Waste
New Zealand urgently needs to address the 3.2 million tonnes of waste we throw into our landfills every year. That 3.2 million tonnes represents resources we could be turning into wealth - a wasted opportunity! We are behind many countries in our recycling and waste reduction programmes. It is time to step up.
In September 2008, the Green Party’s Waste Minimisation Act was passed with unanimous support, putting in place the tools to work towards a waste-free New Zealand. But to be effective it requires the Government to act boldly in implementing it. Unfortunately, the Government has released a woefully inadequate discussion document on implementing the Act. Submissions have closed but you can click here for our submission guide. If you want to be kept up to date on waste issues, e-mail David Clendon's office. Read our waste policy.
What's New
Government won’t lead on waste
The Government has quietly backtracked on setting up mandatory product stewardship schemes for New Zealand’s most problematic waste streams, the Green Party said today.
Bags Not: Plastic supermarket bags discouraged
The decision of New Zealand supermarket chain Foodstuffs to charge for plastic bags from Monday is a welcome move that deserves Government support, Green Party Co-Leader Russel Norman said today.
Finding Riches In Our Rubbish
A new Green waste levy came into force this week that will begin to revolutionise the way we deal with our rubbish. I talk to the architect himself—Nandor Tanczos—about the law, pigouvian taxes, and how to find riches in our rubbish.
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Smart economic tool reduces waste from tomorrow
New Zealand takes a major step towards waste reduction tomorrow with the introduction of a smart economic incentive, said the Green Party. "This tool is smart economics... It's a ‘polluter-pays so people-save’ solution."
Action Alert - Submission Guide on Government's Waste discussion document
The Government has recently released a discussion document on how to implement our Waste Minimisation Act, and is calling for public submissions. This discussion document is very weak, and the Government needs to hear that New Zealanders want to see meaningful action on waste reduction. Submissions close on Friday May 15.
Waste Links
Envision New Zealand works with public, private and community sector clients to develop initiatives that strengthen community, protect natural resources and encourage local enterprise.
Zero Waste New Zealand - Encouraging and motivating all sectors of New Zealand society to work towards a target of Zero Waste.
GetReal is a campaign raising awareness and lobbying for Zero Waste policies, and focusing on moving up the triangle to reducing and reusing, rather than focusing on recycling.
Reduce your rubbish - Make a difference at work. Over 50 percent of rubbish thrown into landfills in New Zealand is from businesses, including shops, offices and factories.
WasteMINZ - The Waste Management Institute of New Zealand (WasteMINZ) is a non-profit organization that promotes sustainable waste management practices. They provide a forum for presentation and dissemination of information and act as a facilitator for the waste management industry in New Zealand.
Community organisations 'reducing, reusing and recycling' waste
X-treme Waste Recycling Whaingaroa - X-treme Waste is a Raglan-based community organisation working to reduce and manage their waste.
Recovered Materials Foundation (RMF) - community trust set up by the Christchurch City Council to increase diversion of materials from the wastestream for reuse and recycling.
Ahuriri Resource Trust (ART) - is a non-profit community group formed in March 2000 and is working towards a zero waste community for Waitaki Valley.
WasteBusters Trust Canterbury New Zealand - concentrates on waste and pollution prevention through the use of preferable alternatives such as composting, worm farming and recycling.
Waste not, want not - PDF report from the Parliamentary Commission for the Environment on the issue of waste. Presented in January 2004.
www.printgreener.com - this software automatically removed blank and almost blank unwanted pages to save paper
Suggest or comment on a link. Email: webmaster [at] greens [dot] org [dot] nz
