Govt takes more action to reduce waste
The Government is proposing a new way to deal with environmentally harmful products before they become waste, including plastic packaging and bottles, as part of a wider plan to avoid rubbish ending up in landfills.
Associate Minister for the Environment, Eugenie Sage has released a public consultation document titled, “Proposed priority products and priority product stewardship scheme guidelines.”“New Zealanders are proud of our country’s clean, green reputation and want to help ensure we live up to it."“Well-designed product stewardship schemes ensure that those making, selling and using products all help take responsibility to recover the materials and avoid them ending up in landfills,” Eugenie Sage said.“This is the first time that Government has been serious about creating regulated, rather than voluntary, product stewardship schemes in New Zealand."“Like other countries New Zealand’s economy is based on a ‘take, make and dispose' model, which treats nature and the resources it provides as ‘free’ and disposable. Regulated product stewardship is a step towards changing that and to designing waste out of production. This is part of a longer-term goal of moving to a more efficient, low-emissions, sustainable and inclusive economy for New Zealand."
“Regulated product stewardship helps puts the responsibility for effective material and waste management on product manufacturers, importers, retailers and users, rather than on communities, councils, neighbourhoods and nature,” she said.