Editorial Andrew Hewett - The Packaging Forum
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winter 2016
Edition 7
The Packaging Word is the official publication of The Packaging Forum | www.packagingforum.org.nz
editorial Andrew Hewett
Chair, The Packaging Forum
This year I took on a new role within In Australia, New South Wales (NSW) We have been discussing this report
Coca Cola Amatil as Group General announced a container deposit scheme with stakeholders from local and central
Manager External Communications, with (CDS), to commence from July 2017 in government. People have differing
responsibility across Australia, New an attempt to tackle litter relating to views about the merits of CDS in New
Zealand and Indonesia. This broader beverage containers. This means that Zealand. However, there is a common
focus has given me greater insight into NSW will join South Australia and the understanding that introducing a CDS in
the different approaches to packaging Northern Territory in having CDS. In NSW a country where there is an existing high-
product stewardship on both sides of the beverage container recycling rate is performing kerbside collection will add
The Ditch and also how these differ again 64% and according to the National Litter
[1]
cost and moreover may risk the financial
from issues in Indonesia. Index, drink containers represent 44% viability of kerbside collections, which are
litter volume. linked to long term investment contracts.
The Waste Minimisation Act 2008 in
Furthermore, due to the convenience of
New Zealand provides the basis for How is New Zealand looking in
kerbside collections for households, there
our programmes under The Packaging comparison? Over 69%[2] of beverage
is no guarantee that people will change
Forum. In accordance with this Act, we containers are recycled in NZ. This
their recycling behaviours just because of
have developed two voluntary product number understates the recovery of
the potential for a small refund.
stewardship schemes and established plastic bottles because it does not
projects, such as the Love NZ Soft Plastic include commercial collections and the It is interesting to compare issues in New
Recycling programme. hospitality sector. The National Litter Zealand and Australia with the waste
Survey by Waste Not Consulting finds management challenges in Indonesia.
When we established the Public
that beverage containers make up only The amount of waste is rapidly increasing
Place Recycling Scheme in 2013, we
11% of litter, so putting a charge on in Asia due to population increases,
incorporated targets for litter reduction,
beverage containers alone is not going to industrialisation, urbanisation and the
in recognition of the connections between
solve the litter problem. improvement of living standards. Changes
litter, recycling and reducing waste. The
to consumption patterns generate
Packaging Forum is now partnering with Last month, the Forum released a new
different types of waste with a notable
Keep Auckland Beautiful, Auckland Litter assessment by economist consultants
increase in packaging materials. Many
Prevention Group and several Local Covec - “Evaluating the Costs & Benefits
countries in Asia lack the necessary
Councils to develop a “Litter Less, Recycle of Introducing a Container Deposit
intuitional, technical, and financial
More” project. It is encouraging to see System”. Covec concluded that while
interventions required for an integrated
that the Minister for the Environment has CDS would increase recycling rates,
approach to waste management, and
extended the eligibility criteria for waste introducing a 10 cents charge on beverage
these changes in waste generation are
minimisation funding to include projects containers would actually lead to a net
putting increasing pressure on existing
that address litter, and we hope that our cost to New Zealanders of approximately
infrastructure and services.
pending application for project funding $75m per year.
will be successful.
Opinion Piece
hon david parker mp
It is, therefore, not surprising that Labour Spokesperson for the Environment
Indonesia, a country of 250 million
people, is one of five Asian countries
reported to jointly contribute 60% of
the plastic waste in our seas. In these
countries only 40% of waste is properly
collected[3], with many households having
no choice but to self-dispose of their
increasing wastes, by either burning
or dumping. Although Asia is a strong
growth market in food and beverage, it
also presents some tough sustainability
David Parker (centre) with (L to R) Matt Wilson, Andrew Hewett, Sara Tucker and John Webber
challenges for global brands, many of
which are members of the Packaging
Forum.
I’ve never seen cows use toilet paper
As a NZ packaging industry it’s our role to
commission robust independent research I’m not going to repeat the great stats It really is disgusting.
and analysis which can help inform on the hundreds of brands that help fund
Some of the hire firms are complicit
discussion. We are happy to engage in the Packaging Forum’s work, nor the 73%
and don’t give a hoot. I’m not surprised.
wider stakeholder discussions on CDS of glass that is now recycled. You know
The Wicked Campervan company must
and other issues, such as the calls for all that. I want to enlist your support for
be sleazy, putting such misogynist
bans on plastic bags. The word forum another litter issue that we need to fix
tawdry messages on their vehicles
means an open place for discussion and as a country that your survey does not
that some have been classified as
being open to public opinion is essential pick up.
offensive publications. They are not
to success, which is why the Packaging
Freedom campers are now so large alone in hiring out campers with no toilet
Forum Board appreciates the input from
in number that they are ruining it for facilities, advertising freedom camping
our advisory board.
everyone. People in many parts of New opportunities. Social media helps those
_____ Zealand — Central and Coastal Otago, looking for a holiday on the cheap, but
1. www.epa.nsw.gov.au/resources/ Banks Peninsula, Nelson, Gisborne, the others end up footing the bill, or with “it”
waste/container/150286-CDS-
far North — have had a gutsful. Their on their shoes.
discussion-paper.pdf
councils have too.
2. Waste Not Consulting 2016 Freedom camping for those walking in
3. www.pri.org/stories/2016-01-13/5- Aerial photos show the extent of toilet our parks is a wonderful thing. But we
countries-dump-more-plastic- paper and human excrement strewn can’t have scores of vehicles doing it.
oceans-rest-world-combined
around Lake Tekapo. It’s not an isolated What was probably OK in small numbers
problem. Local toilets around the country has got out of hand. Campervans the size
were designed for use as toilets, not for of the Titanic now carry entire families.
overnight campers, nor for washing up Freedom camping is now despoiling our
dishes. Grey water is not meant to be environment for locals and visitors alike.
dumped in gutters.
It’s time to push back. I am with the
It gets worse. I couldn’t help laughing councils who want to put a stop to this,
when a radio interviewer asked a council through by-laws and clamping. It’s not
employee how he could be sure that too much to expect campervans to stay
campervans were dumping their sewage in camping grounds and pay for the
in livestock effluent road stops — “I’ve facilities they need. Let’s clean up this
never seen cows use toilet paper” was industry. Fixing this protects tourism and
the reply. keeps our country clean too.
hot off the press!
mascot has been finalised, it will be made Recycling Programme. The initiative aims
available for everyone to use to spread to get Hamilton residents to recycle their
the anti-littering message.” unwanted plastic bags and other soft
plastic packaging, through their local
Student feedback
Countdown store. At each store there will
“Being a tidy kiwi makes me feel like the be special recycling bins to collect the
happiest, cleanest superhero who helps the soft plastics, with the recyclables being
environment.” 8-year-old boy, Wellington. turned into park benches, like the one
“Being a tidy kiwi makes me feel like I’ve donated to Peachgrove Intermediate.
done a humongous thing to make the world www.stuff.co.nz/waikato-times/news/
a better place. It makes me feel proud.” hamilton-press/78134894/hamilton-
8-year-old girl, Auckland. supermarkets-involved-in-plastic-
recycling-programme
Beginning of the road for
glass stockpile in Twizel
reported by Timaru’s The Courier
A massive stockpile of glass in Twizel has
been removed, crushed and is being used
in roads. Mackenzie District Council solid
waste manager Angie Taylor said the
2687m3 pile of glass was the legacy from
glass collections in the district which
were stockpiled until three years ago.
The Glass Packaging Forum and a road
construction company, Road Metals,
have worked with the Council to find a
positive solution. The overall cost of the From bags to benches - TV3 The Story investigates
project will be $59,000, with 90% funding Hamilton supermarkets Wellington glass collector
received as a grant from the Glass
involved in plastic The Story reports ‘very bad news’ for
Packaging Forum.
recycling programme viewers, who separate their glass and
15,000 students have their reported by Waikato Times plastic rubbish for recycling. Heather
say on new ‘Tidy Kiwi’ A seat made from 15,000 plastic bags was
Du Plessis-Allan followed Daily Waste
recycling trucks in Wellington, which have
New Zealand’s much loved anti-littering donated to the students from Peachgrove been dumping recycling into the landfill.
character is undergoing a makeover and so Intermediate School, at the Hamilton The company admits that it has not been
far over 16,000 students have taken part. launch of the new Soft Plastic Recycling recycling glass since August 1 2015.
Programme at Countdown Claudelands.
Richard Leckinger, Auckland Litter
Hamilton Mayor Julie Hardaker cut the The Glass Packaging Forum responded
Prevention Steering Group Programme
ribbon of the chair, alongside Peachgrove’s that the feature does not fairly and
Manager said “We’re asking students
assistant principal Helen Te Kiri. “I’m accurately reflect glass collection and
around the country to have their say on
mesmerised by this,” Hardaker said. “It’s recycling in Wellington and around the
the design direction Tidy Kiwi is taking.
incredible to think that that’s made out of country, noting that glass collected from
The public can also take a short survey at
plastic bags.” our members’ kerbside and commercial
www.beatidykiwi.nz to share their views
collections in Wellington is returned to OI
about litter and being a tidy kiwi. We are Hamilton City Council became the first in Auckland for remanufacture into new
testing the designs in cinemas, schools, council in New Zealand to officially containers.
parks and via surveys. Once the new support the Love NZ Soft Plastic
packagingforum.org.nz | glasspackagingforum.org.nz | recycling.kiwi.nz
PERSPECTIVES ON POLICY
New economic Packaging Forum and community/retail drop off
Perspective recycling programmes is already
analysis puts the net increasing the recycling of plastic
Decisions need to be based on current
cost of introducing lifestyles and embedded collection
bottles and cans. We are already
a 10 cents charge on systems. Nostalgia policy calls need to be
at over 69%, which is comparable
with CDS systems in New York and
beverage containers tested by economic analysis.
Hawaii. Furthermore, investment
at $75 million a year. • Over 69%1 beverage containers in resource recovery facilities in
are already recycled in NZ. This targeted regions and sectors will
COVEC REPORT APRIL 2O16 number understates the recovery of increase recycling, as has been
Tim Denne, Director at Covec explains plastic bottles because it does not the case with glass, without the
that: include commercial and hospitality exorbitant cost of CDS.
collections.
“Container deposits could be expected _____
to increase New Zealand’s beverage • Drinks containers only make up 1. Waste Not Consulting 2016
recycling rate from 69% to around 80%, approximately 11% of litter, so CDS 2. National Litter Survey May 2015 Waste
will not solve the litter problem2 . Not Consulting
bringing a benefit of $22 million per
3. Ministry for Environment
annum. However, introducing a container • CDS will put the cost of goods up,
deposit system (CDS) on top of a mature because industry will likely pass on
and well performing kerbside collection the additional cost (as has happened Horizon Poll Question
system is outweighed by the $97 million in the Northern Territories,
annual cost of establishing and operating Australia). Suppose a charge was made on
a new take back system. This would containers (like bottles) at the
• On top of the 10 cents deposit,
result in a net cost of $75 million each point of purchase to help fund
which people can redeem if they
year meaning that every additional tonne recovery. Which of the following
are inclined to take their containers
recycled would be at a cost of around charges per container at point of
back, there will be an additional cost
$2200.” sale would be acceptable to you?
of at least 3.50 cents per container.
“A CDS is expected to result in greater
• Over 96% of New Zealanders have
recycling rates, increasing the revenue
access to kerbside recycling or
from material sales and reducing
community recycling for their
quantities of waste and litter. The two
beverage containers3. Introducing
main costs are the costs of household
CDS may put existing kerbside
time in making returns and the costs
collections at risk.
for installing and running collection
infrastructure, such as reverse vending • People do not want to pay any extra
machines. These beverage industry costs for their grocery shopping – 36.5%
are likely to be passed on to households are not prepared to pay anything
in increased beverage prices. Households and 34.5% would only pay 5 cents
that do not return their bottles for which will not cover the costs of a
5c [34.5%]
refunds will bear the cost of the deposit, CDS. (See Horizon poll response)
but this will become a benefit for 10c [18.1%]
• The glass recycling rate is now at
someone else, possibly the beverage 15c [1,7%]
73%, with a target of 78% by 2017
industry itself or the government.”
following a decade of voluntary 20c [5.9%]
product stewardship.
0c [36.5%]
• Voluntary investment to increase Another amount [3.3%]
recycling facilities in public places
packagingforum.org.nz | glasspackagingforum.org.nz | recycling.kiwi.nz
Local Government the problem rather than reducing Countdown Waiheke is now
overall plastic usage. The 2004 ‘Make
& Environment plastic shopping bag free
a Difference’ voluntary accord in New
Select Committee Zealand lead to a 15.4% increase in Countdown has removed all plastic
unit sales of plastic bin liners and the shopping bags from its Waiheke store in
– Petition on single 2009 ban on single use plastic bags in support of the island’s goal to be plastic
use plastic bags South Australia led to an 80% increase bag free. Customers are encouraged
in bin liner sales. Bin liners are often to bring their own reusable bags to
Packaging Forum made from higher grade plastics and, pack their groceries in, or for those
Perspective therefore, constitute a worse landfill customers who forget to bring their
problem than plastic bags. own bags, Countdown has reusable bags
Decisions need to consider unintended
and new compostable bags available for
consequences... In England a 5 pence charge was
purchase in-store.
introduced in October 2015 at all retail
The Packaging Forum has been asked
outlets not just supermarkets. The www.radionz.co.nz/national/
to submit an opinion on banning or
levy has dramatically reduced bag programmes/checkpoint/
charging for plastic bags. The main focus
consumption but the charge has led to audio/201797667/waiheke-countdown-
of the Forum’s response is to inform
more shoppers leaving stores carrying bans-plastic-bags
the Parliamentary Select Committee
their purchases in their arms. This makes
about the early success of the Soft
it more difficult for security staff to spot
Plastic Recycling Programme, which
shoplifters and has reportedly led to a
provides shoppers with a comprehensive
surge in retail theft.1
recycling service for all of their soft
plastic bags, wrappers and pouches. The _____
Forum will also provide details about 1. www.retail-week.com/sectors/
grocery/analysis-what-impact-has-
attempts to address litter through the
the-5p-plastic-bag-levy-had-in-
Public Place Recycling Scheme. england/7004610.fullarticle
As a general comment, retailers provide
plastic bags in response to customer The Warehouse introduced a fee
demand and do not want to issue for plastic bags in 2009 and has seen bag
unnecessary plastic bags, as they are use fall by 67%
a cost to business. Therefore, from a
business perspective there is a natural
New World pilot rebate
incentive to minimise use. for customers using
It is also important that a decision to ban
reusable bags
or charge for plastic bags is managed New World is undertaking a pilot in
to avoid unintended consequences. For a limited number of stores, whereby
example: customers receive a rebate of 5 cents for
every reusable bag they use in their shop.
Banning plastic bags can lead to an
Early results are very encouraging with a
increase in purchasing of plastic bags
20% drop in plastic bag usage recorded. Waiheke Countdown L-R Gurjant Singh, Shiva Kaikarnamalla,
for other uses, therefore shifting Satish Kumar, Noeline Tatham, Emma Bates
Under our Licensing Agreement with the Ministry for the
Environment, The Packaging Forum and members of our accredited
schemes are eligible to use the Love NZ brand in accordance with the
Style Guide and with prior written consent from the MFE.
Please contact donna@packagingforum.org.nz for more information.
WHY
SH
YO U
PROJECTS & INITIATIVES OULD BE
PART OF
Round up on Te Tai Tokerau Festival 2016
THE GLA
PACKAG SS
Events The PPRS allocated $2000 to help
ING
Otamatea High School deliver a
The Ports of Auckland Round the
FORUM
Zero Waste Programme as hosts
Bays is known to benefit charities
of the 41st annual Tai Kokerau
to the tune of around $100,000,
Festival. Up to 10,000 people
but this year’s race was also the
attended the festival for a massed
best ever for the environment.
display and celebration of kapa
Fairfax Events which produces
haka and Maori culture by students
the event partnered with Love
from 29 secondary schools, from
NZ, and with the combined on the
Mahurangi College and Rodney
ground efforts of Clean Events
and Green Shoot Pacific (GSP)
College in the south to Taipa in the WHAT DOES IT DO?
north.
achieved a phenomenal 83% Promotes government
overall diversion rate, with nearly Otamatea opened the Kapa Haka recognition of glass
seven tonnes of plastic and glass with a stirring performance that packaging as an
bottles and cartons recycled. showcased Kaipara and Ngāti environmentally
This year GSP supported by Love Whātua. acceptable product
NZ, Pump and DB Export, trialled
an activation with monitored Works with councils
educational bin stations at the to address waste
finish line in Vellonweth Green and glass issues
Madills Farm, capturing and sorting
sponsor, vendor and general Educates to encourage
waste via manned educational glass recycling
bin stations. The diversion rate
achieved through the educational Helps improve glass
waste stations at Vellonweth collection systems
Green was 96.9%.
WHY JOIN?
Best cost solution
for the recovery and
recycling of waste glass
Participation across
the industry decreases
the risk of legislation
Meets consumers’
environmental
expectations
For more info
Get in touch with John Webber
john@glassforum.org.nz
021 949 215
PUBLIC PLACE RECYCLING SCHEME what did we do in 2015? 26% increase in public place recycling bins. Added 292 new PPR bins including the first recycling bins in Ashburton, Blenheim and Picton and support for increased facilities in Thames Coromandel, Hastings and at Rotorua Skyline. Diverted over 4276 tonnes of packaging from landfill through participating members and partners. This is equivalent to 170 million cartons, bottles and cans. Waste diversion at events funded by the PPRS has increased to over 70% helped by strategic partnerships with specialist event waste management companies. 12 new PPRS members and 17 founding members of the Soft Plastic Recycling Programme.
Investment in Infrastructure
Supporting communities decking
Over four million plastic
The GPF has approved funding to Silica bags and wrappers have
Crushers to introduce glass bottle banks already been dropped off
by shoppers in Auckland
in Horowhenua to allow residents
The Packaging Forum to and Hamilton. Around
drop off their glass
invites youbottles.
to joinThe collected
10% of the plastic in the
glass will
HON be NICKY
processed by Silica Crushers
WAGNER recycling bins for the
for use as
NATIONAL MPaFOR
sauna pool filtrationCENTRAL
CHRISTCHURCH Christchurch stores has
medium,atroad come from North Island
themarking
launchand paving stone
of the bollards
collections.
manufacture and garden ornaments.
SOFT PLASTIC DROP OFF
RECYCLING programme
In December the PPRS awarded around Drop off your soft
$25,000 in grants to install public place plastic packaging and
Friday 10 June 2016 help manufacture
recycling bins in three regions.
12.30pm to 1.30pm plastic bollards, traffic
speed bumps, decking
ILAM NEW WORLD and tracking, furniture
47c Peer St, Upper Riccarton and a whole range of
REFRESHMENTS PROVIDED durable and weather park benches
resistant plastic products
RSVP by 30 May
suitable for construction,
carole.packagingforum@gmail.com conservation, commercial
and community groups.
speed bumps
Driving the green at Soft plastic recycling The main packaging items being collected
are bread bags, toilet roll wrapping and
Remuera Golf Club launches in South Island
the soft plastic packaging around drinks
On 10 June soft plastic recycling bottles.
The PPRS has approved funding to
launches at 50 Pak’nSave, New World,
help Remuera Golf Club install 20 dual Top 5 performing stores. These 5 stores
The Warehouse, Countdown stores
recycling / litter bins, as part of the golf have together collected over 7 tonnes of
across Christchurch and south to
club’s plan to become a certified Golf soft plastic bags.
Ashburton and north to Rangiora.
Environmental Organisation. The project
New World New Lynn
will place eye-catching bins at each hole, Over 4 million plastic bags and wrappers
New World Eastridge
at the driving range and the club house, as recycled already.
Pak’nSave Wairau
part of preparation for hosting the final of
Over 25 tonnes of packaging has been New World Birkenhead
the World Masters Games in April 2017.
dropped off at 92 stores in Auckland and Pak’nSave Albany
The PPRS is keen to support other sports Waikato.
Check out your nearest store
preparing for the World Masters Games,
Around 60% of product collected is single www.recycling.kiwi.nz/soft-plastics/
to help ensure that events showcase New
use shopping bags, including fruit and store-locator/
Zealand’s sustainability to the world.
vegetable bags.
MEMBER NEWS
PACKAGING ISSUES AROUND
THE WORLD
IN EUROPE How long does litter
Congratulations take to rot? Daily Mail
The firms planning
to Green Ribbon on making less and report of clean up in
Finalists recycling more Forest of Dean, UK
During a clean-up, campaigners found
Protecting our biodiversity: Pernod At the end of 2015 the European
crisp (chip) packets that were a staggering
Ricard Winemakers New Commission unveiled its Circular Economy
33 years old. Plastic bags and bottles
Zealand Biodiversity within Package, committing more than €6bn
could potentially last hundreds, thousands
vineyards (Marlborough) (£4.7bn; $6.8bn) in funding. By 2030, the
or even millions of years without
Resilience to climate change: Commission expects this to save the EU
decomposing, according to scientists.
Countdown Carbon emissions economy €600bn a year and be a powerful
And banana skins can hang around for
reduction programme force for job creation. There are two main
more than a month, while orange peel can
components to it: The first redefines
Minimising our waste: Foodstuffs waste, allowing companies to make greater
take up to two years to fully disintegrate.
NZ Recyclable butchery trays use of still-valuable resources that are
The Daily Mail article provides a guide to
and Countdown Food rescue currently discarded, and sets binding
how long litter lasts from two weeks to
programme donating waste food to centuries.
recycling targets for the next 15 years.
charity www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/
EU 2030 WASTE TARGETS
The finalists will attend a ceremony at article-3593792/How-long-does-litter-rot.
Type of waste Target html
Parliament on 7 June, during the week
of World Environment Day. Winners will Municipal waste 65% recycled
be announced for each category, and IN AUSTRALIA
Packaging waste 75% recycled
then an overall supreme winner will be New South Wales
announced. Landfill Max 10% of all waste Premier says 10 cents
container deposit will
The second is an action plan that reduce litter
NEW MEMBERS encourages far greater resource
NSW Premier Mike Baird and Environment
efficiency much earlier in the production
Minister Mark Speakman have announced
process and includes an eco-design
The Forum would like to the introduction of a 10 cent refund
welcome standard, which encourages producers
container deposit scheme that will
to design products with their end of life
glass packaging scheme significantly reduce litter across the
in mind. In other words ensuring that
The Gin Company (Rogue state. The scheme will apply to most drink
as many components as possible can
Society) containers between 150ml and three litres,
be reused. A number of companies are
Whisky Galore which will display NSW CDS labelling. “The
starting to embrace a more circular
scheme we are announcing today is the
business model, including Unilever, Philips,
public place recycling single largest initiative ever undertaken
Google, Ikea and BT. One carmaker leading
scheme the way is JLR, which manufactures two
to reduce litter in NSW,” Mr Baird said.
Mondelez Foods (Cadbury) Mr Speakman said a container deposit
of its three Land Rover models from
Farro Fresh scheme targeting drink containers will
aluminium, which is lighter than steel,
deliver a key election commitment. This
giving improved performance and fuel
soft plastics programme efficiency. Half its aluminium is now from
scheme will make a major contribution to
Ceres Organics achieving one of the Premier’s 12 priorities
recycled sources, and JLR has set a target
Kelloggs to reduce the volume of litter by 40% by
of 75% by 2020.
2020.
Mondelez Foods (Cadbury)
www.bbc.com/news/business-35755492
Farro Fresh
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