Buzz from the Beehive: Parker talks rubbish (and how to recycle more of it)

There has been just one ministerial announcement since Point of Order last reported on the Buzz from the Beehive.  It came from Environment Minister David Parker, who said the Government is taking steps to improve recycling at home “and on the go” and is inviting citizens to have their say.

The press statement highlighted

• Improved kerbside recycling so New Zealanders can recycle the same materials all around the country and have access to a food scraps bin at kerbside.
• A scheme that incentivises people to return their empty drink containers for recycling.
• Separation of businesses’ food scraps from general waste to reduce greenhouse gasses and put the scraps to positive uses.

The statement noted that every year New Zealand generates more than 17 million tonnes of waste and sends almost 13 million tonnes of that to landfills.

Because of inadequate rubbish collection and recycling systems, our recycling rates are low compared to other countries with better systems and we have too much litter in our environment.

That raises the question: how much would not be too much?

Parker’s figures show only 28 per cent of materials are estimated to be recycled nationally recycled  The rest goes to landfill.

By contrast, Germany, Austria and Wales have the highest recycling rates in the world, with over 50 per cent of all waste being recycled.

Consultation will run until Sunday, 8 May. The consultation document and online submission forms will be available on the Ministry for the Environment’s website: Transforming Recycling consultation document.

Latest from the Beehive

13 MARCH 2022

Government plans to transform recycling

The Government is taking steps to improve recycling at home, and on the go, and is inviting New Zealanders to have their say.