Solid waste management in New Zealand

As part of an on-going programme to consider the current waste management and pollution prevention framework in New Zealand, the Ministry for the Environment, in collaboration with Auckland Regional Council and Zero Waste New Zealand, requested the author to undertake a survey of organisations involved in the waste management industry. The objective of the survey was to gain information about the pollution prevention and waste management issues organisations perceive they are facing as an important input to a review of the current policy and regulatory framework for waste management and pollution prevention in New Zealand. The issues raised by respondents included concerns regarding national policy, particularly the lack of waste management policy and co-ordination; the lack of hazardous waste management; concerns regarding local policy, particularly with regard to consistency and waste minimisation, including lack of incentives and markets for recycled materials, the cost of recycling and the lack of cleaner production efforts. In comparison with UK and Pennsylvania programmes, the New Zealand waste management and pollution prevention programme was found to be vague, lacking in direction and funding and would not succeed in reducing waste production or effectively managing waste. Clear goals and timeframes need to be established, duties and responsibilities of national and local governments and industry clarified and funding needs to be allocated in order to produce an effective waste management framework in New Zealand.