Packaging Forum invests $0.5mn in new recycling projects

Press Release

Packaging Forum invests $0.5 MILLION in new recycling projects

29th August 2016

The Packaging Forum allocated $501,000 in direct funding to support Council, Community and Commercial projects in the year to end June 2016. The Packaging Forum operates two industry funded voluntary product stewardship schemes for glass recycling and public place recycling and in November 2015 introduced a soft plastic recycling programme.

Lyn Mayes, Communications Manager for the Packaging Forum explains that each scheme has its own contestable fund with allocations made on a quarterly basis by the relevant Steering Committee.

“Over the past year 48% of our funding or around $240,000 was allocated to Councils to assist with the purchase of public place recycling bins and infrastructure to increase the recovery of glass containers. We also contributed $81,000 to support community recycling and composting around the country as well as $180,000 in commercial projects including the introduction of soft plastic recycling collections at supermarkets and The Warehouse stores in Auckland, Waikato and Canterbury.”

“Our schemes are funded by voluntary levies paid by members. Over the past year we increased membership by 30% adding 42 brands showing that industry is behind the initiatives which we champion from supporting high value glass recovery to addressing litter and increasing recycling through our Love NZ branded public place recycling bins.”

“Funding is allocated according to criteria set out by the various schemes but we are keen to support projects in regions which have relatively low permanent residents and high tourist / visitor numbers. For example, we have supported a number of projects in Marlborough, Thames Coromandel, South Taranaki, Rotorua, Mackenzie District and Ashburton.”

“As a result of our projects every year we are increasing the amount of packaging which gets recycled. We are adding an extra 300 Public Place Recycling Bins every year and we monitor what gets recycled through these facilities and through our other projects.”

John Webber, Manager of the Glass Packaging Scheme added that voluntary product stewardship provides a value for money solution to increasing packaging recycling rates:

“We believe that our voluntary product stewardship schemes provide a best cost solution to increase recycling rates. Earlier this year we commissioned research by economist consultancy Covec into the cost of introducing a mandatory Container Deposit System in New Zealand. Covec’s research shows compelling economic evidence that the cost of introducing a 10 cents charge on every beverage container in New Zealand far outweighs the forecasted increase in the recycling rate, which is already increasing through voluntary product stewardship at a fraction of the cost.

“The glass recycling rate in New Zealand is already at 73% with a target of 78% by 2017, having benefited from a decade of voluntary product stewardship. Our current systems (including industry-led solutions) are making gains in overall beverage container recovery rates which will see us bridge the gap between the current 69/70% beverage container recycling rate and the target 80% rate over time, without incurring the large expense which CDS would put on consumers.”

The Packaging Forum encourages Councils and Community groups to apply for funding by downloading the application on http://www.recycling.kiwi.nz/

ENDS

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