Plastics Phase-out Submission
The Government is proposing to move away from hard-to-recycle plastics via a mandatory phase-out. This means, over time, a range of hard-to-recycle and single-use plastics will be banned from use and manufacture in Aotearoa New Zealand.
Read the full consultation document here.
This consultation closes at 5pm on 4th December 2020. Complete your submission online here.
We’ve developed a guide to help you make a simple submission and collected some other useful resources to help you.
ZWN Guide to the Governments proposal to phase-out problem plastics:
https://zerowaste.co.nz/assets/ZWN-Hard-to-recycle-and-Single-use-Plastics-Submission-2020.pdf
You can make a quick submission using our proformo submission which includes editable pre-prepared answers, and if you’d like to download and print a poster to encourage others to make a submission you can download that here.
Other useful resources
Together with our friends we’ve written a detailed joint submission. This is a good document to read and use for ideas if you want to make a detailed submission. If you want to add your organisations name to the joint submission then we’d love to hear from you by October 30th. Read our joint submission here: http://therubbishtrip.co.nz/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Joint-Submission-of-Zero-Waste-Community-on-Govt-Plastic-Ban-Proposal-v2.pdf
If you don’t feel like writing your own submission you can use the Greenpeace proforma submission tool: https://act.greenpeace.org/page/67906/action/1
Takeaway Throwaways submission and resources focused on food and drink serviceware: https://takeawaythrowaways.nz/submitting-on-govt-plastic-ban-proposal
The Rubbish Trip have a great two page summary, and this is also where you’ll find links to upcoming webinars on the subject if you want to know even more: http://therubbishtrip.co.nz/be-a-tirading-kiwi/resources-to-help-you-submit-on-govts-proposal-to-ban-some-hard-to-recycle-and-single-use-plastic-items/
There are two proposals as part of this consultation
Proposal 1: The Government is looking to move away from hard-to-recycle plastics, starting with a phase-out of:
- some polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and polystyrene packaging
- all oxo-degradable plastic products.
This is part of a long-term shift toward a more circular economy for plastics where packaging materials are made of higher value materials that are easier to recycle.
Proposal 2: The Government also seeks feedback on a phase-out of some single-use plastic items (plastic cotton buds, plastic fruit stickers, single-use plastic cups and lids (not including disposable coffee cups), single-use plastic produce bags, single-use plastic tableware (plates/trays, bowls) and cutlery, plastic drink stirrers, and plastic straws)
Moving away from single-use items in the future will help to encourage reuse, reduce waste to landfill, and minimise harm to the environment from plastic litter.