Publication Search
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March 2014This inventory of anthropogenic (human made) mercury sources and use in New Zealand was completed in 2012 as part of the national interest assessment for the Minamata Convention on Mercury. Read more
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August 2009The report is part of a series of three reports that strengthen the evidence base for a potential industry-led voluntary product stewardship scheme. It assesses the environmental impact of mercury-containing lamps compared to the impact of mercury from other sources. Read more
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August 2003This technical report provides information on the sources of fine particles (PM10 – particles less then 10 microns in diameter) in New Zealand. Read more
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July 2004The 2004 New Zealand Packaging Accord was a partnership between government and industry to make more sustainable use of packaging. Read more
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July 2020New Directions for Resource Management in New Zealand is a comprehensive review of our resource management system. The review process was an opportunity to design a new system for resource management that delivers better outcomes for our environment, society, economy, and culture. Read more
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August 2001This 2001 report estimates the value for New Zealand's export trade of our clean green image. The report focuses on three export areas: dairy, inbound tourism and organic produce. Read more
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October 2014This report was prepared for the Ministry to accompany the database of non-levied waste facilities in New Zealand. It summarises the statistical findings, methodology and data limitations. Read more
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December 2009In this report, Boffa Miskell Ltd analyses international approaches to resource efficiency, to inform the development of an approach that is specific and applicable to New Zealand and allows comparisons with other countries. Read more
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August 2020This factsheet gives an overview of the different types of waste to energy (WtE) technologies and aspects of the New Zealand context that may be relevant when considering WtE proposals. Read more
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April 2000This report provides an information base about the status of water allocation in each New Zealand region, and the systems being used to allocate water. It was prepared for the Ministry for the Environment by Lincoln Environmental. Read more
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May 2003This report consolidates the different farm plans used in New Zealand into one document. It sets out the components of the farm plans, how they are used by regional councils and industry, and discusses their merits and effectiveness in environmental management on farms. Read more
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June 2010This report is the third in a series of reports contracted by the Ministry from Boffa Miskell Ltd on resource efficiency in New Zealand. Read more
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August 2015In 2014, the Ministry for the Environment commissioned SLR to develop a product stewardship framework for e-waste in New Zealand. SLR undertook stakeholder engagement and consultation, collection and analysis of e-waste data specific to New Zealand, and analysis of product stewardship options for e-waste. This report presents the findings of this research. Read more
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November 2014This report examines waste produced in households in New Zealand (2009). Read more
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October 2010This document provides a summary of the main issues raised in submissions on the Ministry’s discussion document, Waste Minimisation in New Zealand: A Discussion Document. Read more
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February 2006The Value Case for Sustainable Building in New Zealand provides information that can be used to demonstrate the business case for sustainable buildings to key decision-makers. It contains case studies, overseas trends, and potential drivers for sustainable building in the future. Read more
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October 2014This report examines the economic factors that influence waste disposal and waste minimisation. Read more
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December 2020This report surveyed international frameworks, identified important lessons for outcome-based environmental management, and helps clarify what setting environmental limits and targets will require. Read more
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March 2004This guide will help decision-makers implement a consistent full cost accounting approach to landfills, incorporating landfill planning, development, operation, closure and aftercare. Read more
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February 2010This report outlines a process for measuring and reporting resource efficiency. Read more
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October 2010The New Zealand Waste Strategy sets out the Government's long-term priorities for waste management and minimisation in New Zealand. This Strategy replaces the 2002 New Zealand Waste Strategy. Read more
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February 2004The New Zealand Waste Strategy was first published in March 2002 as a long-term strategy to help reduce and better manage waste in New Zealand. The Review of Targets in the New Zealand Waste Strategy provides a stocktake on progress towards implementing targets in the strategy. Read more
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August 2008In 2004, the Government decided to review flood risk management to ensure the framework was robust. The Ministry for the Environment led the review, and a Steering Group provided direction and guidance. This report presents the review's findings. Read more
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July 2008This leaflet provides an overview of the proposed National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management. The NES came into effect on 1 July 2011. Read more
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January 2008This report investigates ways to promote the recycling and better management of mercury-containing lamps. Read more
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November 2010The Ministry engaged independent consultants to develop and test a way of quantifying the benefits of resource efficiency to the New Zealand economy. Read more
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March 2007This report reported on progress against the 2002 New Zealand Waste Strategy’s 30 targets. The 2002 strategy has been replaced by the 2010 New Zealand Waste Strategy. Read more
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July 2011This report presents information about consented cleanfills and landfills in New Zealand that are not subject to the Waste Disposal Levy. Read more
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January 2008This report, commissioned by the Upper North Island Grid Upgrade Proposal Board of Inquiry includes key issues of the proposal, an overview of the notices of requirement and resource consent applications lodged, and an analysis of information provided by Transpower. Read more
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April 2006This report provides a case study of the agrecovery container recovery programme. Read more
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May 2006This report provides a case study of unused/unwanted paint and paint packaging recovery programmes in New Zealand. Read more
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December 2020This report translates the planetary boundaries framework to show New Zealand’s global environmental connections and quantifies where our country sits in terms of operating within environmentally safe boundaries. Read more
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May 2001This guide aims to increase awareness of the risks associated with closed landfills and to outline the best practical methods to manage closed landfill sites effectively, so that adverse environmental effects are minimised. Read more
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July 2020This summary outlines the principal reasons which led to the review of the resource management system and the Resource Management Review Panel’s main recommendations in their report. Read more
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August 2020This document sets out the Government response to the report, Rethinking Plastics In Aotearoa New Zealand, produced by the office for the Prime Minister’s Chief Science Advisor. Read more
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March 2009The discussion document sought feedback on policy proposed to implement the Waste Minimisation Act 2008. Submissions closed on 15 May 2009. Read more
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November 2006This 2006 discussion paper draws together the measures that make up New Zealand’s contaminated land policy framework, and evaluates them to identify any gaps and possible solutions/improvements to the existing framework. Read more
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October 2013The Ministry for the Environment commissioned ENVIRON Australia Pty Ltd, to investigate the practicalities of identifying, sorting and segregating plastics in the e-waste recycling industry, according to those components that contain banned brominated flame retardant (BFR) chemicals. Read more
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September 2007This paper sets out a prioritised Ministry work programme to help manage contaminated land. Read more
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September 2007This report contains a summary of the submissions received on the discussion paper Working Towards a Comprehensive Policy Framework for Managing Contaminated Land in New Zealand – Discussion paper. Read more
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April 2011This guideline has been developed through a partnership between the Ministry for the Environment, regional councils and unitary authorities to ensure consistency in the reporting on contaminated sites. Read more
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July 2001This publication provides background information about the sources, causes and processes involved with the deterioration of streams in farmed catchments and the consequences of that deterioration. Read more
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September 2016This draft revised guideline has been released to assist understanding of the proposed amendments to the National Environmental Standard for Assessing and Managing Contaminants in Soil to Protect Human Health. The final revised guideline will be gazetted in early 2017. Read more
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June 2009The report is part of a series of three reports that strengthen the evidence base for a potential industry-led voluntary product stewardship scheme. Read more
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September 2010This study reports on the use, recycling and disposal to landfill in New Zealand of articles containing brominated diphenyl ether (BDE) flame retardants. Read more
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April 2008The Ministry for the Environment's emission inventory report under the Carbon Neutral Public Service programme for the period 1 July 2006 to 30 June 2007. The programme was discontinued in March 2009. Read more
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November 2003The Ministry and local government developed these guidelines to ensure the consistent selection and application of the environmental guideline values most commonly used in contaminated site assessments in New Zealand. Read more
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July 2003Guidance on land use planning approaches for land that is on or near an active fault. Read more
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June 2020This factsheet provides a high-level overview of the new freshwater planning process (FPP) introduced by the Resource Management Amendment Act 2020. Read more
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April 2017This checklist outlines mandatory changes enacted through the Resource Legislation Amendment Act for councils to implement through their resource management processes. Read more