Smart economic tool reduces waste from tomorrow

New Zealand takes a major step towards waste reduction tomorrow with the introduction of a smart economic incentive, said the Green Party.

“We herald a new commitment to reducing the amount of waste New Zealand sends to the landfill unnecessarily, with the commencement of a modest waste levy,” said Green Party Co-Leader Metiria Turei.

The levy, which comes into force on 1 July 2009, is one of the tools in the Green Party’s Waste Minimisation Act, passed with unanimous support in September last year.

“This tool is smart economics – it shifts cost onto the producers of waste and away from ratepayers and the environment, providing a strong incentive to reduce the amount of waste going to the landfill,” said Mrs Turei.

“It's a ‘polluter-pays so people-save’ solution – the public will have more opportunities to recycle, we will pay less rates for landfills, and our environment will be improved.

“Innovative and practical initiatives to reduce, reuse and recycle – like expanded recycling services, business initiatives to help consumers recycle, and community programmes like children’s waste education - will benefit from the funds generated by the levy.

“New Zealand joins a growing list of countries that use a pricing instrument to encourage waste minimisation, and at $10 per tonne New Zealand’s levy is very modest.”

The United Kingdom has a landfill tax of NZ$120 per tonne, Sweden’s is NZ$86, Denmark NZ$105 and Finland NZ$65.

The NZ Business Council for Sustainable Development, whose member companies account for more than a third of New Zealand’s gross domestic product, supported a levy that began at $10 and rose to $30 in three years.

“While the National Party initially opposed the Waste Minimisation Bill, with some compromise we were able to pass a law that the new Government remains committed to,” said Mrs Turei.

“The Greens are thankful for the tremendous public support for the Waste Minimisation Act, and the support of other political parties.”

A dedicated law to minimise waste was first proposed by former Green Party Co-Leader Rod Donald, and former MP Nandor Tanczos ably shepherded it through Parliament.

“New Zealand has plenty of room for improving waste reduction – nearly half of our waste ends up in landfill. In contrast, the city of San Francisco diverts 72% of its waste and is aiming for zero waste to landfill by 2020,” Mrs Turei said.

“The tools in the Waste Minimisation Act will enable New Zealand to dramatically reduce waste and also aspire to a zero-waste society.”