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Waste


New Zealand urgently needs to work out what to do with the 10 million kilograms of waste we throw out every day. The Government and industry have done little to address the problem, landfill continues to pollute our groundwater and waste incineration polluting our air.

New Zealand prides itself on our beautiful surroundings, yet we are behind many countries in our recycling and waste reduction programmes. It is time to change.

The Green Party's Waste Minimisation Bill has just passed into law with the support of the Labour Government.

If you want to be kept up to date on waste issues, e-mail Russel Norman's office: joe.beaglehole@parliament.govt.nz

Read our waste policy

What's New

Economics Policy - Thinking Beyond Tomorrow

19 Oct 2008

Thinking Beyond Tomorrow shows how New Zealand could enter the twenty-first century on track for a sustainable future. It is the Green Party's vision of a country where human needs are met without damage to the other species that share the earth

Toxics Policy

02 Oct 2008

This toxics policy is about toxic chemicals and other toxic substances or compounds and their synthesis or extraction and concentration, use and disposal.

Waste Bill first step to zero-waste NZ

11 Sep 2008

The Green Party welcomes the passing of the Waste Minimisation Bill into law and calls on Ministers, businesses and the community to work for a zero-waste New Zealand. “Seeing this important bill passed has been a long journey for the Green Party. It has been more than two years, and three Environment Ministers, since it was drawn from ballot” Green Party Co-Leader Russel Norman says.

Waste Minimisation Bill - Third Reading Speech

11 Sep 2008

This is perhaps the most comprehensive and significant piece of waste legislation to come before Parliament, and it is about time. About 3.2 million tonnes of waste goes to landfill each year in New Zealand and, according to the Ministry for the Environment, each year we are throwing away about $250 million worth of potentially reusable resources—$250 million. Not only is this a huge waste of resources but also landfills contribute to New Zealand’s greenhouse gas emissions and are a significant source of toxic leachate, particularly, as we have seen, in places like Horowhenua.


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