Rethinking Plastics in Aotearoa New Zealand
Our panel set out with a bold and broad scope – to find ways to reduce the size of the plastic shadow that is cast by modern life. While we initially tried to reduce this scope, we ended up realising that plastic is everywhere and we must approach it from all angles simultaneously. Tackling the problem of plastic waste needs a systems change, a collection of adjustments – some large, some small – across all aspects of society. To begin, we painted ourselves a vision of what the future could look like if we make these changes. We present a vision that sets the stage for what follows. Aotearoa New Zealand can rethink how we use plastic, but the evidence-base to support these decisions in a system-wide way is lacking. In order to support evidence-informed decisions, we have collated and synthesised information and expert opinion to provide government with a rigorous system-wide overview of plastic in 2019, in the context of international best practice.
Aotearoa New Zealand can rethink how we use plastic, but the evidence base to support these decisions in a system-wide way is lacking
Rethinking Plastics aims to contribute to a society-wide change of heart and practice. Clear national goals, readily available information for shoppers and household use, aligned infrastructure and a few well-targeted rule changes could achieve significant, durable improvements while researchers and innovative businesses create new materials and business models. We seek to provide a trusted source of information for the public on the state of plastic use and a pathway forward for Aotearoa New Zealand. The global spotlight is on plastics and there is a groundswell of activity to build on. We are at a pivotal point where we can rethink how we use plastics to reduce the negative impacts while retaining its many benefits. Now is the time to seize this opportunity.
‘AT A GLANCE’ SUMMARY KEY MESSAGES REPORT FULL REPORTINFOGRAPHICS Share to: 
‘SCIENCE AND THE PLASTIC PROBLEM’
BY SHIRLEY HORROCKS:
Our vision
Recommendations
Plastic resource portal
Case Studies
At a glance summary
Two-page summary of the findings
Key messages
40-page summary of the key messages
Full report
The long and detailed full report
Infographics
All infographics developed for this report
Panel members
We gratefully acknowledge the efforts and good humour of our hard-working panel.
- Professor Niki Harré, University of Auckland
- Stephen Harris, Commonwealth Clean Oceans Alliance
- Dr Bethanna Jackson, Victoria University of Wellington
- Dr Elspeth MacRae, Scion
- Melanie Mark-Shadbolt (Ngāti Kahungunu, Ngāti Porou, Te Arawa, Te Ati Awa), Māori Biosecurity Network and Ministry for the Environment
- Professor Sarah McLaren, Massey University
- Dr Olga Pantos, ESR
- Abbie Reynolds, Sustainable Business Council
- Dr Diane Ruwhiu, University of Otago
- Professor Mark Staiger, University of Canterbury
- Professor James Wright, University of Auckland
Figure 2 The Rethinking Plastics Panel members and OPMCSA staff at the first panel meeting. From left to right: George Slim, Sarah McLaren, Bethanna Jackson, Olga Pantos, James Wright, Elspeth MacRae, Juliet Gerrard, Abbie Reynolds, Niki Harré, Mark Staiger, Diane Ruwhiu, Stephen Harris, Rachel Chiaroni-Clarke. Bottom right overlay: Melanie Mark-Shadbolt.
Our reference group
We thank the very large number of researchers and stakeholders who have generously contributed time, energy and suggestions to this project through consultation and peer review. We have incorporated as many suggestions as possible, but acknowledge that the wide range of views expressed meant not every edit could be accepted. We are particularly grateful to those in the industry who have shared their ideas and insights and answered our many questions.
- Adele Rose, 3R
- Alexia Sandano, Air New Zealand
- Ally Hopwood, Pharmapac
- Andrea Soanes and Cathy Buntting, Science Learning Hub
- Anna Curnow, Kaipara District Council
- Amanda Moxey, Plastic Free Raglan
- Ariadne Santos and Stewart Hay, Palmerston North City Council
- Barbara Nebel, thinkstep
- Beth Davie and team, Ministry for Primary Industries
- Brian Vass and Simon Andrew, Agcarm/Agrecovery
- Bruce Middleton, Waste Not Consulting
- Camden Howitt, Sustainable Coastlines
- Carolyn Cox, Green Business HQ
- Casimir MacGregor and Karla Falloon, BRANZ
- Catherine Langabeer and Kiri Hannifin, Countdown
- Clarke Truscott and Karen Thompson, Coca-Cola Amatil and Coca-Cola Oceania
- Daniel Wai-Poi and Rosemary Paterson, Ministry for Foreign Affairs and Trade
- David Benattar, The Warehouse Group
- David Howie, Ian Kennedy and Tom Nickels, Waste Management
- Dawn Baggaley and Sam Bridgman, NZ Post
- Dennise Chapman, Ken Sowman and Rachel Barker, Plastics NZ
- Donna Peterson, WasteNet Southland
- Duncan McGillivray, University of Auckland
- Duncan Wilson, Eunomia Consulting
- Ella van Gool, University of Waikato
- Emily Taylor-Hall, Wellington City Council
- Emily Thomas and Trish Kirkland-Smith, Fonterra
- Florian Graichen and team, Scion
- Francine Harland and Roger Ridley, Royal Society Te Apārangi
- Heather Saunderson, Keep New Zealand Beautiful
- Heidi Mardon, Toimata Foundation
- Huia Iti and Jemma Whiten, Ecostore
- Ian Lancaster, Maritime New Zealand
- Isla Hepburn and Samantha Webb, Environment Canterbury
- Jacqui Forbes, Para Kore
- James Griffin and Rachel Brown, Sustainable Business Network
- James Muir, Crunch & Flourish
- Janine Brinsdon, Jenny Marshall and Paul Evans, WasteMINZ
- Johan Verbeek, University of Auckland Plastics Centre of Excellence
- Kate Fulton, Nelson City Council
- Katherine Short, Terra Moana
- Kirsten Edgar, Callaghan Innovation
- Laurence Greenfield, University of Canterbury
- Liz Butcher and team, Ministry for the Environment
- Louise Nash, Circularity
- Lyn Mayes, The Packaging Forum
- Mike Lewis and Peter Stewart, CHEP
- Nadine Wakim and Parul Sood, Auckland Council
- Nic Bishop, Fisher & Paykel Healthcare
- Nick Baker, Visy
- Peter Stevens, GS1 New Zealand
- Rachel Depree, Zespri International
- Raquelle de Vine, Algalita South Pacific Trust
- Rick Poynter, Poynter Agencies Ltd
- Ryan Everton, Globelet
- Sally Gaw, University of Canterbury
- Samisoni Makaafi and team, Statistics NZ
- Sharon Humphreys, Packaging Council of NZ
- Simon Thrush, University of Auckland
- Tania Tapsell, Rotorua Lakes District Council
- Terri-Ann Berry, Unitec
- Tina Ngata, Te Wānanga o Aotearoa
- Trisia Farrelly, Massey University
Abbreviations
| Abbreviation | Definition |
| 6Rs | Rethink, refuse, reduce, reuse, recycle and recover |
| AANZFTA | ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand free trade agreement |
| APCO | Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation |
| APEC | Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation |
| APR | Association of Plastic Recyclers |
| ARL | Australasian Recycling Label |
| ASEAN | Association of Southeast Asian Nations |
| ASTM | American Society for Testing and Materials |
| Bio- | Biological |
| BOP | Bay of Plenty |
| BPA | Bisphenol-A |
| BRANZ | Building Research Association of New Zealand |
| CCAMLR | Convention for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources |
| CDS | Container Deposit Scheme (also referred to as Container Return Scheme) |
| CIEL | Center for International Environmental Law |
| CPTPP | Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership |
| DCC | Dunedin City Council |
| DEFRA | Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (UK) |
| DoC | Department of Conservation |
| EAS | East Asia Summit |
| ECHA | European Chemical Agency |
| EDCs | Endocrine disrupting chemicals |
| EEZ | Exclusive Economic Zone |
| EMF | Ellen MacArthur Foundation |
| EPA | Environmental Protection Agency |
| EPS | Expanded polystyrene |
| ESR | Institute of Environmental Science and Research |
| EU | European Union |
| E-waste | Electrical waste |
| F.O.R.C.E. | For Our Real Clean Environment |
| FADs | Fish aggregating devices |
| FAO | Food and Agriculture Organisation |
| FMCG | Fast moving consumer goods |
| FTA | Free trade agreement |
| GDP | Gross domestic product |
| GDSN | Global data synchronisation network |
| GESAMP | Group of Experts on the Scientific Aspects of Marine Environmental Protection |
| GLAD | Global LCA Data Access network |
| H&S | Health and safety |
| HDPE | High-density polyethylene |
| ID | Identification |
| IOC | Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission |
| IoT | Internet of Things |
| ISO | International Organization for Standardization |
| KDC | Kaipara District Council |
| KNZB | Keep New Zealand Beautiful |
| LCA | Life cycle assessment |
| LDPE | Low-density polyethylene |
| LGNZ | Local Government New Zealand |
| MARPOL | International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships |
| MBIE | Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment |
| MFAT | Ministry for Foreign Affairs and Trade |
| MPI | Ministry for Primary Industries |
| MRF | Materials Recovery Facility |
| NCEA | National Certificate of Educational Achievement |
| NEMO | New End Market Opportunities |
| NFP | Not-for-profit organisation |
| NGO | Non-governmental organisation |
| NOAA | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (US) |
| NPEGC | New Plastics Economy Global Commitment |
| NRRT | National Resource Recovery Taskforce |
| NSF | National Science Foundation (US) |
| NSW | New South Wales |
| NWDF | National Waste Data Framework |
| NZ | Aotearoa New Zealand |
| NZD | New Zealand Dollar |
| OECD | Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development |
| OPMCSA | Office of the Prime Minister’s Chief Science Advisor |
| OPRL | On-Pack Recycling Label (UK) |
| OWLS | Online waste levy system |
| PACER | Pacific Agreement on Closer Economic Relations |
| PCE | Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment |
| PCR | Post-consumer recycled |
| PET | Polyethylene terephthalate |
| PGF | Provincial Growth Fund |
| PHA | Polyhydroxyalkanoates |
| PHB | Polyhydroxybutyrate |
| PLA | Polylactic acid |
| POPs | Persistent organic pollutants |
| PP | Polypropylene |
| PREP | Packaging Recyclability Valuation Portal |
| PS | Polystyrene |
| PSS | Product stewardship schemes |
| PU | Polyurethane |
| PURE | Plastic Use Resistance Education |
| PVC | Polyvinyl chloride |
| R&D | Research and development |
| R&I | Research and innovation |
| REBRI | Resource Efficiency in the Building and Related Industries |
| RECET | Resource Efficiency and Circular Economy Transition |
| RFP | Request for proposal |
| rPET | Recycled polyethylene terephthalate |
| SAPEA | Science Advice for Policy by European Academies |
| SBN | Sustainable Business Network |
| SDGs | Sustainable Development Goals |
| SMEs | Small to medium enterprises |
| SPREP | Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environmental Programme |
| SPRFMO | South Pacific Regional Fisheries Management Organisation |
| SWAP | Solid Waste Analysis Protocol |
| UK | United Kingdom |
| UN | United Nations |
| UNEA | United Nations Environment Assembly |
| UNEP | United Nations Environment Programme |
| US | United States (of America) |
| WCPFC | Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission |
| WINZ | Work and Income New Zealand |
| WMA | Waste Minimisation Act (2008) |
| WMF | Waste Minimisation Fund |
| WMMP | Waste Management and Minimisation Plan |
| WRAP | Waste and Resources Action Programme |
| WTO | World Trade Organization |
Contacts
Email: info@pmcsa.ac.nz
Mailing Address
Office of the Prime Minister's Chief Science Advisor
The University of Auckland
Private Bag 92019
Victoria Street West
Auckland 1142
New Zealand