Towards Osaka Blue Ocean Vision - G20 Implementation Framework for Actions on Marine Plastic Litter

New Zealand

Actions and Progress on Marine Plastic Litter
Last Update : 2023/05/16

Policy framework

National Action Plan

Name:
National Plastics Action Plan
National Waste Strategy

Brief description:
The National Plastics Action Plan outlines the actions New Zealand will take on plastics from 2021 to 2024. It includes a commitment to support discussions towards a global agreement to tackle marine plastic pollution under UN auspices. See: National Plastics Action Plan for Aotearoa New Zealand | Ministry for the Environment.
The National Waste Strategy, which is currently being refreshed, will set the direction and guide investment as we address waste and resource recovery challenges over the coming decades. See: National waste strategy under development | Ministry for the Environment

Legal framework

Name:
Waste Minimisation Act 2008 (WMA) and Litter Act 1979

Brief description:
The WMA encourages a reduction in the amount of waste we generate and dispose of in New Zealand. The aim is to reduce the environmental harm of waste and provide economic, social and cultural benefits for New Zealand. We are currently reviewing both the WMA and the Litter Act to strengthen and support our wide-ranging government programme for waste. This will include a greater circular economy focus and consider new provisions not already in these Acts. We will also revise how our waste levy funds can be used by central and local government. See: Waste legislation review | Ministry for the Environment.

Indicators

We do not have central-government MPL-specific indicators.
However, we have data that suggests less plastic is ending up in our marine environment – for example, more than an estimated 2 billion plastic shopping bags have been removed from circulation through our ban on plastic shopping bags in 2019. Additionally, at least another 2 billion single-use plastic items (straws, cotton buds, cutlery etc) will be removed from circulation through the additional plastic phase-outs that commence in late 2022.

Measures

Measures

Achievements

Prevention and reduction of plastic waste generation

Charge for single-use plastic products (e.g. shopping bags, straws)

Names of actions:
Phase out of hard-to-recycle and single-use plastics, including banning plastic bags.

Targeted products:
drink stirrers, cotton buds, single-use produce bags, cutlery, plates and bowls, straws, fruit labels, plastic bags.

Brief description:
The phase outs will be carried out over three stages, beginning in late 2022.

See: Phasing out hard-to-recycle and single-use plastics | Ministry for the Environment

In addition:
Following completion of a co-design process, we will be implementing regulated product stewardship schemes for plastic packaging and farm plastics.

We see a positive improvement from last two years

Numerical data:
More than an estimated 2 billion plastic shopping bags have been removed from circulation through our ban on plastic shopping bags in 2019. At least another 2 billion single-use plastic items (straws, cotton buds, cutlery etc) will be removed from circulation through the additional plastic phase-outs that commence in late 2022.

Actions for encouraging sustainable / circular product design

Names of actions:
Plastics Innovation Fund and Waste Minimisation Fund.

Brief description:
Support product and business model innovations – eg funding Plastics NZ to develop solutions for plastic packaging and products. The PIF supports projects that promote or achieve plastic waste minimization, and the WMF boosts NZ’s performance in reducing waste, reuse, recycling, and recovery of waste and diverted material.

See: Waste Minimisation Fund | Ministry for the Environment
See: Plastics Innovation Fund | Ministry for the Environment

We do not see any particular trend

Numerical data:
Information about the types of projects being funded: Waste Minimisation Fund funded projects | Ministry for the Environment

Regulation on microplastics

Names of actions:
Waste Minimisation (Microbeads) Regulations 2017

Brief description: The aim of the regulations is to prevent plastic microbeads, which are non-biodegradable, entering our marine environment. They can harm both marine life and life higher on the food chain including humans.

Additionally, the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) funds ‘Aotearoa Impacts and Mitigation of Microplastics’ – a program to develop a nationwide overview of contemporary microplastic pollution in New Zealand and assess the risk microplastics present to our environment, economy and well-being. Funded by the MBIE Endeavour Fund.

See: Waste Minimisation (Microbeads) Regulations 2017 (LI 2017/291) Contents – New Zealand Legislation

Comments:
Do not have data to make a conclusion about a particular trend.

Numerical data:
A literature review of marine plastics in NZ can be found here: our-marine-environment-2019.pdf
Some data is available through the Sustainable Coastlines litter intelligence programme: Litter Intelligence – Data

Measures

Achievements

Environmentally sound waste management

Enforcement of proper waste management system

Names of actions:
Waste Minimisation Act – Compliance, Monitoring and Enforcement (CME) strategy.

Brief description: CME policies and procedures have been updated to align with best practice and a strategy has developed to deal with compliance with the regulations. The Ministry is producing an annual performance monitoring report on its activities. Annual audit programmes will include a programme for managing the response to plastic bans and product stewardship schemes.

See: Compliance, monitoring and enforcement of the Waste Minimisation Act | Ministry for the Environment

Comments:
In the coming years we will have better data to make a conclusion about a particular trend.

Numerical data:
In addition:

  • KNZB conducted a National Litter Audit in 2019 (their clean up events can include some beach/waterfront clean ups)
  • Sustainable Coastlines developed the Litter Intelligence platform where citizen scientists clean up, and collect data on litter in coastal areas. Data collection methodology was developed with NIWA and StatsNZ
Prevention of littering, illegal dumping and unintentional leakage of waste into the ocean

Names of actions:
Behaviour change campaign aimed at preventing littering and illegal dumping – led by Keep New Zealand Beautiful (KNZB), funded by MfE

Brief description:

  • MfE’s Strategic Partnerships team are currently working to strengthen strategic alliances with organisations such as Keep New Zealand Beautiful and Sustainable Coastlines who are already delivering on the ground achieving mutual strategic outcomes for litter focused on reduction, data and evidence gathering and behaviour change.
  • New Zealand supports the Global Ghost Gear Initiative and there are local groups affiliated with this who are taking action and educating.
  • Certain territorial authorities install stormwater traps to reduce macro plastics entering waterways and further breaking down in the marine environment.

Comments:
Do not have data to make a conclusion about a particular trend.

Measures

Achievements

Cleanup of marine plastic litter

Collection of scattered waste on beach

Names of actions:
There are several nationwide and regional/local coastal clean up initiatives. In addition, community groups have initiatives in place along coastal regions to remove beach plastics.

Brief description:
For example, Sustainable Coastlines, a registered NZ charity, collects scattered beach waste through their ‘Love Your Coast’ programme. This targets marine litter through beach clean ups and education and have an associated Litter Intelligence database.

The Department of Conservation provides guidance on running local beach clean ups (Beach clean-ups: Restoration advice (doc.govt.nz)).

Local initiatives are also widespread, for example:

  • Palmy’s Plastic Pollution Challenge which is aimed at reducing waste in streams and rivers.
  • Keep New Zealand Beautiful Clean Up Week.
  • Many mana whenua also have Iwi Environmental Management Plans in place in collaboration with local councils. Some of these plans include strategies to reduce pollution – including plastics.

Comments:
Recent data on beach litter is available (see below) but we do not have enough historical data to make a conclusion about a particular trend.

Numerical data:
our-marine-environment-2019.pdf
Litter Intelligence – Data

Removal of plastic litter from the ocean
Names of actions:
New Zealand supports the Global Ghost Gear Initiative.

Comments:
Do not have data to make a conclusion about a particular trend. However, the litter intelligence platform (below) will build towards better identifying trends.

Numerical data:
our-marine-environment-2019.pdf
Litter Intelligence – Data

Measures

Achievements

Promotion of innovative solutions

Policy actions for encouraging plastic alternatives (e.g. biodegradable plastics, circular product design – including use of recycled materials or closed loop recycling and so on’)

Names of actions:
National Plastics Action Plan

Brief description:
Includes a focus on recycling and reuse which encompasses actions such as phasing out single-use and hard-to-recycle plastics, regulated product stewardship of plastic packaging, improving kerbside recycling standardization, and commits to undertaking research on compostable packaging and its impacts on soil quality. These are not all aimed at encouraging plastics alternatives but they are aimed at circular product design, including use of recycled materials or closed loop recycling.

We are also committed to undertaking research to ascertain the impacts of compostable packaging on soils and release a Ministry position statement on the use of compostable packaging.

We see a positive improvement from last two years

Numerical data:
An estimated 2 billion plastic shopping bags have been removed from circulation through our ban on plastic shopping bags in 2019. At least another 2 billion single-use plastic items (straws, cotton buds, cutlery etc) will be removed from circulation through the additional plastic phase-outs that commence in late 2022.

Measures

Achievements

Education and awareness raising

Education system for encouraging public awareness on MPL issues
  • The national waste strategy may provide new opportunities for waste disposal levy funds to be used for behaviour change. This is ongoing work for the Ministry to identify where public awareness and behaviour change tools can support policy objectives.
  • The Government has also committed to identifying opportunities to improve teacher resources on plastics, and will coordinate this with future behaviour change campaigns.
  • KNZB also operate in the citizen science space: https://www.knzb.org.nz/resources/research/local-litter-toolkit/
We do not see any particular trend
Awareness raising campaigns related to MPL
National level:

International / Regional level:
Names of actions:
WMF funding to the Territorial Authorities Organisation Forum to promote the Plastic Free July campaign.

National level:
We do not see any particular trend

Local level:
We do not see any particular trend

International / Regional level:
We do not see any particular trend

Measures

Achievements

Monitoring & Scientific research on marine plastic litter

Engagement in international/regional level actions for encouraging monitoring / scientific research on plastic flows and ocean surface microplastics

Names of actions:
Participating in global discussions on tackling plastic pollution. Implemented new requirements under the Basel convention. Ongoing engagement with Australia’s federal government on waste-related issues, including exploring infrastructure support for Pacific Island countries to manage their waste.

New Zealand has work underway to collaborate with Australia on data collection on waste and material flows.

Brief description:
New Zealand supports discussions towards a global agreement to tackle plastic pollution. We are working with Australia on future international engagements to seek alignment on policy positions and pursue better regional outcomes in the long term.

Collaboration with Australia on data will be in the following areas:

  • Data collection audits
  • Investigating commercial confidentiality needs of waste operators
  • Identifying connections between data and policy workstreams
  • Improving the accessibility of waste data
  • Improving waste material flows
We do not see any particular trend

Challenges

  • Recycling system improvement
  • Proper waste management system (including lack of local capacity)
  • Data collection related to waste in general
  • Data collection related to marine plastic litter
  • Lack of awareness among citizens, business, local governments
  • Lack of financial incentives for waste treatment in general
  • Lack of financial incentives for technology development
  • Project delays due to COVID-19

Best practices

National level

Strategy:
We are taking a lead role in developing a new waste strategy for Aotearoa New Zealand. The strategy will set the direction and guide investment as we address waste and resource recovery challenges, including marine plastic litter, over the coming decades. We are working on the strategy with:

  • Māori
  • the waste sector
  • Industry
  • waste producers
  • local government
  • other interested parties.

The strategy will be supported by work to strengthen and update waste-related legislation, including the Waste Minimisation Act 2008 and Litter Act 1979.

Action:
Ghost Fishing NZ are a national NGO collective who run coastal clean ups and education days on the effects of marine plastics.

Local level

Strategy:
The Local Government Waste Manifesto states that reducing waste and making full use of the value of materials will lead to the following positive outcomes for New Zealand:

  • Reduced greenhouse gas emissions
  • More efficient industries and services
  • Improved soil quality and the need to use less fertilisers
  • A reduced reliance on importing materials
  • An increase in economic activity and jobs
  • Reduced environmental and marine impacts

The updated Local Government Waste Manifesto can be viewed here.

Action:
Certain territorial authorities install stormwater traps to reduce macro plastics entering waterways and further breaking down in the marine environment. In addition, community groups have initiatives in place along coastal regions to remove beach plastics. Many mana whenua also have Iwi Environmental Management Plans in place in collaboration with local councils. Some of these plans include strategies to reduce pollution – including plastics.

Private sector

Action:
The Waste Minimisation Fund has funded an initiative by Plastics New Zealand to run a programme of work aimed at helping Aotearoa New Zealand change its relationship with plastic. The three-year programme focuses on: circular plastics training, establishing a design advisory to connect businesses with the right advice for sustainable product and packaging design, and setting up working groups on specific plastic streams.

International cooperation

Action:
Although New Zealand is focused on its domestic work on plastics currently, we are supporting discussions towards a global agreement to tackle marine plastic pollution under UN auspices.

Contact details

Daisy Croft
Daisy.Croft@mfe.govt.nz

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