Foreword
As the Prime Minister emphasised earlier this year, New Zealand’s future is dependent on long-term, sustainable strategies. These include taking steps to move towards zero waste.
Five years on from the launch of the New Zealand Waste Strategy (2002), this review of progress against the targets in the Strategy has been a valuable exercise. The review confirms that local government, central government and industry have made some important steps along the journey towards zero waste. It has also enabled us to take stock of areas where more needs to be done and to set priorities for future waste work.
There has been good progress in improving waste management and waste minimisation services and infrastructure across the country, and 97 per cent of New Zealanders now have access to recycling facilities. Many communities have also taken the initiative to minimise waste and improve resource recovery. One example is the resource recovery plant recently established in Palmerston North. Built on an old landfill site, the plant includes a domestic recycling facility, a composting plant for green and food waste, a glass-crushing facility, and a business and education centre to support best practice in waste minimisation.
Despite these successes, however, waste minimisation and management practices are still widely variable, and the challenge now is to ensure a consistently high level of service throughout New Zealand. One area where I would like to see progress is in increasing the variety of recyclable materials diverted from landfills without compromising their value through inappropriate mixing or handling. In line with the Government’s commitment to sustainable development, I am also seeking to promote the onshore recovery and processing of recycled materials. I have asked territorial authorities to consider what can be done in regard to both these issues as we move towards zero waste.
Many businesses already see the benefits of reducing waste and improving resource efficiency through good design and more efficient manufacturing. It simply makes good economic sense, particularly as consumer demand for environmentally sustainable products grows. I would encourage other businesses to embrace the benefits of supplying a truly “clean and green” product or service.
Central government has developed a number of guidelines and standards to manage waste disposed of to landfills and cleanfills. Similarly, a range of tools, guidelines and product stewardship schemes are available to ensure the safe management of hazardous wastes and other special wastes. We need to maintain and build on the momentum in this area, where possible.
This review shows the need for increased effort to better understand and manage organic wastes and the construction and demolition waste stream. These wastes currently represent almost half of our waste to landfill, so there are many exciting opportunities to recover these materials and re-use them. This report also shows that existing monitoring and reporting systems for waste are insufficient. If we are to better manage and minimise waste in this country, we need to be able to measure, monitor and report waste flows accurately.
As Minister for the Environment, I challenge local government, the waste sector, business and local communities to consider the findings of this review and to play their part in moving towards zero waste. We all have a role to play if New Zealand is to achieve a truly sustainable future.
Hon David Benson-Pope
MINISTER FOR THE ENVIRONMENT
