In a series of recent articles, The Packaging Forum has discussed the challenges facing New Zealand and how the country can improve recycling rates and reduce waste.
Most recently, The Packaging Forum has shared its experience working with organisations that have a common goal to make significant changes to maximise the recovery and recycling of materials here in New Zealand.
The Packaging Forum has been working for more than 20 years to develop sustainable solutions for both maximum material recovery and waste minimisation - from promoting and investing in reuse and refillable solutions, to facilitating recovery and recycling schemes for glass, soft plastic, food and beverage cartons and, most recently, caps and lids.
“We initially started as the Glass Packaging Forum, which focused on supporting investment in infrastructure to ensure we got high-quality cullet back to the Auckland glass furnace,” said Rob Langford, CEO of The Packaging Forum.
“This has enabled New Zealand to achieve over 65 percent of all container glass being recovered and made it into another container - a clear example of how industry working together can achieve positive outcomes.”
Over a decade ago, the Forum recognised that while the recovery of glass is important, a bigger challenge was emerging: plastics recovery and recycling in New Zealand. The Packaging Forum then established the Soft Plastic Recycling Scheme.
The scheme can be recognised through the distinctive collection bins, which can be found at over 300 Woolworths, New World, PAK'nSAVE and The Warehouse stores around New Zealand. This is a very successful scheme with over 200 organisations paying for the collection, baling and the cost of recycling the collected materials.
Critically, the scheme has a processing solution that enables us to convert this plastic into fence posts and building insulation products and diverting it from landfill.
The Forum has also developed the Food and Beverage Carton Recycling Scheme, which sees that material going to a processor, saveBOARD, for recycling into sustainable building supplies; and, in the last few weeks, launched its latest project the Caps and Lids Recycling Scheme for metal and plastic caps and lids, which can no longer be placed in kerbside recycling bins.
“All of these schemes are funded by our members - leading brands and organisations who have a real commitment to ensuring a sustainable future for New Zealand. Currently, all these schemes operate outside of kerbside, which, as a result, provides the least convenience to the consumer, which we hope to change over time,” said Langford.
“However, we recognise New Zealand’s processing infrastructure is currently not designed to effectively clean stream all these materials through the material recycling facilities (MRFs).”
He added that each of the Forum’s schemes have been invaluable through providing significant data and learnings which allows the development of effective end-of-life recovery solutions for packaging. This work is not possible without four key elements:
- A clear funding solution to enable the scheme to operate effectively and at scale
- A simple and well supported recovery network that streams that collected material making process seem efficient and effective
- Processing capacity capable of taking all the recovered material, and creating a product that has a market
- Brand owners acknowledging they have a responsibility for the end of packaging they create
“We thank our leading brands for supporting these initiatives. If you are a brand that hasn't yet engaged with these schemes, we encourage you to think about validating your commitment to your sustainability goals for a better New Zealand,” said Langford.
“New Zealand is significantly behind the world, especially around plastics recovery and we can no longer simply rely on a few leading players to carry the banner. Looking forward, significant change in the space is coming which will mean all obligated parties will be required to fund packaging recovery and processing solutions.”
“If I were to leave you with one thought that helps change our approach and drive for change, it would be: ‘If you’re not buying recycled goods using New Zealand’s waste stream, you’re not recycling’.
Organisations like Future Post and saveBOARD make products that are effective and use material that would likely end up in landfill. Where appropriate this is a much better solution for the planet than starting with virgin resource. Despite what many people think, they have established these businesses without any Government funding but with private funding and hard work.
“It’s not enough to say your packaging is recyclable; we need to collectively create the demand to increase our reprocessing capacity,” said Langford.
To learn more about these schemes, visit https://home.recycling.kiwi.nz/ and how you can become a member, visit www.packagingforum.org.nz
