Latest news with #ZeroWasteNetwork
Scoop
11-06-2025
- Politics
- Scoop
Petition Launched As Inquiry Looms
Press Release – Zero Waste Network For the past five years, the Zero Waste Network and our allies have successfully resisted new incinerators on the front lines. We are now taking the fight to Parliament to deliver a lasting solution. Lets keep Aotearoa incinerator free! On the eve of a major Board of Inquiry that will assess if a large-scale rubbish incinerator proposed for Te Awamutu can go ahead, the Zero Waste Network and allies are launching a new petition to keep the country incinerator-free. 'We want central government to ban new waste incinerators at a national level because of the serious human health, climate and air pollution impacts. The proposal in Te Awamutu would emit toxins like dioxin and heavy metals which are likely to result in premature deaths, infertility, increased rates of cancer and birth defects. There is no safe level of exposure to dioxin,' said Sue Coutts, spokesperson for the Network. 'We know that burning carbon-intensive wastes like plastics emit more greenhouse gases and pollutants than coal. The Te Awamutu proposal was cited by the EPA as having global climate implications.' 'Right now, small communities, often in provincial or rural areas, are being targeted by these incinerator companies. These communities are bearing the burden of stopping these toxic projects. This is why central government leadership is so important.' 'Environment Minister Penny Simmonds rightly called in the Te Awamutu proposal for consideration by a Board of Inquiry. This will allow a more thorough assessment of impacts than had it been considered at local government level. However, this process does not stop other projects from coming forward.' 'To get a sense of the aggressiveness of the industry, there were three projects that sought to be included under the Fast Track Approvals regime: this Te Awamutu project, one in Tolaga Bay on the East Cape, and a very large incinerator in Waimate. Only one of those projects, in Waimate, was ultimately included in the legislation's initial listing, but is now unable to proceed because the land deal fell apart.' 'For the past five years, the Zero Waste Network and our allies have successfully resisted new incinerators on the front lines. We are now taking the fight to Parliament to deliver a lasting solution. Let's keep Aotearoa incinerator free!'
Scoop
11-06-2025
- Politics
- Scoop
Petition Launched As Inquiry Looms
On the eve of a major Board of Inquiry that will assess if a large-scale rubbish incinerator proposed for Te Awamutu can go ahead, the Zero Waste Network and allies are launching a new petition to keep the country incinerator-free. 'We want central government to ban new waste incinerators at a national level because of the serious human health, climate and air pollution impacts. The proposal in Te Awamutu would emit toxins like dioxin and heavy metals which are likely to result in premature deaths, infertility, increased rates of cancer and birth defects. There is no safe level of exposure to dioxin,' said Sue Coutts, spokesperson for the Network. 'We know that burning carbon-intensive wastes like plastics emit more greenhouse gases and pollutants than coal. The Te Awamutu proposal was cited by the EPA as having global climate implications.' 'Right now, small communities, often in provincial or rural areas, are being targeted by these incinerator companies. These communities are bearing the burden of stopping these toxic projects. This is why central government leadership is so important.' 'Environment Minister Penny Simmonds rightly called in the Te Awamutu proposal for consideration by a Board of Inquiry. This will allow a more thorough assessment of impacts than had it been considered at local government level. However, this process does not stop other projects from coming forward.' 'To get a sense of the aggressiveness of the industry, there were three projects that sought to be included under the Fast Track Approvals regime: this Te Awamutu project, one in Tolaga Bay on the East Cape, and a very large incinerator in Waimate. Only one of those projects, in Waimate, was ultimately included in the legislation's initial listing, but is now unable to proceed because the land deal fell apart.' 'For the past five years, the Zero Waste Network and our allies have successfully resisted new incinerators on the front lines. We are now taking the fight to Parliament to deliver a lasting solution. Let's keep Aotearoa incinerator free!'
Scoop
25-05-2025
- Business
- Scoop
NZ's First Chance In 20 Years To Catch Up On Waste
Press Release – Zero Waste Network Countries around the world already have these schemes in place and are realising remarkable results. New Zealand should follow the best examples from around the world and create a producer responsibility framework that works for both reuse and high The Government has announced proposals for updating the Waste Minimisation Act and the Litter Act. For the first time in nearly 20 years, Kiwis have a chance to catch up with other countries to reduce our waste and litter. However, last week's budget slashed funding for innovations that reduce waste, an illogical move that risks hobbling the government's own waste proposals before they are out of the starting gate. 'Our waste and litter laws are really old, so we've fallen well behind most similar countries. Future-proofing how we reduce waste is really popular, with 60% of us wanting more effective reuse and recycling, ' says Sue Coutts of the Zero Waste Network Aotearoa. The current Waste Act was passed in 2008 and the Litter Act in 1979. 'The proposed law update is a good move to a clear, fair way of reducing waste, in which those who make or import packaging pay for how it's handled. This is known as 'extended producer responsibility' or 'product stewardship'. With this proposed law update, we could get a container deposit return scheme for the 2+ billion beverage containers we use every year.' 'It would also open the door to more stewardship schemes for e-waste, textiles, and all types of packaging.' 'Countries around the world already have these schemes in place and are realising remarkable results. New Zealand should follow the best examples from around the world and create a producer responsibility framework that works for both reuse and high quality recycling.' 'We need waste solutions that deliver real measurable results for our environment, communities and economy. Extended producer responsibility takes the burden off ratepayers and councils, while creating jobs and income streams for communities and keeping valuable resources in use.' 'With waste levy revenues returned to waste cutting innovation, and more ambition from our MPs to modernise how we reduce waste and litter, we can put the systems in place to effectively deal with resources before they become waste.'
Scoop
22-04-2025
- Business
- Scoop
Zero Waste Network Aotearoa Responds To Proposal To Update Waste Minimisation Act
Press Release – Zero Waste Network We are especially pleased to see the focus on extending producer responsibility. The proposals will put a better framework in place for developing schemes to collect up products, like e-waste and textiles, and packaging, like drink bottles, cans and … The Government announced its proposals for updating the Waste Minimisation Act and the Litter Act today. The proposals would combine these two Acts into one, extend producer responsibility and permit local government to use its share of the waste disposal levy on a wider range of activities unrelated to waste. 'The Zero Waste Network Aotearoa has been advocating for the Waste Minimisation Act to be updated for many years. Most of the proposals outlined in the consultation documents are positive steps forward for our sector. We need these basic blocks in place so we can build more effective reuse and recycling systems.' says Zero Waste Network spokesperson Sue Coutts. 'However some careful thinking needs to be done to find the right balance on the range of activities councils can spend their waste levy fund allocation on.' 'We are especially pleased to see the focus on extending producer responsibility. The proposals will put a better framework in place for developing schemes to collect up products, like e-waste and textiles, and packaging, like drink bottles, cans and cartons so they can be reused and recycled.' says Sue Coutts. 'Making producers responsible for covering the real costs to collect, sort and transport the products and packaging they put into the market will take the burden off ratepayers and councils. A better producer responsibility framework is the first step towards setting up effective and easy to use systems like a Container Deposit Return Scheme that would collect 85%+ of our empty drink bottles, cans and cartons and radically reduce litter.' 'The Waste Levy is a critical tool which uses a charge on each tonne of rubbish to create a pool of capital to invest in building waste prevention and reduction infrastructure. This strategy only works if the pool of capital is ring fenced for waste minimisation and closely related activities. Otherwise, it will fail to address the very problem it exists to solve. 'says Sue Coutts. 'Expanding the range of activities that councils can spend their allocation on to cover anything that could have an environmental benefit or reduce environmental harm sets the scope too wide. Diluting this fund creates a mismatch between the very high public expectations around waste minimisation and the actual capability of councils to deliver.' 'It does make a lot of sense to remove the waste levy exclusion for waste-to-energy. Closing this loophole means landfill and waste-to-energy disposal options would both face the same cost structure which is a fairer way to approach it.' says Sue Coutts. 'We encourage everyone who wants to prevent waste, litter and pollution and increase reuse, repair and recycling to have their say before this consultation closes on 1 June. Then the challenge for us all will be getting the best version of the updates through the house so we can get on with the practical work of putting real solutions to our waste problems in place.'
Scoop
22-04-2025
- Business
- Scoop
Zero Waste Network Aotearoa Responds To Proposal To Update Waste Minimisation Act
The Government announced its proposals for updating the Waste Minimisation Act and the Litter Act today. The proposals would combine these two Acts into one, extend producer responsibility and permit local government to use its share of the waste disposal levy on a wider range of activities unrelated to waste. 'The Zero Waste Network Aotearoa has been advocating for the Waste Minimisation Act to be updated for many years. Most of the proposals outlined in the consultation documents are positive steps forward for our sector. We need these basic blocks in place so we can build more effective reuse and recycling systems.' says Zero Waste Network spokesperson Sue Coutts. 'However some careful thinking needs to be done to find the right balance on the range of activities councils can spend their waste levy fund allocation on.' 'We are especially pleased to see the focus on extending producer responsibility. The proposals will put a better framework in place for developing schemes to collect up products, like e-waste and textiles, and packaging, like drink bottles, cans and cartons so they can be reused and recycled.' says Sue Coutts. 'Making producers responsible for covering the real costs to collect, sort and transport the products and packaging they put into the market will take the burden off ratepayers and councils. A better producer responsibility framework is the first step towards setting up effective and easy to use systems like a Container Deposit Return Scheme that would collect 85%+ of our empty drink bottles, cans and cartons and radically reduce litter.' 'The Waste Levy is a critical tool which uses a charge on each tonne of rubbish to create a pool of capital to invest in building waste prevention and reduction infrastructure. This strategy only works if the pool of capital is ring fenced for waste minimisation and closely related activities. Otherwise, it will fail to address the very problem it exists to solve. 'says Sue Coutts. 'Expanding the range of activities that councils can spend their allocation on to cover anything that could have an environmental benefit or reduce environmental harm sets the scope too wide. Diluting this fund creates a mismatch between the very high public expectations around waste minimisation and the actual capability of councils to deliver.' 'It does make a lot of sense to remove the waste levy exclusion for waste-to-energy. Closing this loophole means landfill and waste-to-energy disposal options would both face the same cost structure which is a fairer way to approach it.' says Sue Coutts. 'We encourage everyone who wants to prevent waste, litter and pollution and increase reuse, repair and recycling to have their say before this consultation closes on 1 June. Then the challenge for us all will be getting the best version of the updates through the house so we can get on with the practical work of putting real solutions to our waste problems in place.'
