New Zealand Green MP Mike Ward is pushing his Waste Minimisation Bill, designed to radically change the way goods are packaged and sold in the country. He wants to make packaging not just recyclable b…
New Zealand Green MP Mike Ward is pushing his Waste Minimisation Bill, designed to radically change the way goods are packaged and sold in the country. He wants to make packaging not just recyclable but also re-usable and describes the Bill as a “serious legislative stick” to be waved at businesses producing waste. However, he says that it is not so strict as to make a Labour-led Government balk at adopting it. To illustrate his approach, MP Ward recalls the “old days” when returnable glass bottles bearing a deposit were delivered in reusable wooden crates. The key, he believes, is for manufacturers to design their packaging to be re-used, a move that would require a radical rethink. Nevertheless, he believes cardboard, plastic and glass packaging could all potentially be designed to be re-used, if there was a genuine will to do it. However, Ward sees businesses habits, rather than cost, as the biggest obstacle. “Habit is a hard thing to break. At the moment, it“s just not on (businesses“) radar to think about reducing waste.” The key elements of the Bill are: A Waste Minimisation Authority (similar to the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority) responsible for encouraging “smarter production and consumption”; Landfill levies to fund the Authority“s activities; and landfill bans on currently recyclable items. The list of banned items would be extended over time. Summing up the aim of the Bill, Ward said: “It should be easier for people to buy products with reusable packaging, with less packaging, recyclable packaging or preferably no packaging at all”.