Establishment or revision of legal measures, including bans or restriction on specific categories of plastic packaging and/or products considered problematic or unnecessary: In June 2021, the New Zealand Government announced the decision to phase-out of some hard-to-recycle plastic packaging including PVC and polystyrene food and beverage packaging, all oxo-degradable plastics and six single-use items including cotton buds, straws, drink stirrers, tableware, non-home compostable produce labels and single-use produce bags. The phase-outs will take place over three tranches between 2022 and 2025 and will require the establishment of new regulations.

Establishment or revision of economic incentives (e.g. subsidies, funding schemes to encourage innovation and research into alternative materials or designs) or disincentives (e.g. tax, charges): In June 2021, the Government announced the establishment of a $50 million Plastic Innovation Fund, which will support the development and adoption of more sustainable uses of plastics. The fund will support solutions that reduce our plastics use, prevent plastic escaping into our environment, and ensure plastics we do use are usefully recirculated back into our economy. The fund will open in November 2021 for expressions of interest.

Establishment or revision of Extended Producer Responsibility schemes: A three-year timeframe to co-design product stewardship schemes for plastic packaging is still underway and will focus on developing product stewardship solutions for the plastic packaging that has not been included in the plastic phase-outs.

Changes to public procurement to support products without problematic or unnecessary plastic: A new All-of-Government (AoG) office supplies contract, which is used by over a thousand government agencies within New Zealand now focuses on low-waste, sustainable products. The contract has a total annual spend of $62 million. Suppliers have committed to reducing the waste associated with their products by favouring recyclable and compostable materials and supporting a shift to a circular economy through product stewardship. More information can be found here: https://www.mbie.govt.nz/about/n

Delivery of awareness raising and education campaigns: The Ministry for the Environment has held a Plastic Free July campaign. The campaign used social media to encourage voluntary actions.

Other actions taken: We have considered feedback received from the sector through consultation on the proposals for plastic phase-outs and other engagement. Accordingly, we have reprioritised and rephased some actions in the draft National Plastics Action Plan to reflect feedback received from stakeholders, and added the Plastics Innovation Fund, which was recently announced. The development of the National Plastics Action Plan is in its final stages and due to be considered by the Minister for the Environment soon.

Single-use plastic bags,Single-use plastic cutlery/tableware,Single-use plastic q-tips,Single-use plastic straws, PVC and polystyrene food and beverage packaging. There is also work underway to establish regulations or measures for the remaining products above.

Establishment or revision of legal measures, including bans or restriction on specific categories of plastic packaging and/or products considered problematic or unnecessary: We will establish regulations to phase-out certain hard-to-recycle plastic packaging and single-use plastic items over the next two years. The phase-outs will cover the following:

PVC and polystyrene food and drink packaging, oxo and photodegradable products, plastic cotton buds, drink stirrers, produce bags, tableware (plates, bowls, cutlery), straws and non-home compostable produce labels.

We will also develop a plan for phasing out single-use cups and wet wipes containing plastic.

Establishment or revision of economic incentives (e.g. subsidies, funding schemes to encourage innovation and research into alternative materials or designs) or disincentives (e.g. tax, charges): The $50 million Plastics Innovation Fund will open in November 2021 for expressions of interest. It is envisaged that the fund will support the development and adoption of more sustainable uses of plastics. Solutions that reduce our plastics use, prevent plastic escaping into our environment, and ensure plastics we do use are usefully recirculated back into our economy.

Provide more details about the selected actions - Establishment or revision of Extended Producer Responsibility schemes: A three-year timeframe to co-design product stewardship schemes for plastic packaging is still underway and will focus on developing product stewardship solutions for plastic packaging that has not been included in the plastic phase-outs.

Provide more details about the selected actions - Delivery of awareness raising and education campaigns: The Ministry for the Environment will provide guidance and support for businesses in the lead up to the plastic phase-outs including an awareness raising campaign.

Provision of reliable packaging and/or product information to consumers: The Ministry for the Environment will provide information to consumers on sustainable alternatives including promotion of reusables for the plastic packaging and items being phased out.

Promotion of innovation in packaging or product design to drive elimination of problematic and unnecessary plastic packaging and/or products: Through the National Plastics Action Plan we intend to develop a plastics research agenda and stimulate innovation. The $50 million Plastics Innovation Fund will support innovation in this area.

Promotion of innovation in business models and/or other alternative solutions to drive elimination of problematic and unnecessary plastic packaging and/or products: We will work with businesses to develop best practice guidance and support sustainable packaging choices. In addition, we will be developing best practice guidance and support for businesses and the public in the lead up to the plastic phase-outs from early 2022 to 2025, with guidance for tranche one items available early 2022.

Delivery of awareness raising and education campaigns: The Ministry for the Environment has provided tips on our website on how to reduce waste, some of which are around plastic recycling, reusing and refilling. There is a dedicated section about “Things you can do to reduce, reuse and recycle”: https://environment.govt.nz/what-you-can-do/take-action/. There is another section about: “Tips for reducing plastic”: https://environment.govt.nz/what-you-can-do/stories/tips-for-reducing-plastic/

Promotion of collaboration with the private sector, including small and medium-sized enterprises, and civil society organisations: The Government’s Waste Minimisation Fund continues to support a range of new and existing projects that promote reuse and recycling. Examples include initiatives that provide reusable cups at events and increasing access to water refilling stations.

We also funded a co-design project with local government that includes representation from the private sector for a New Zealand container return scheme for beverage containers. This has included looking at options for refilling. https://environment.

Encouragement of voluntary actions: Reuse has featured across our work over the last 12 months, alongside an emphasis on encouraging the use of recyclable plastics.

Establishment or revision of Extended Producer Responsibility schemes: The co-design process currently underway to develop a product stewardship scheme for plastic packaging will cover all seven plastic resin types. Timeframes for implementation are to be confirmed.

Establishment or revision of economic incentives (e.g. subsidies) or disincentives (e.g. taxes, charges): The $50 million Plastics Innovation Fund may support projects that aim to increase reuse and support reusable systems.

Delivery of awareness raising and education campaigns: We will continue to promote reuse activities.

Promotion of collaboration with the private sector, including small and medium-sized enterprises, and civil society organisations: Our $50 million Plastics Innovation Fund will be available to a wide range of applicants for innovative projects that will help the transition away from hard-to-recycle and single-use plastics. The scope of the fund will include opportunities to fund projects that prioritize reuse. The fund will open in November 2021 for expressions of interest.

Other planned actions: Our national plastics action plan is in its early stages. The plan aligns with and supports the work already underway to transform the waste sector in Aotearoa New Zealand. Actions include work in relation to public procurement and guidelines on plastic use, education, developing a research agenda and stimulating innovation, working with sectors to develop best practice guidance and support sector change, phase-outs of hard-to- recycle plastics and improving recycling labelling.

Delivery of awareness raising and education campaigns: The announcement of decisions to phase-out certain hard-to-recycle and single-use plastics provides an opportunity to think about how we produce less waste altogether by looking at how we consume different and reuse more. We are challenging business and industry sectors to think about ways that they can encourage reuse rather than shifting to other single-use products. We are also encouraging a shift toward plastic types 1, 2 and 5, which have good markets for recycling.

Promotion of collaboration with the private sector, including small and medium-sized enterprises, and civil society organisations: Coupled with voluntary and emerging regulated product stewardship schemes for plastic packaging, the Waste Minimisation Fund continues to support a range of new and existing projects that promote reuse and recycling. Examples include funding initiatives that provide reusable cups at events to further investment in onshore recycling for higher value plastics 1, 2, and 5.

Development or revision of regulations, standards or guidelines (e.g. standards for on-pack recyclability claims): We are going to be developing regulations and guidelines for the hard-to-recycle plastic and single-use item phase-outs from now till 2025. Regulations for the first tranche of phase-outs (PVC meat trays, oxo-degradable’s, and drink stirrers) will be in place by the end of 2021. The regulations will be supported by guidance to encourage sustainable packaging choices.

Support for research and development of innovative solutions: A $50 million Plastics Innovation Fund will open in November 2021 for expressions of interest. It is envisaged that the fund will support the development and adoption of more sustainable uses of plastics. Solutions that reduce our plastics use, prevent plastic escaping into our environment, and ensure plastics we do use are usefully recirculated back into our economy.

None reported

Investment in infrastructure: Investment in infrastructure will continue. $124 million is allocated for this purpose and will be spent in the next few years.

Promotion of collection, sorting, reuse and/or recycling schemes (e.g. deposit return schemes): We plan to consult in early 2022 on a new standardized national kerbside collection system to improve diversion rates, reduce consumer confusion and support higher quality recyclables.

Establishment or revision of economic incentives (e.g. subsidies) or disincentives (e.g. taxes, charges): A $50 million Plastics Innovation Fund will open in November 2021 for expressions of interest. It is envisaged that the fund will support the development and adoption of more sustainable uses of plastics. This may include projects that stimulate the demand for recycled plastics.

Establishment or revision of Extended Producer Responsibility schemes: A three-year timeframe to co-design product stewardship schemes for plastic packaging is still underway and will focus on developing product stewardship solutions for the plastic packaging that has not been included in the plastic phase-outs.

Establishment or revision of recycling guidance and standard on plastic packaging and/or products: Through our guidance to support the implementation of hard-to-recycle plastic phase-outs we intend to encourage the use of recycled content.

None reported

Establishment or revision of Extended Producer Responsibility scheme: A three-year timeframe to co-design product stewardship schemes for plastic packaging is still underway and will focus on developing product stewardship solutions for the plastic packaging that has not been included in the plastic phase-outs.

Other planned actions: We are currently developing a revised waste strategy and reviewing the Waste Minimisation Act. This review will consider the range of regulatory tools needed to shift toward a more circular economy including tools that will stimulate the use of recycled content. Consultation is expected to take place in late 2021.

We will undertake awareness activities to support the phase-outs of certain hard-to-recycle plastics and single-use items.

Ministry/department of Environment / Sustainable Development / Natural Resources / Energy,Ministry/department of Science / Research / Technology / Innovation