Waste Minimisation (Solids) Bill submissions

The New Zealand Green's Waste Minimisation (Solids) Bill is through to the Select Committee. The local government and Environment Select Committee have called for submissions on the bill with a closing date of 1 September.

Plastics NZ are currently putting a submission together which will be circulated for comment.

The bill's major objective is to reduce the amount of waste going to landfill. Some key issues to consider are:

• Waste Minimisation Authority " a new government agency similar in role to the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority with wide-reaching powers, particularly with deciding which products need to be regulated;
• Territorial (local) Waste Control Authorities - all at the local level and able to use and grant funds generated by the proposed waste levy;
• Landfill bans " these will prevent certain products being disposed to landfill;
• Waste disposal levy " this will be large to discourage waste generation as well as to generate funds to support activities/infrastructure;
• Extended producer responsibility " brand owners (including importers) to take full responsibility for their products throughout the product's life cycle. This mandatory product stewardship will apply to all products. The current bill shifts the costs of waste recovery from councils and ratepayers to producers and consumers " ie, business;
• Organisational waste minimisation plans " this would apply to all businesses;
• Public procurement policy " requiring recovered or recycled material;
• Energy recovery means the processing of waste materials by biological means only. This excludes energy from incineration ie, using waste plastics as a fuel.

• Click here to view the Waste Minimisation (Solids) Bill.