NZ Government seeking waste management feedback

New Zealand Minister for the Environment Amy Adams has released a discussion document on possible options to improve the management of waste products. The document seeks feedback on whether intervention is required to improve outcomes for four waste streams: electrical equipment; tyres; agrichemicals and farm plastics; and refrigerants and other greenhouse gases.

“I am concerned about the risk of environmental harm from having tens of thousands of tonnes of waste products dumped in landfill unnecessarily,” Adams said, stating that millions of mobile phones, computers and tyres end up in landfill every year.

Since passing the Waste Minimisation Act (WMA) five years ago, the government has encouraged voluntary product stewardship efforts as a first priority. This has resulted in 11 voluntary product stewardship schemes and the diversion of more than 70,000 tonnes of waste, but this “only equates to 1.4% of the total waste stream going to disposal facilities”, Adams said.

“While the focus in New Zealand has been on voluntary schemes, in my view, the time has come to seriously consider appropriate mandatory approaches for selected priority waste streams.”

Graeme Norton of product stewardship manager 3R Group has applauded Adams for elevating discussions on waste management. 3R currently operates the PaintWise and Agrecovery Rural Recycling programs; however, Norton says all programs have natural limits under a voluntary framework.

“Our programs are funded by organisations wanting to help their customers with recycling and disposal solutions,” he said. “It’s a great stance to take, but unless all players in a market participate, it provides an unbalanced playing field which can favour free-riders and undermine a program’s effectiveness.

“All of our experience in this area suggests the best outcomes will come from industry-led, government-supported initiatives. Large-scale product stewardship activity can ideally fix the waste issues and stimulate economic development and new jobs at the same time.”

The first step in the consultation process is to decide on whether the government has correctly identified the four waste streams outlined in the discussion document as priorities for action, or whether there are other priorities the government should focus on.

“The next steps will be to consider in detail a range of options, including those recommended by industry working groups,” Adams said.

“This process would include close analysis of short-term and long-term economic, environmental and social costs and benefits, and consultation with potentially affected parties.

“Only after that would the government consider what interventions, if any, to propose.”

The discussion document can be found at www.mfe.govt.nz/publications/waste/priority-waste-streams-may14/index.html. Submissions will be open until 2 July at 5 pm.