New Zealand’s waste mountain could soon be significantly smaller thanks to the selection today of the Green Party’s Waste Minimisation Bill from the Parliamentary ballot.

Environment Spokesperson Nandor Tanczos says the Bill would see the development of a national waste minimisation framework "with teeth to enforce its implementation".

The Bill contains a raft of changes intended to reduce the amount of waste created as well as promoting reuse and recycling whenever possible.

Landfill waste levies would be introduced to help pay for a variety of measures including public education about recycling.

"This measure has already received the backing of a number of groups, including the Employers and Manufacturers Association and key waste carriers.

"The Bill would also see the introduction of rules about what can go into landfills. For example, stuff that can be reused or recycled could not get dumped as it does now.

"It will also create a mandatory requirement for extended producer responsibility. This means brand owners would be responsible for the waste created in the manufacture and across the life cycle of their products. They will be given the opportunity to work out how to do that themselves," Nandor says.

"An example of this could be the reintroduction of a bottle deposit that would see containers returned to retailers in exchange for the return of a small deposit.

"The present voluntary Packaging Accord has proved to be a remarkable failure. While some companies have made progress, they have been penalised because their competitors have made no efforts.

"I am expecting wide support for this Bill simply because it provides such commonsense and simple solutions to tackle New Zealand’s avalanche of waste," Nandor says.

Go to Waste Minimisation Bill VillagePRESS