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3 Review of Progress against Targets

3.1 Introduction

This section presents the results of the 2006 review of progress against the New Zealand Waste Strategy targets and provides details of progress made in each priority area. Information on the priority areas in the Strategy is provided in seven sub-sections:

• waste minimisation

• organic waste

• special waste

• construction and demolition waste

• hazardous waste and contaminated sites

• organochlorines

• trade waste and waste disposal.

Each sub-section begins with a brief introduction to the waste stream under discussion, and goes on to provide a summary of progress against targets. This is followed by a detailed discussion of each target.

This section of the report shows that much of the groundwork for achieving the Strategy’s wider goals and objectives for waste management, waste minimisation and resource efficiency has been laid, but that progress against the Strategy targets has been variable.

Of the 30 targets in the New Zealand Waste Strategy, 10 have been achieved, achieved ahead of time, or have had significant progress made towards achieving them. Eight targets have a deadline to be achieved in future, so progress is considered in this report in general terms only. Three targets have not been achieved, and four targets were unable to be achieved. Progress against five targets was unable to be measured.

3.2 Waste minimisation

3.2.1 Introduction

The waste minimisation targets in the Strategy focus on the introduction of waste policies by local government, rather than management of specific waste streams. The progress of local government in achieving waste management and minimisation outcomes has been discussed briefly in the previous section. This section focuses specifically on waste minimisation targets.

3.2.2 Summary of progress

A range of waste minimisation initiatives operate around New Zealand. Seventy-seven per cent of territorial authorities offer household recycling of paper, card, plastic, glass, and steel and aluminium cans, either through kerbside collections or drop-off facilities. Green waste disposal facilities are provided by 70 per cent of territorial authorities, and there are a number of trials for the kerbside collection of green waste, which in some areas includes food waste.

In a number of localities, drop-off facilities have provisions for the collection of a wider selection of materials, including electronic and electrical waste, hazardous waste, batteries, waste oil and construction waste.

There is some similarity of waste minimisation services throughout the country in terms of the types of materials collected, but there are still differences in the types of services provided. This often depends on local infrastructure and markets. When broken down into metropolitan, urban and rural areas, access to recycling services remains high in all areas, but access to kerbside recycling is significantly higher in metropolitan areas.

Most territorial authorities have brought waste minimisation into their formal planning and budgeting cycles so funding for waste minimisation activities is prioritised against other council responsibilities. However, territorial authorities still vary in terms of how they implement waste minimisation activities. There have been some excellent achievements where there are specific drivers (such as high public demand or lack of landfill capacity), but in other areas performance largely depends on the degree to which the territorial authority has embraced the objectives of the New Zealand Waste Strategy.

Regional councils, territorial authorities and central government have made good progress in incorporating waste minimisation into their own office practices, but expansion to other council-run buildings is limited by the available knowledge and opportunities.

A range of voluntary programmes to reduce waste are available to the business sector. These range from Design for the Environment Guidelines 2006 (Plastics New Zealand 2006) though to business sustainability schemes. Case studies are emerging to illustrate examples where businesses have reduced waste and saved money, or redesigned and created market advantage. Highlighting success and providing practical information on how they achieved this will help other businesses achieve similar results.

Waste minimisation is becoming an important consideration where public sector organisations are involved in new and refurbished buildings, especially in relation to construction and demolition waste and the installation of recycling infrastructure. Consideration of waste minimisation principles is gradually becoming the norm for new and redeveloped buildings, particularly in view of the development of environmental rating schemes and best practice guidelines.

Key findings

• Eighty-six per cent of territorial authorities report on waste minimisation and management initiatives annually.

• Seventy-two per cent of territorial authorities and regional councils have recycling facilities within their council buildings.

• Access to domestic recycling has increased: 97 per cent of New Zealanders have access to domestic recycling facilities, either kerbside recycling or drop-off facilities, with 73 per cent of them at the kerbside.

• An estimated 329,300 tonnes of paper, glass, steel, cardboard, aluminium and plastics (grades 1 and 2) were recovered in 2005/06 through council recycling programmes.

3.2.3 Looking forward

Further opportunities to accelerate waste minimisation activities and standardise best practice across New Zealand need to be examined. These could include:

• sharing best practice among councils in waste diversion methodology

• promoting regional cooperation (ie, working across territorial authorities within a region)

• considering increased funding and additional funding mechanisms for waste minimisation activities, to expand the range of services available and increase participation in existing services

• drawing more heavily on international best practice and experience.

Central government could support such activities through the further development of best practice guidelines and by reviewing underlying policy and legislation to ensure that any barriers to action are removed.

3.2.4 Review of progress

Target 1.1 recognises the importance of territorial authorities reporting on their waste management and minimisation activities to their communities. It was acknowledged in the 2003 Review of Targets (Ministry for the Environment, 2004d) that reporting approaches may differ between territorial authorities. The 2003 review also recognised that as measurement systems for waste volumes and composition are developed to meet local needs, the degree of detail reported will vary.

At present, 86 per cent of territorial authorities report annually on their waste management and minimisation activities. The majority of this reporting is done through annual reports and plans, as shown in Figure 8. One of the barriers to full reporting may be a lack of clarity on what should be reported. In general, territorial authorities report on the services they provide, including the types of service they provide, levels of customer satisfaction, the amount of recycling collected annually, the development of drop-off centres and infrastructure to assist waste management, and details of existing or new programmes. Financial information is also reported.

With a greater involvement of communities in council activities and the increasing profile of waste issues, it is anticipated that the total number of territorial authorities reporting on waste will increase. It is also expected that, over time, regular waste reporting by councils will be formalised through the process of reporting on Long Term Council Community Plans.

In addition to reporting in annual reports or plans, territorial authorities are required under the Local Government Act 2002 to adopt a waste management plan. In 2005, 82 per cent of territorial authorities had waste management plans, an increase from 46 per cent in 2002. In some areas, such as Canterbury, territorial authorities provide extensive data from across the region. For example, data from the Canterbury region provides detailed information on progress in diverting various waste streams from landfill, as well as trends in waste disposed to landfill.

The 2003 Review of Strategy Targets identified that neither of these targets could be achieved. Including this kind of requirement in resource consents was legally determined to be in direct conflict with (ultra vires to) the Resource Management Act 1991. This situation has not changed since the 2003 review.

However, there are other ways councils can engage with business and industry in order to help them achieve waste minimisation outcomes. Instead of requiring waste minimisation activities through resource consent conditions, territorial authorities and regional councils provide a wide range of programmes and initiatives to promote best practice, provide information and guidance, and offer seed funding. These programmes are often run in partnership with business, non-governmental organisations and central government.

Target achieved ahead of due date

A range of programmes, initiatives and pathways have been developed to promote waste minimisation within the business sector. Following are some examples.

New Zealand Business Council for Sustainable Development

The New Zealand Business Council for Sustainable Development provides business leadership as a catalyst for change towards sustainable development, promoting eco-efficiency, innovation and responsible entrepreneurship.

The Council has about 40 member companies, all of whom share a commitment to social and environmental responsibility, as well as financial success. Companies become members by invitation, which ensures that the Council remains a strong group of leading businesses committed to learning by sharing and providing business leadership in sustainable development. Each company is represented on the Council through its CEO or a business leader of equivalent rank.

Sustainable Business Network

The Sustainable Business Network is a forum of over 400 businesses interested in sustainable practices. The Network supports businesses to become sustainable by linking businesses, providing a forum for the exchange of ideas and experiences, and running the Get Sustainable Challenge, an auditing and improvement process.

Enviro-Mark® and EnviroSmart®

Enviro-Mark® is a nationwide environmental certification process for business, which has an easy, step by step pathway for businesses to improve their health, safety and environmental management. Enviro-Mark® has five business certification levels, from bronze (environmental compliance) to diamond level (pre-certification for ISO 14001, the international standard for environmental management). In New Zealand, this certification system is supported by the EnviroSmart® programme, which helps businesses through the certification process. The programme aims to improve environmental performance and resource use efficiency in over 500 recruited businesses nationwide. The programme is sponsored by the Ministry for the Environment and 21 councils to deliver the programme across eight different regions.

New Zealand Packaging Accord

The New Zealand Packaging Accord is a voluntary product stewardship agreement that brings together key players throughout the packaging life cycle to improve the sustainability of packaging used in New Zealand. The Accord includes over 200 companies in the packaged goods industry, as well as central government, local government and recycling operators.

Plastics and paper

The plastics and paper sectors run an environmental best-practice programme for their members which contributes to waste reduction and prevention. The programme aims to create a more environmentally sustainable manufacturing sector in New Zealand through the adoption of environmental management systems, operational resource efficiency gains, and business strategies encompassing full product life cycles.

Current data from territorial authorities suggests that 97 per cent of the New Zealand population have access to community recycling facilities, with 73 per cent having access to kerbside collections. Community recycling facilities vary around the country, with 77 per cent of territorial authorities providing facilities to recycle paper, card, plastic, glass and steel/ aluminium cans. These facilities are either a kerbside collection or drop-off centres, or both.

However, levels of service vary between kerbside collections and drop-off facilities, as shown in Figure 9. In many areas, territorial authorities and private enterprise offer services to recycle a wider range of materials.

Many territorial authorities also offer a range of services to divert other materials from landfill. Seventy per cent of territorial authorities offer facilities to compost green waste, with seven per cent extending this to food waste. Second-hand goods are sorted and sold at some territorial authority sites: this usually includes furniture, bric-a-brac, building materials, tools, toys and books. Other materials collected include electronic and electrical waste, hazardous waste, batteries, waste oil and construction waste.

Table 6 shows the availability of recycling services provided by territorial authorities in major metropolitan areas (Auckland, Hamilton, Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin), the remaining urban areas and rural areas. This highlights that the metropolitan areas are more likely to have kerbside recycling, with 97 per cent of the metropolitan population having access to kerbside recycling. This contrasts with rural areas, where only 45 per cent of the population have access to kerbside recycling. However, 92 per cent of the population in rural areas have some access to recycling services (ie, either through kerbside recycling or drop-off facilities). Rural and low-density urban areas can face barriers to kerbside recycling given the high cost of providing kerbside collections in areas where populations are geographically dispersed.

Table 6: Recycling in metropolitan, urban, and rural areas, 2006

Source: Survey of territorial authorities, November 2006

It was recognised in the 2003 Review of Targets (Ministry for the Environment, 2004d) that requiring space to be allocated for recycling facilities in multi-unit residential and commercial buildings is not effectively achieved through district plans. The Department of Building and Housing is examining options to include space allocation for recycling facilities as part of an overall review of the Building Code, which applies to both residential and commercial buildings. The Building Code review team is due to report to the Minister for Building and Construction by the end of November 2007 with recommendations on this and other issues under review. It is worth noting that the review process has been informed by strong public support for mandatory space for recycling and solid waste storage facilities in multi-unit residential buildings.

Progress on space allocation for recycling facilities is also being made on other fronts. The New Zealand Green Building Council (NZGBC) has developed Green Star NZ, a comprehensive rating system for evaluating the environmental design and performance of New Zealand buildings. Evaluation is based on a number of criteria, including energy and water efficiency, indoor environment quality and resource conservation.

Green Star NZ – Office Design (NZGBC, 2006) is a technical manual and rating system developed as part of Green Star NZ. It evaluates the environmental aspects and/or the potential environmental impacts of new and refurbished commercial office buildings. The rating tool includes provision to rate waste minimisation aspects of the fit-out (see Table 7 for the rating criteria for recycling waste storage). The tool is currently being piloted and is expected to be released for wider use in April 2007.

Table 7: Section of Green Star rating tool – recycling waste storage criteria

Source: Green Star NZ, NZBC 2006

Seventy-two per cent of territorial authorities and regional councils have implemented waste minimisation activities, including recycling facilities, within their council offices. Some have extended their waste minimisation programmes to other facilities and operations in which there is council involvement (eg, Christchurch Airport and Hutt City Council libraries).

The majority of council facilities and assets are managed under contract, many of them long-term contracts. Some councils have cited barriers to changing the waste minimisation requirements in existing contracts as it is not considered a legitimate basis on which to vary the contract. In addition, most territorial authorities review their asset management plans relatively infrequently, and this means that some have not yet addressed the issue of waste minimisation in their facilities and assets.

Progress for this target may also have been limited by the separation in councils between staff responsible for waste minimisation and those responsible for managing facilities and assets. Ideally, asset managers need to consider waste minimisation opportunities for council assets and infrastructure as part of regular decision-making on asset management.

3.3 Organic waste

3.3.1 Introduction

Organic wastes constitute a large portion of the waste stream and make a significant contribution to the environmental effects of waste disposal. These effects include the generation and release of methane (one of the primary landfill gases and a significant greenhouse gas) and the generation of leachate.

The term “organic waste” covers many types of waste. The common definition, based on the putrescible waste category used in the Solid Waste Analysis Protocol, or SWAP (Ministry for the Environment, 2002c), includes garden waste (more commonly known as “green waste”), food scraps, biosolids and commercial organic wastes such as food-processing waste. Some other wastes that may biodegrade in landfill are also defined as organic wastes, but these are identified separately in SWAP audits. This includes some paper, cardboard and untreated wood.

The Solid Waste Analysis Protocol of Waste to Landfill 2004 indicates that organic waste comprises 23 per cent of the waste stream. If paper, cardboard and timber are added to this figure, biodegradable waste constitutes up to 52 per cent of the total waste to landfill. Not all timber and paper can be easily diverted via existing processes, such as composting or mulching, but certainly a large percentage of biodegradable waste can. This highlights the importance of doing further work on options to increase the diversion of organic and other biodegradable wastes from landfill.

A significant proportion of the organic waste stream is green waste, which generally includes household garden waste and commercial landscaping waste.

There are a number of ways that organic waste can be disposed of, meaning that final disposal of this waste is more complex than for many other waste streams. Policies and programmes to increase diversion rates from landfill may therefore only address a proportion of organic waste volumes because, in addition to disposal to landfill, organic waste may also be disposed of via:

• trade waste sewerage systems when very dilute

• domestic sewerage systems through household waste disposal units

• food-processing wastes going to stock (eg, pigs and cattle)

• land application of effluent from meat and dairy processing facilities

• disposal of biosolids at dedicated landfills, composting, drying (with use as soil conditioner or landfill cover). There are also significant quantities of biosolids effectively stored in oxidation ponds throughout New Zealand.

There are still strong incentives to remove organics from the solid waste stream because of the high environmental impacts of disposing of organic material to landfill and increasing costs of disposal. In addition, unlike many other waste streams there are good prospects for alternative, lower-impact disposal or beneficial end-use options for many organic wastes. For example, market demand is growing for alternative end-uses for organic wastes, such as compost or food stock for animals. However, consumers are demanding an increasing level of quality for such products, and this is a challenge for the waste industry.

3.3.2 Summary of progress

Good progress on organic waste diversion, especially the composting of green waste, has been made by both territorial authorities and commercial enterprises. Green waste is most commonly composted or mulched at transfer stations and some landfills. The majority of green waste services are provided by territorial authorities. In some areas commercial collection services for green waste are also available to householders.

Some territorial authorities have implemented kerbside collections for green and food waste, but there are significant problems with this type of service, especially in relation to proven processing technology, markets and cost, which need to be overcome before such services are likely to become mainstreamed.

Improvements in waste infrastructure and services have made the diversion of some types of organic wastes from landfill easier for many householders and businesses. At the same time, these improvements have facilitated commercial collection services which deliver diverted materials to council-operated, or council-supported, processing sites. The challenge now is to maximise the participation and use of the services available, and work with the composting sector to build sustainable markets for diverted processed products.

Diversion rates remain high for many of the large, single-waste organic waste streams produced by industry. This is particularly true for freezing works, and wood-processing and food-processing wastes. A logical next step for organic waste diversion is to build on present diversion programmes and expand large-scale industrial organic diversion of single-waste organic waste streams. A greater focus may also be required for smaller commercial waste streams from sources such as supermarkets and restaurants, where the diverse and dispersed nature of the waste streams present greater challenges for diversion.

There has been limited progress in measuring the quantity of organic waste disposed of. This includes the amounts diverted by territorial authorities and commercial enterprises, disposal via wastewater treatment systems and sewage sludge diversion, and the diversion of commercial organic waste.

Key findings

• Over 312,000 tonnes of organic waste is diverted from landfill by territorial authorities.

• An estimated 35 per cent of green waste was diverted from landfill in 2005/06.

• Opportunities to dispose of green waste through composting or mulching are provided by 70 per cent of territorial authorities.

• A total of 37,000 tonnes of biosolids, at varying stages of dryness, are diverted from landfill annually (excluding land reclamation).

• The New Zealand Standard for Compost, Mulches and Soil Conditioners is expected to improve the quality of and expand markets for recycled compost products.

3.3.3 Looking forward

It has proven difficult for territorial authorities to effectively monitor and set targets for organic waste given that they are not involved in the management or processing of a large proportion of this waste stream. Even so, a significant amount of organic waste is diverted from landfill through council-related initiatives. Green waste is a primary focus for territorial authority efforts to reduce organic waste flows to landfill.

A better understanding of diversion rates and flows for industrial organic waste is critical if improvements are to be made in organic diversion rates. Additional funding could help accelerate organic waste minimisation initiatives, especially in relation to food waste, where there are still challenges to ensuring a high-quality, marketable end-use product.

Overall, achievements in the diversion of biosolids from landfill have been limited, and the target of 95 per cent diversion of biosolids from landfill by December 2007 is unlikely to be achieved. Further work in this area is required to overcome significant cultural and technical difficulties before a greater re-use of biosolids can be expected.

Continued work on organics is required to ensure that diversion rates improve and markets are developed for organic materials created through reprocessing. The recently developed New Zealand Standard for Compost, Mulches and Soil Conditioners, for example, is expected to improve the quality of, and expand markets for, recycled compost products. Work is continuing to ensure the Standard is recognised as a mark of quality. It is important that secondary organic materials, such as compost and soil conditioner, are produced for a market that can utilise them on a continuing basis.

3.3.4 Review of progress

Measurement systems for organic wastes vary between territorial authorities. Some territorial authorities monitor all organic wastes that are processed and either sent to landfill or recycled/reprocessed, while others only measure the quantities of certain wastes either diverted or sent to landfill from their territory. Forty-one per cent of territorial authorities employ a formal monitoring system for organic waste (see Figure 10). Of these, half have set local targets for organic waste diversion. Sixty-three per cent of territorial authorities were able to provide figures for organic waste either diverted from landfill or sent to landfill. Although not all territorial authorities have formal measurement systems for all types of organic waste, many measure volumes and flows of green waste and biosolids.

The lack of a standardised system for data collation and reporting means figures collected from territorial authorities and waste and recycling operators are often not comparable. Nationally, the SWAP has provided a consistent way to measure the composition of solid waste disposed to landfill, including the different organic waste streams. If conducted in their area, this provides territorial authorities with a good process to determine composition data on which to base their waste minimisation activities. The SWAP has been used by a number of territorial authorities across New Zealand. However, its use is not universal and some territorial authorities, including those in Canterbury, have used the SWAP as a basis to develop their own measurement systems to provide richer detail.

Only a small portion of the organic waste in New Zealand is handled by territorial authorities, yet council-related initiatives diverted 312,085 tonnes of organic waste from landfill in 2005/06. This waste can be categorised into four main organic waste streams, as outlined in Figure 11. Garden (or green) waste makes up the largest percentage of all organic waste diverted from landfill by territorial authorities. The ‘Other Organic’ waste category primarily represents food waste collections currently under trial by some territorial authorities.

Data from SWAP surveys indicates that 9.2 per cent of the waste disposed of to landfill is green waste. In 2005/06, the total amount of green waste estimated to have been diverted from landfill by territorial authorities was 153,885 tonnes – 55 per cent of the estimated total amount of organic waste diverted from landfill on behalf of territorial authorities.

It can therefore be estimated that the total amount of green waste sent to landfill in 2005/06 was 444,237 tonnes, of which 35 per cent was diverted from landfill. However, total volumes of green waste generated in New Zealand are likely to be significantly higher than this, given that commercial diversion of green waste from landfill and home composting are not included in territorial authority monitoring or reporting.

The opportunity to dispose of green waste by composting or mulching is provided by 70 per cent of territorial authorities, at either landfills or transfer stations. The majority of services are offered in urban areas, with 84 per cent of territorial authorities in urban areas providing these services. There are also other privately owned facilities across the country that provide green waste services.

Many householders have the capacity to compost or mulch green and food wastes at home. Considerable encouragement and information has been given to home composting through public information, including the national Reduce Your Rubbish campaign and campaigns run by individual councils. Scant information is available, however, on how much green waste is diverted through home composting. Figures for this are not included in data provided by territorial authorities.

If the target of 95 per cent of all organic waste to be diverted from landfill by 2010 is to be achieved, further work is required to ensure that diversion rates improve and markets are developed for new materials created through reprocessing. It is important that the materials produced, such as compost and soil conditioner, have sustainable markets, via long-term demand and workable prices.

Solid waste analysis carried out in 2004 shows that organic waste made up 23 per cent of all waste to landfill. Subsequent studies (Waste Not Consulting, 2006) have provided additional data, which has led to an improved understanding of organic waste streams to landfill (see Figure 12). Two main organic wastes - kitchen waste (more commonly known as food waste) and green waste - make up 92 per cent of the organic waste stream.

The “multi-material” or “other” organic waste shown in Figure 12 comprises commercial organic wastes such as paunch grass and food-processing waste. This represents only eight per cent of organic waste, and equates to 1.8 per cent of all waste to landfill.

The Ministry for the Environment and the New Zealand Water and Wastes Association worked collaboratively to develop the WINFO database in order to capture information on the quantity of biosolids and sewage sludge produced and its disposal or re-use. WINFO is a web-based database into which information about wastewater treatment plants is collated and stored. The database is primarily used by territorial authorities and is updated annually. The initial population of WINFO is expected to be completed by the end of 2007.

So far WINFO has identified 320 wastewater treatment plants. Current information from the WINFO database indicates that 26 wastewater treatment plants are diverting an estimated 155,000 tonnes of biosolids from landfill each year. Examples include:

• Living Earth, which transfers 18,200 tonnes of biosolids diverted from the Wellington City Council wastewater treatment plants (Moa Point and Karori) to the Living Earth composting plant, where it is blended with green waste to produce compost

• Mangere Waste Water Treatment plant, which currently uses up to 116,380 tonnes of biosolids per annum for land reclamation

• New Plymouth District Council, which thermally dries 1,260 tonnes of biosolids a year to produce a pelletised form that is sold as a slow-release granular fertiliser

• Nelson City Council, which diverts 600 tonnes of biosolids a year from its wastewater treatment plant and applies it to forest on Rabbit Island as a fertiliser.

Information from WINFO has also identified 74 pond-based treatment plants which store biosolids formed during the treatment process until they require desludging (see Figure 13). Once the WINFO database is fully populated it will be possible to establish total quantities and diversion rates.

Upgrades to wastewater treatment plants are carried out to improve the quality of the final effluent discharge. Improvements to the treatment process result in increased production of biosolids because more solids are removed. After the recent upgrade to the Mangere Wastewater Treatment Plant, for example, the volume of biosolids removed increased from 40,000 tonnes in the mid-1990s to 116,000 tonnes a year in 2005/6. This indicates that the total volumes of biosolids produced in New Zealand are likely to increase as treatment plants are improved in future (see target 9.5).

Upgrades to wastewater treatment plants have also resulted in reductions in the volume of methane produced from biosolids. This is because it is becoming common for biosolids to be used during the treatment process to provide energy for the treatment plant, which reduces the overall production of methane. Examples include the Mangere wastewater treatment plant, which captures the methane produced and uses it to generate electricity to run the treatment plant. Likewise, the Seaview waste water treatment plant thermally dries its biosolids before landfilling to reduce the production of leachate.

Even with these initiatives, there are significant cultural, technical and financial barriers to overcome before an increase in the re-use of biosolids and methane from biosolids can be expected.

There is only limited data on the amount of commercial organic waste diverted from landfill, so a comprehensive assessment of commercial organic wastes diverted from landfill is currently not possible. Territorial authorities that do collect data on commercial organic waste have estimated that in 2005 they diverted 16,812 tonnes, which represents only six per cent of the total amount of organic waste diverted from landfill by territorial authorities. The majority of diversion appears to be achieved through small projects conducted by territorial authorities at an operational level. An example of this kind of project is the “Kai to Compost” food waste collection service (see boxed text below).

As mentioned at the beginning of this section, there are many ways that organic waste can be disposed of, other than to landfill. Some of these are specially relevant to commercial organic waste (eg, food-processing wastes going to stock feed for animals, effluent from meat and dairy processing facilities being applied to soils, and trade waste entering the sewerage system). These alternatives to landfill are used by a number of industries, but again there is little data available on the volumes involved.

An example of commercial organic diversion is provided by Gisborne District Council. In Gisborne, 35,000 tonnes of organic waste are used each year as stock feed by local industry. In addition, an estimated 20,800 to 69,000 tonnes of wood waste is produced per year by the local wood mill and then used by it as fuel to help power the mill. This kind of activity is promoted by many sustainability programmes across New Zealand as best practice, including by the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority, as an effective way to reduce greenhouse gases. Although there are many similar initiatives around the country they often go unmeasured, yet such diversion activities have a significant effect in reducing the amount of waste that is finally sent to landfill. It is therefore important that these alternative means of disposal for commercial organic wastes are both maintained and developed, and that measurement improves.

3.4 Special waste

3.4.1 Introduction

The term “special waste” is used in the Strategy to describe categories of waste that present particular problems and that need specific policies for their management. These include used oil, used tyres, old electronic goods, farm plastics and end-of-life motor vehicles. Sound management of these waste streams often involves businesses involved in their manufacture or supply taking some responsibility for goods beyond the point of sale.

Generally, successful management can be achieved through industry participation in schemes that help reduce and better manage the waste involved. Such schemes are often known as “product stewardship” schemes. The Strategy promotes the use of product stewardship schemes to deal with special wastes. To date, policies have focused on multi-party product stewardship schemes, recognising that a number of parties other than producers have responsibility for managing products that end their lives as special wastes. This is also consistent with a full life cycle approach.

3.4.2 Summary of progress

Several voluntary product stewardship schemes are achieving good results with participating companies. These include:

• the waste oil recovery programme

• paint recovery services offered by Resene and Enviropaints

• paper, plastic, glass, aluminium and steel packaging through the New Zealand Packaging Accord, in conjunction with the territorial authorities recycling programmes

• the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment recovery programmes

• programmes for the collection of farm plastics

• Tyre Track, a programme to track end-of-life tyres.

A notable feature of these schemes is that they have been established by industry, or in partnership with industry, with an industry body or lead company taking on responsibility for managing and implementing the scheme.

Key findings

• Companies in 10 different sectors are involved in voluntary, industry-led product stewardship schemes.

• A regulated framework for product stewardship is being developed to support such voluntary initiatives when required.

• Used oil recovery programmes collect 21 million litres of used oil per year.

• Seven major companies have introduced voluntary product stewardship schemes for waste electronic and electrical equipment.

• Tyre Track, set up in 2004, links tyre dealers with transporters, recyclers and landfills, has tracked almost two million tyres to a responsible end use.

3.4.3 Looking forward

Ongoing effort in the area of product stewardship is essential if special wastes are to be diverted from landfill. One concern cited by participants in product stewardship schemes is that those who do not participate in the scheme stand to gain a commercial advantage because they can continue with less sustainable practices at a lesser cost, undercutting those involved in the scheme in the marketplace. This is being considered in current policy work.

3.4.4 Review of progress

As noted above, a number of companies in different sectors have introduced or are developing producer-led product stewardship schemes for the collection and re-use, recycling or appropriate treatment and disposal of special waste. Some of these schemes are detailed below. All schemes are voluntary, and reflect the increasing commitment by a range of New Zealand businesses to improving the sustainability of their products.

Product stewardship schemes internalise the cost of impacts to the environment into their product price, which provides a market incentive to:

• reduce the amount of resources needed to produce products

• facilitate the re-use and recycling of a product

• ensure products are disposed of with the least environmental impact.

Multi-party product stewardship schemes have the same objectives but rely on a number of parties - in addition to producers - to take responsibility for managing products that end their lives as special wastes.

Waste oil

Used oil is the single largest non-watery liquid waste stream in New Zealand. An estimated 33 to 40 million litres of waste oil are generated each year. Producer-based used oil recovery programmes have been in place for some years and collect an estimated 21 million litres of waste oil a year. This is estimated to be approximately half to two-thirds of the total amount of used oil generated.

The major oil companies involved in the waste oil product stewardship scheme operate a nationwide collection network. This is available for territorial authorities to use at their landfill and transfer stations on a user-pays basis.

Paint

Paint recovery services are provided by Resene Paints (through a service called Paintwise) and Enviropaints. Both collect waste paint in collaboration with territorial authorities and regional councils, and Paintwise is available direct to the public. Coverage is not presently nationwide. Continued work is required to encourage other major paint manufacturers to offer product stewardship schemes for waste paints.

Paper, plastic, glass, aluminium and steel packaging

The New Zealand Packaging Accord (described in section 2) is focused on five packaging waste streams: paper, plastic, glass, aluminium and steel. Its objective is to improve the sustainability of packaging used in New Zealand by creating better partnerships, policies and processes through:

• brand owners and retailers taking the primary responsibility for product stewardship throughout the packaging life cycle

• greater material and energy efficiency in production

• use and recovery of packaging materials

• supply chain initiatives that foster markets for sustainable packaging, including more use of recovered packaging materials.

Waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE)

WEEE includes products such as batteries, computers, cellphones and televisions, and lighting appliances such as fluorescent tubes. Up to 80,000 tonnes of WEEE is discarded to landfill in New Zealand every year.

WEEE can contain toxic substances such as lead, cadmium, mercury, chromium and brominated flame retardant plastics. These substances are dangerous if they are burnt or if they leach into the soil or waterways. Disposing of WEEE to landfill also wastes valuable materials such as steel, gold, platinum and copper. Products can often be repaired and given another life, or the materials recycled. Product stewardship schemes to reduce WEEE have been introduced in New Zealand by Hewlett Packard, IBM, Dell, Fisher & Paykel, Vodafone, Telecom and Exide.

Farm plastics

Farm plastics are used mainly for chemical containers and silage wrap. Disposal of these plastics has become a persistent and growing problem for farmers and growers throughout New Zealand. They are dangerous to burn or bury on the farm, and can be hazardous to dispose of to landfill if not properly managed.

Agrecovery is a programme for the sustainable recovery of triple-rinsed agriculture and forestry sector plastic containers. It is financed through a 13 cent per litre levy collected by participating brand owners. As a self-funding programme, Agrecovery will provide a long-term recovery solution for the agrichemical sector.

AgPac is currently performing trials to provide a user-pays system for farmers to conveniently recycle their silage wrap.

Tyres

Approximately three to four million tyres are disposed of every year in New Zealand. Tyres that have come to the end of their useful life are a waste problem. They are difficult to dispose of because they are bulky and tend to move about, which can make the landfill unstable. If tyres are stacked separately at landfills they pose a fire risk.

Tyre Track is a product stewardship scheme, supported by the major tyre importers and the Motor Trade Association, which addresses the problem of waste tyres. It is a voluntary tyre collection system that links tyre dealers, transporters and registered end-points (primarily recyclers and sanitary landfills). Tyre Track works to track end-of-life tyres in New Zealand and ensure they are all properly disposed of.