry, iwi and local government, and that involve the community in practically focused 'action for the environment'. Topic areas that qualify for funding vary from year to year.
Between 1994 and 2005, the Sustainable Management Fund provided $9.4 million in funding for waste minimisation and waste management projects. The BusinessCare initiative outlined in case study 2 below is one such programme.
Projects which focused on community education for wider sustainable development outcomes, but which also included waste minimisation or materials recovery elements, also received an additional $5.4 million in funding. In total, funding for waste-related projects equated to around 36% of the total fund allocation over that period.
Full details of waste-related projects, as well as other projects which received funding, are available on the Sustainable Management Fund website: www.smf.govt.nz/
Case Study 2: BusinessCare: a community-based initiative for cleaner production
The BusinessCare National Trust was set up as a not-for-profit trust with three years of funding from the Sustainable Management Fund, in addition to significant support from a number of territorial authorities around the country.
BusinessCare's focus is on promoting, supporting and encouraging the implementation of sustainable management and cleaner production practices in small-to-medium sized enterprises nationwide. It seeks to work at both the national level and the local level to enact change.
At the national level, BusinessCare has established a one-stop-shop website/portal for cleaner production information, resources and contacts (www.businesscare.org.nz). It also networks with government, national industry representative organisations and sector groups.
At the local level, BusinessCare has encouraged local authorities to appoint cleaner production coordinators and provides training to coordinators to work with business enterprises to help them adopt sustainable management and cleaner production practices.
Community-based waste reduction initiatives
A range of community-based initiatives are underway throughout New Zealand to reduce barriers to waste minimisation and materials recovery, and create economic opportunities for the communities concerned.
Each group has their own specific drivers in terms of what has motivated them to begin. However, all groups see the diversion, recovery and utilisation of resources previously destined to be landfilled as a central theme. Because these initiatives are community-based, they have the ability to be flexible and innovative.
The two case studies on pages 22 and 23 illustrate the innovative and very successful nature of many community-based approaches to waste management.
Case Study 3: The Zero Waste Trust: A case study in raising awareness and supporting sustainability and waste management in New Zealand
The Zero Waste New Zealand Trust is a charitable trust established in 1997 through support from The Tindall Foundation. More recently, it has been supported by the Sustainable Management Fund and other sources.
The focus of the Trust is to support the activities of community organisations, councils, businesses, schools and individuals involved in waste minimisation and recycling. It is also committed to integrating Zero Waste design principles and philosophy into the marketplace to reduce New Zealand's waste.
The Trust promotes the vision of and assists groups moving towards Zero Waste through a number of core activities including:
- information exchange (newsletter, website, reports and conferences)
- networking (conferences, workshops and hui)
- working with councils, community groups and businesses
- researching waste reduction technologies from around the world that can be implemented at a local level
- providing advice
- funding - the Trust runs a grants scheme for individuals and organisations working to provide waste reduction and recycling solutions in their communities
- advocacy and policy development
- improving skills through courses run by the Zero Waste Academy. These include operating and managing resource recovery centres and waste minimisation education.
The Zero Waste New Zealand Trust has been very successful in encouraging councils to adopt Zero Waste policies and in raising public awareness about the importance of avoiding waste and recovering resources from waste. It has organised a number of national Zero Waste conferences, including one in Kaikoura in April 2005.
With funding from the Ministry for the Environment, the Trust has run a number of successful four-day 'bus-tours' designed to show local body councillors alternatives to landfills and waste-as-a-resource projects. The Trust is now collaborating with TVNZ in an educational initiative to bring the Zero Waste programme into New Zealand schools.
Case Study 4: Community-led waste reduction in practice - Innovative Waste Kaikoura
Several years ago, the Kaikoura landfill had only 3-5 years remaining capacity. The Kaikoura District Council was considering becoming a partner in the development of the Canterbury Regional Landfill at Kate Valley. The community responded by putting forward an alternative proposal to extend the life of the existing landfill by putting in place a programme to divert waste from landfill for recycling, composting and reuse purposes.
The community proposal was predicted to show significant dividends in the long term due to avoided transport and disposal costs associated with the Canterbury regional facility. The District Council responded to the community and adopted the alternative approach.
Subsequent operations have resulted in a 70% diversion from landfill and a resultant increase in the expected life of the existing landfill. The community proposal has also proven successful in generating increased revenue from recovered goods which are sold to markets elsewhere in New Zealand.
This successful project has been accomplished through the leadership of the community-based Innovative Waste Kaikoura Ltd. This is a partnership company comprising Kaikoura Wastebusters Trust and Kaikoura District Council. The company has the contract to run Kaikoura's landfill and resource recovery centre. It aims to:
- achieve zero waste by 2015
- facilitate sustainable employment using waste material
- provide funding through viable projects that protect, restore and enhance the environment.
The company has been successful in creating employment opportunities in Kaikoura, opening markets for recyclable materials, finding innovative solutions for recovered materials and ultimately achieving significant waste reduction.
Industry initiatives - the Packaging Accord
The original 1996 Packaging Accord sought to understand the issues surrounding packaging in New Zealand. The original Accord provided the basis for a number of actions by industry including data collection and reporting, educational materials and a self-regulatory code of practice. Action under this Accord contributed to 'lightweighting' packaging material although overall consumption of packing continued to grow as the population and economy grew.
The second 2004 Packaging Accord goes further, addressing many of the limitations of the original Accord. It is based on the principle of 'extended producer responsibility', an element of the New Zealand Waste Strategy, and includes additional parties such as producers (brand owners and retailers/importers) and the recycling industry.
A key notion is to provide incentives and reduce barriers to action across all sectors involved in packaging in New Zealand. To that end, the 2004 Accord is supported by nine 'Sector Action Plans'. The Sector Action Plans make specific commitments and outline specific targets for each sector that is party to the 2004 Packaging Accord (see figure 3 above). As a result, the Accord gives effect to a packaging code of practice and provides a solid basis for reducing the energy and resource use 'footprint' for packaging. The Accord and associated Sector Action Plans are available on the Ministry's website at: www.mfe.govt.nz/publications/waste/packaging-accord-jul04/
Central government leadership - Govt3
Govt3 was launched in November 2003. It is a programme led by the Ministry for the Environment with the assistance of the Energy Efficiency Conservation Authority (EECA).
The Govt3 programme is a voluntary programme which aims to help central government agencies improve the environmental sustainability of their activities. The 'Govt' stands for 'government' and the '3' stands for the 'three pillars of sustainability': environmental, social and economic.
The initial focus of the Govt3 programme has been to work with central government agencies to reduce barriers and provide tools and advice to support action. In time, the programme may also expand to include the wider public sector, for example, the local government, health and education sectors.
As at October 2005, 40 government departments have formally signed up to membership of the programme. A number of other agencies also support the programme in other ways.
Govt3 offers information, practical tools, and encouragement to participating agencies in the following key sustainability areas:
|
Initiative |
Purpose/justification |
|---|---|
|
Procurement - Reducing the environmental impact of buying practices |
By looking at the way government uses resources, as well as looking at eco-efficient products and services, the government sector can minimise its energy use, materials use, the amount of waste sent to landfills, and carbon dioxide emissions. |
|
Impact assessment - Assessing the main impacts of operations on the environment |
Govt3 helps assess the main impact of government organisations on the environment and then provides support, tools and other resources to reduce it (see Case Study 2 on page 20). |
|
Reporting - Reporting on operational environmental performance |
Reporting on operational environmental performance allows agencies to benchmark and improve their practices. One form this reporting may take is known as Triple Bottom Line Reporting. |
The Govt3 programme focuses on a number of specific product areas where improvements in sustainability can be made. The product areas are: waste, paper, publishing, office refurbishment, computers, photocopiers, buildings, cleaning services and environmentally friendly products.
Case Study 5: The whole of government Govt3 initiative
In line with the principles of the New Zealand Waste Strategy, the Ministry for the Environment is committed to leading other government agencies in sustainable waste management practices. Part of this leadership has been a successful programme to reduce waste produced at work by Ministry for the Environment staff.
Figure 4 shows the results of two Ministry for the Environment waste audits held in 2003 and 2004. In 2003, about 32 kg of waste was produced per staff member per year. Of this waste, nearly half was compostable waste, a third was recyclable materials, with the remaining sixth general waste. In 2004, the amount of waste had reduced to 11 kg per person per year, just under a third compostable waste, around the same in general waste, and just over a third recyclable waste.
Figure 4: Waste to landfill per Ministry for the Environment staff member (kg/year)
Significant achievements - highlights
In the past decade, significant achievements in the development of tools and techniques to reduce waste generation and to maximise its reuse, recycling and recovery include:
- the development of a new Packaging Accord to address all aspects of packaging design, use and recycling in New Zealand
- a review of and suggested refinements to the successful industry-led Used Oil Recovery Programme
- the establishment of Tyre Track, a scheme for tracking used tyres and a first step towards a product stewardship scheme covering used tyres
- the establishment of Govt3, a voluntary cross-government programme aimed at improving sustainable purchasing, energy efficiency and conservation, and waste minimisation within member agencies through the provision of practical tools, information, networking and assistance. As at October 2005, 40 public sector agencies have signed up to Govt3 membership
- support for Environmental Choice New Zealand, an environmental labelling programme, in order to encourage greater consumer purchase of low environmental impact products (this includes low-waste and waste-managed products)
- the establishment of a series of internet-based local waste exchanges where wastes can be exchanged or traded amongst businesses (www.wasteminz.org.nz/wasteexchange/)
- the release of a product stewardship policy discussion document which aims to develop a national approach to managing wastes that are particularly hard to manage or dispose of (eg, televisions, other electrical products, vehicles and household chemicals)
- partnerships with industry to develop schemes to take-back unwanted agricultural containers, silage wrap and electronic waste
- support for industry-led take-back schemes for some paints and mobile phones.
Reduce barriers to using recovered materials in New Zealand
Background and actions
The New Zealand Waste Strategy noted that material recovery, reuse and recycling require robust markets. These are hampered by many factors including variations in product quality, poor labelling of materials, price fluctuations, perceptions of poor quality, low volume product, high transport costs, and product contamination. The New Zealand Waste Strategy further noted that there was considerable potential for improving recycling rates.
Shortly after the launch of the New Zealand Waste Strategy, the Ministry for the Environment and the Ministry of Economic Development jointly funded an investigation into the business and employment opportunities from waste management, including a consideration of the barriers to the use of recovered materials. The subsequent report provided a good overview of the potential for the recovered goods sector and the generation of employment opportunities. It did not, however, give much attention to the role of community groups, many of whom play a pivotal role in local resource recovery and recycling.
In recognition of the need to work with all organisations involved at the local level, the Ministry for the Environment's recent work in this area has primarily focused on developing partnerships with community groups, industry and local government.
Significant achievements - highlights
In the past decade, significant achievements in reducing barriers to using recovered materials in New Zealand include:
- extensive public awareness campaigns to support reuse, recycling and recovery (see the Information and communication section on page 32)
- financial support for community groups pursuing programmes which promote reuse, recycling and recovery (for example, see Case Study 4 on page 17)
- the establishment of a dedicated group within the Ministry for the Environment to work with industry (including the waste sector) and partner with the sector to reduce barriers
- work towards a National Environmental Standard for Biosolids and a New Zealand Standard for Compost to reduce barriers to the manufacture and application of biosolids and organic composts to land
- the development of Guidelines for the safe application of biosolids to land in New Zealand to support the diversion and reuse of organic material from the waste stream for soil conditioning purposes.
Develop and implement economic incentives to change wasteful behaviour
Background and actions
In the past decade, there has been a move towards more privately owned landfills (especially in the Auckland and Waikato regions) or private/public partnerships, as in Canterbury and Southland. In these cases, the true costs of landfill disposal are accounted for and charged for accordingly. Improved standards of landfill management have also added to disposal costs. In addition, territorial authorities now account for the full costs of their own facilities. User charges that reflect these costs have become much more common at council-owned landfills.
These trends were already evident before the development of the New Zealand Waste Strategy. However, the strategy served to underline the importance of economic incentives in achieving waste management objectives, and triggered both the development of the Landfill Full Cost Accounting Guide for New Zealand by the Ministry for the Environment and a series of territorial authority workshops to implement the guide.
One issue debated at length before and during the development of the New Zealand Waste Strategy was the use of a national levy on waste. A waste levy was seen by some as an instrument that would internalise the unpriced environmental costs of landfilling. It was viewed by others as a source of funding to support waste recovery.
In 2000, the Ministry commissioned a technical report from the New Zealand Institute of Economic Research (NZIER) entitled A Landfill Levy:Economic principles and implications of implementing a landfill levy. This report evaluated options for funding waste minimisation in New Zealand, and also examined the issues surrounding any introduction of a waste levy (local or national) from an economic perspective.
While the New Zealand Institute of Economic Research report differs in its focus from the tax review commissioned by the Government in 2001 (Tax Review 2001: Final report, October 2001), its conclusions are complementary. The NZIER report concludes that "while correction of mispricing [of disposal of solid waste to landfill] could potentially be achieved by government intervention in the form of a levy, there could be some problems with such an approach (eg, diversion of revenue raised from a levy to subsidise waste minimisation activities would change relative pricing between two services - eg, landfill versus recycling - but not correct the fundamental mispricing of waste to landfill)". Since that report, The Landfill Full Cost Accounting Guide for New Zealand has been published, and full cost accounting has become widespread in New Zealand.
The New Zealand Institute of Economic Research report also notes that [once full cost accounting is in place] "this would leave levy funding as primarily suited to short-term, interim measures, or to specific market failures in waste minimisation that are incapable of being covered by pricing measures".
Industry levies to support product stewardship schemes were further debated during the development of the New Zealand Waste Strategy. There does not necessarily have to be a link between economic instruments and legislation. The voluntary glass levy applied at the time of writing by a number of New Zealand glass companies on a short-term basis under the auspices of the New Zealand Packaging Accord 2004 was not motivated by legislative requirements or compliance drivers. Similarly, several private sector companies have also suggested recently that they are considering their own container deposit schemes, quite separately from any legislation or pricing signal from central government.
While economic incentives are potentially an important element in changing wasteful behaviour, central government policy over the past decade recognises that other tools and work programmes can also contribute significantly to this objective.
The implementation of kerbside recycling in metropolitan areas
Household collections of recyclable materials are a significant source of recovered materials. Such collections have assisted in the development of commercial recycling and recovery activities based on core collected materials. The progressive implementation of kerbside recycling is illustrated in Figure 5 below.
Cost accounting for landfills
In 1996, the Ministry developed a full cost accounting guide for landfills. In view of changes in accounting requirements for local authorities, the Ministry funded a comprehensive review of the 1996 document with the aim of updating it. The Landfill Full Cost Accounting Guide for New Zealand was published in 2002 with an accompanying comprehensive spreadsheet modelling tool. It was further updated in March 2004 to incorporate up-to-date cost information.
The guide clearly outlines legislative requirements, good accounting practice and acts as a manual for the spreadsheet modelling tool. The spreadsheet uses financial, engineering and operations parameters to derive the basic cost of landfill disposal on a tonnage basis. The actual gate rate will be set taking this figure into account, and includes a provision for the management of the landfill once it has closed. The guide also has the capability to record and/or factor into calculations any levies for waste minimisation, retained earnings for identification of future disposal sites, or profit margins (for privately operated landfills).
Uptake of the guide has been high. It has been used across New Zealand (including by private landfill operators) and was well received at the 2004 Sardinia Landfill Symposium and a number of other international waste management conferences. The guide was also nominated for an Association of Consulting Engineers of New Zealand (ACENZ) award for environmental engineering.
The introduction of user-pays for waste disposal
Throughout the country, landfill operators and owners have progressively introduced a regime of 'user-pays' to cover the full cost of landfill disposal. These initiatives have resulted in significant waste diversion and opportunities for waste recovery as described in Case Study 6 on page 32.
Significant achievements - highlights
In the past decade, significant achievements in changing wasteful behaviour include:
- the development and update of the Landfill Full Cost Accounting Guide for New Zealand
- widespread adoption of the 'user-pays' principle for waste collection and disposal by local government
- widespread full cost accounting for solid waste disposal to landfill by both private and public operators
- amendments to the Local Government Act to allow territorial authorities to enact bylaws relating to their roles and responsibilities for waste management, including the ability to set levies to cover any costs incurred in the administration of these functions and to fund waste minimisation initiatives
- 77% of territorial authorities provide a kerbside recycling service
- over 95% of New Zealanders have access to recycling facilities for glass, cans, paper and plastics 1 and 2
- introduction of local levies to fund waste minimisation activities.
Case Study 6 - Gisborne District Council: A case study on the impact of introducing landfill user charges on waste reduction
Gisborne District Council's administrative area covers the area north of Morere to Lottin Point, and inland to Matawai and Tiniroto along the east coast of the North Island. This includes East Coast towns and many small rural settlements.
There are 12,500 rated properties serviced by domestic bag and kerbside collection in Gisborne city and the rural flats.
The Council has been actively involved for the past five to six years in raising the awareness of the community about waste issues facing the district. It has done so through various educational initiatives and workshops.
As a result, a number of initiatives have been progressively introduced to improve the handling and management of waste throughout the district. Such initiatives have significantly reduced the amount of waste going to landfill.
The refuse disposed of to landfill from the Gisborne area has decreased from 70,000 tonnes in 1995 to 14,000 in 2002, in addition to a small but unknown amount disposed of at the Waiapu Area Landfill (this is expected to be considerably less than the 3,000 tonnes allowed). (See Figure 6 below.)
Pre-2000
Pre-2000, the Gisborne District Council operated free drop-off recycling stations at many rural schools and around town. Illegal dumping and incorrect use of these sites was periodically a problem for the Council.
The introduction of a weighbridge at the landfill in 1999 allowed a transition phase to a full user-pays regime in 2000. In particular, the regime was targeted to reduce the large volumes of organic waste (grape marc, sweetcorn and tomato waste) being disposed of at the landfill.
1999/2000
The Council consulted communities throughout the district with a view to establishing a local waste plan. The feedback was positive. The communities indicated that the disposal of waste was a concern and they wanted kerbside recycling/diversion and education.
The reduction in volumes of waste disposal in the district has been due to the following factors:
- Attitude changes resulting in behavioural change by the residents of the area through innovative education.
- Implementation of user-pays sticker refuse collection system - one sticker for one 5 kg bag of refuse per week paid for through rates, with any stickers for additional bags to be purchased. This was combined with the introduction of a 70 litre bin system for kerbside recycling in September 2000.
- Improved rates of recycling and improved refuse collection system (ie, no limit to the amount of bags that people could put out as long as they were prepared to pay for them).
- The success of the recycling programme came from not having to sort the material (all material goes into the bin and the sorting is done on the kerbside by the recycling staff), a large recycling bin and the recycling collection on the same day as the refuse collection.
- An intensive education programme saw a 92% participation rate in the user-pays system from day one. In August 1999, 1.48 bags were collected per property with an average weight of 6.8 kg per bag. In October 2000, one bag was collected per property with an average weight of 5.1 kg. This improvement is despite the removal of the 'one bag limit' that operated earlier.
- The impending closure of Paokahu Landfill at the end of December 2002 focused community attention on the need to minimise waste to landfill and find alternative disposal solutions where these are possible.
- True costs charged for disposal allowed alternative businesses to compete for the 'waste material'. Aligned with this was a Council resolution that it would not provide a competing service where private industry was providing an efficient and cost effective service.
Figure 6: Refuse disposed of to landfill - Gisborne district
