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Waste Minimisation in New Zealand
A Discussion Document from the Ministry for the Environment

The purpose of the discussion document was to seek your feedback on policy proposed to implement the Waste Minimisation Act 2008.

As part of the consultation process, we asked for your feedback on five topics:

  • revising targets for the New Zealand Waste Strategy
  • identifying products that are priorities for product stewardship
  • identifying funding criteria for the Waste Minimisation Fund
  • monitoring waste in New Zealand
  • improving the operation of the waste levy.

Submissions closed on Friday 15 May 2009 and are currently being analysed.  The submissions will be used to help inform future waste policy.

Foreword

Recycling has caught on in New Zealand. Some communities have reduced their waste going to landfill by more than 60 per cent. With public awareness one of the cornerstones of a good waste management system, New Zealand benefits from this widespread public, professional and private sector support for action on waste reduction and safe waste disposal.

Reducing waste, and disposing of it safely, are the Government’s two broad waste management public policy objectives. At present, New Zealand’s environment effectively subsidises rubbish disposal because we still rely on cheap rubbish dumps without proper leachate and landfill gas control systems.

Change is needed. Resource recovery and recycling are critical as they can save us the pollution and greenhouse gas costs generated by producing more virgin materials.

In 2002, the New Zealand Waste Strategy set out the Government’s long-term vision for reducing waste, using resources efficiently, recovering resources from the waste stream, and managing residual waste better. It set many ambitious targets for reducing waste and recovering resources and, seven years down the track, it is now timely to revise and update them. This document seeks your feedback on proposals for revised targets.

This document outlines preferred policy options to begin implementing the new Waste Minimisation Act 2008. It seeks feedback on some of the detail concerning the waste levy. The levy aims to provide both an incentive to avoid waste, along with funding to help develop waste minimisation infrastructure, such as reprocessing facilities and collection systems.

The discussion document also seeks feedback on criteria for spending some of the levy money through the Waste Minimisation Fund. This spending will help to develop infrastructure for waste minimisation including reprocessing facilities and collection systems. It could also help to develop markets for compost and recyclables. Development of waste minimisation infrastructure and markets will be critical to achieving waste reduction objectives.

The Government also supports increased producer responsibility. We want to encourage industries to design products that can be recycled, and we want them to play an active role, where practical, in their collection and reuse. This discussion document seeks your feedback on where the Government should focus its investigation in this area.

The final shape of the policy, and its adoption by Government, will be determined after consultation. As an interested person, I invite you to help us develop robust and forward thinking policy that will enable us to effectively manage waste in New Zealand, and look forward to your feedback on the proposals presented.

 

Hon Dr Nick Smith
Minister for the Environment