Should all councils offer kerbside recycling to households?

Proposal 1

Collect only a standard set of materials in kerbside recycling and food scrap collections

Why?

To ensure the same items can be recycled right around the country.

This will reduce confusion and allow consistent national messages about recycling. The aim is to increase the amount recycled and decrease the number of incorrect items placed in recycling.

It will also allow businesses to design packaging that can be recycled right around the country and provide quality resources and scale to the local recycling sector.

Proposal 2

All councils provide a kerbside food scraps collection to urban households*

Why?

The more households that have access to food scraps collections, the easier it is to divert food scraps from landfill, reducing emissions and recycling nutrients back to the soil.

Proposal 3

Require reporting for both council and private kerbside collections

Why?

Reporting how much is collected allows us to track our progress towards increased recycling, lower emissions and a circular economy.

Proposal 4

Set councils a minimum baseline performance and a high achieving target for kerbside diversion

Why?

To encourage more effective kerbside collections and ensure we are all playing our part to reduce emissions and wasted resources.

Proposal 5

Consider collecting glass or cardboard and paper separately

Why?

Broken glass lowers the value, and can prevent the recycling of other materials, particularly paper and cardboard.

Proposal 6

All councils provide a kerbside recycling collection to urban households*

Why?

To make it easier for all New Zealanders to help reduce emissions and wasted resources.

*households in towns with more than 1,000 residents.

A transformed recycling system in New Zealand will increase the quality and quantity of materials collected for recycling, reduce emissions, and recycle more resources through our economy and nutrients back into our soil.