Examining New Zealand's Waste Policy Reversals

In recent years, New Zealand has undertaken significant initiatives to address waste management challenges aiming to transition towards a circular economy. However, recent policy reversals have raised concerns about the nation’s commitment to waste minimisation.

Government Quietly Abandons Key Waste Minimisation Policies

In a move that surprised many, the New Zealand government has quietly cancelled its plans to improve recycling systems and introduce a kerbside food scraps composting scheme. In late December 2024, the Ministry for the Environment updated its website, revealing that four out of five waste minimisation policies had been put on hold. The public was not formally notified of the decision through a ministerial media release or statement.

Only one of the five policies proceeded, the standardisation of materials that can be included in recycling schemes, which took effect in February 2024. Yet, the government’s decision to halt the remaining four policies signals a shift in New Zealand’s approach to waste management.

The cancelled policies included:

Mandatory kerbside composting for all urban areas
Mandatory kerbside recycling for all urban areas
Requiring schemes to report on materials diverted from landfill
A performance standard for council recycling and composting schemes

The government’s decision to pause key waste minimisation policies was aimed at reducing costs for councils and providing more flexibility in timing the introduction of new services. While the government will continue supporting recycling and food scraps collection through the Waste Minimisation Fund, the fund will now be partly supported by increased landfill levies, with a significant reduction in government contributions. Over four years, the government-funded portion of the fund will be cut by $177.7 million, with an additional $52 million reduction from related policy work. The criteria for applying to the fund have also been broadened to include projects related to freshwater catchment restoration, further reducing the funds available for waste minimisation.

The Government has also withdrawn the 2025 deadline for the third phase of plastic bans to allow the Ministry more time to assess and determine the next steps for these products. This phase had originally targeted all remaining PVC and polystyrene food and drink packaging not addressed in earlier bans.

Finally, there is also an extension to the transition deadline for fully home compostable produce labels from July 2025 to July 2028. While domestic growers must currently use labels meeting compostable standards (excluding adhesives), the next step involves requiring fully home compostable labels, including compostable adhesives, for all produce sold in New Zealand, including imports.

This sudden decision has left many questioning the government’s commitment to waste minimisation and environmental sustainability, especially given the increased public and global focus on reducing waste and improving recycling practices.

Here is a fantastic article by RNZ, which was used as a base for this blog, that delves deeper into the latest developments.

Overview of New Zealand’s Waste Minimisation Policies to Date

New Zealand’s journey towards effective waste management has seen both progressive initiatives and recent setbacks. The initial momentum gained from phasing out problematic plastics and introducing comprehensive waste strategies underscores the nation’s potential to lead in sustainability. However, the recent policy reversals serve as a reminder of the challenges inherent in implementing large-scale environmental reforms.

Let’s take a closer look at how New Zealand has rolled out waste minimisation policies in recent years.

2021: Phasing Out Problematic Plastics

In 2021, the New Zealand government announced a comprehensive plan to phase out specific single-use and hard-to-recycle plastics through a three-stage process:

Stage 1 (Late 2022): Ban on PVC food trays and containers, polystyrene takeaway packaging, expanded polystyrene food and drink packaging, oxo-degradable plastic products, and certain EPS packaging.
Stage 2 (Mid-2023): Ban on single-use plastic straws, drink stirrers, produce bags, tableware, non-compostable produce labels, and plastic cotton buds.
Stage 3 (Mid-2025): Ban on all other PVC and polystyrene food and drink packaging.

These measures aimed to reduce plastic pollution and encourage the adoption of sustainable alternatives.

2023: Aotearoa New Zealand Waste Strategy

In March 2023, the government introduced the updated Aotearoa New Zealand Waste Strategy, envisioning a transition to a low-emissions, low-waste society by 2050. The strategy emphasised a circular economy approach, focusing on resource efficiency, waste reduction, and environmental responsibility.

2024: Implementation of Waste Disposal Levy Amendments

To support waste reduction initiatives, the Waste Minimisation (Waste Disposal Levy) Amendment Act 2024 was enacted, expanding the waste disposal levy to cover all landfill types, including construction and demolition fills. The levy was set to increase progressively, reaching $60 per tonne for all waste disposed of at municipal landfills by 2024.

December 2024: Policy Reversals

In December 2024, the government quietly cancelled several waste minimisation initiatives intended to enhance recycling and introduce kerbside food scraps composting. The Ministry for the Environment announced that four out of five planned policies would not proceed, including:

Mandatory kerbside composting for all urban areas
Mandatory kerbside recycling for all urban areas
Requiring schemes to report on materials diverted from landfill
A performance standard for council recycling and composting schemes

The Government has also withdrawn the 2025 deadline for the third phase of plastic bans and extended the transition deadline for fully home compostable produce labels from July 2025 to July 2028.

Implications and Future Outlook

These policy reversals have sparked debate about New Zealand’s dedication to waste reduction and the implementation of effective recycling and composting programs nationwide. Critics expressed disappointment over the lack of consultation with local governments and viewed the decision as a setback for environmental progress.

Let’s paint the picture of New Zealand’s waste crisis. Plastic waste constitutes a notable portion of landfill materials—an estimated 12% of total waste, which translates to around 380,000 tonnes of plastic sent to landfills in 2015 alone (source). Additionally, in 2020, households and commercial businesses sent more than 300,000 tonnes of food to landfill (source). The amount of food waste thrown away by New Zealand households costs $872 million a year (source) and could feed the population of Dunedin or Northland for nearly three years (source).

Organic waste schemes are essential because food waste makes up a large portion of landfill waste and produces 4% of New Zealand’s total greenhouse gas emissions (source). Food waste and compostable foodservice packaging are a valuable resource that can be turned into compost, saving money and reducing waste. However, without mandatory schemes, councils, often facing financial constraints, may prioritise other projects over waste minimisation. While councils can still implement these schemes, funding remains a challenge, and failure to manage food waste and recyclables will require building larger landfills and lead to higher environmental costs.

As the global community intensifies efforts to combat plastic pollution and promote sustainable practices, New Zealand’s recent policy changes highlight the complexities and challenges in balancing environmental goals with economic and logistical considerations. The nation’s future approach to waste management will be crucial in determining its role in the global movement towards sustainability.