With the effects of climate change becoming more apparent, New Zealand’s journey towards a low carbon circular economy is more important than ever.
As a business, Enviro NZ provides recycling and collection services for a third of all local councils - that's over half a million households and businesses. As a result, we know better than most that New Zealanders increasingly want to do the right thing with their waste and recycling.
However, the lack of a unified recycling system can often result in confusion and challenges for those who want to keep their materials in circulation. To make things easier, the Government has announced its plans to introduce a national recycling standard in 2024.
What's changing?
In February 2024, all local councils will adopt a unified approach for household kerbside recycling collections, accepting only the following materials:
- Plastic 1 (PET) Clear plastic often used for bottles, containers and meat trays
- Plastic 2 (HDPE) Versatile plastic material often used for milk bottles or shampoo bottles
- Plastic 5 (PP) Highly recyclable plastic commonly used for ice cream containers, large yoghurt pots and takeaway containers
- Paper & cardboard Including non-treated cardboard boxes, newspapers and non-treated paper
- Glass bottles & jars Food and beverage grade bottles and jars only
- Aluminium and steel tins and cans Such as beverage cans and food tins.
Alongside these materials, there'll be a few important 'best practice' rules that'll help ensure these materials can be safely and properly recycled:
- Remove all lids when recycling plastic bottles - lids generally cannot be recycled in New Zealand
- Rinse all food scraps or liquids off your recyclables to prevent contamination
- Flatten all cardboard, and remember not to fill boxes with other materials
- Only recycle standard glass bottles and jars – tempered glass found in window and drinking glasses are excluded from kerbside collections.
What are the benefits of standardisation?
When recycling rules vary from one location to another, it can lead to difficulties for consumers and those in the recycling industry. Standardisation will help New Zealand’s recycling industry with consistency, efficiency and communication:
Consistency
With varying regional rules, it can be confusing and difficult to keep track of what can be recycled and where. It's common for people to move between regions or travel within the country, and a lack of consistent rules can lead to mistakes and contamination. A national standard will help New Zealanders develop steady recycling habits, regardless of location.
Efficiency
Recycling involves complex sorting requirements so that materials can be recovered, reused and repurposed. Conflicting regional rules can often make the process difficult for businesses operating nationwide. A centralised, streamlined process simplifies things for national companies, allowing for more efficient diversion.
Communication
The success of recycling initiatives depends on the correct segregation of different materials at the source. Standardisation of recycling services can enable national-level education and awareness campaigns, ensuring that households are informed about what to recycle, how to recycle, and what happens to their recycling. It also enables the use of different communication modes for better outreach.
By establishing a unified approach, the government is paving the way for more efficient and effective recycling practices, benefiting individuals and businesses nationwide. Enviro NZ's Head of Sustainability, Prashant Praveen, agrees, "Standardisation in recycling is vital for New Zealand as it maximises the environmental impact of our recycling efforts. By establishing clear and unified recycling standards, we can streamline processes, enhance recycling rates, and create a sustainable future for generations to come."
