The Government's decision to waste nearly $20 million on subsidies for big business to burn tyres is further evidence of their mismanagement of the waste sector, the Green Party said today.

The Government’s soft plastics recycling scheme, announced today, won’t address the problem of plastic pollution in our oceans as effectively as a charge on single-use plastic bags, the Green Party said. “This is a token measure from a government that’s more interested in ‘green wash’ than saving our oceans and marine life,” said Green Party waste spokesperson Denise Roche. “We launched a Member’s Bill this week to introduce a charge on single-use plastic bags in order to reduce pollution and...

   

Taking action to phase out single-use plastic shopping bags would have been an easy way for the National Government to show it is serious about the environment, but has chosen to do nothing instead, the Green Party said today. Government officials advised against a petition to the Local Government and Environment Select Committee asking for the Government to look at ways it can phase out plastic shopping bag use in order to protect the marine environment. “The Government has squandered...

The Green Party is reiterating its call for legislation that would mean people could be paid for recycling drink containers, after 90 percent of the country’s councils voted for container recycling legislation at the weekend. Palmerston North City Council, supported by Auckland Council, won 90 percent support for the scheme at the Local Government New Zealand conference yesterday “Councils around the country know it makes sense to introduce a recycling-refund system, now we need the Government to realise it too,”...

The Green Party welcomes the decision by Countdown Waiheke to stop using single use plastic shopping bags in their store following a nationwide campaign by Green Party MP Denise Roche. “It’s fantastic that Waiheke is leading on phasing out plastic bags, and I urge other supermarkets around the country to take up the initiative. However, it is easier for the Government to introduce legislation than each and every community having to convince each and every supermarket to start charging for...

The Government’s waste strategy is not working, but could be easily improved by introducing a ‘cash for containers system’ that would incentivise recycling and pay consumers 10 cents a bottle, the Green Party said today. A report by Envision NZ shows that less than 40 per cent of beverage containers are recycled on a voluntary basis. Drink containers make up more than 45,000 tonnes of rubbish in our landfills, litter stream and waterways every year. “The Government is sitting on...