Recommendations for standardisation of kerbside collections in Aotearoa Prepared for Ministry for the Environment May 2020 RECOMMENDATIONS FOR STANDARDISATION OF KERBSIDE COLLECTIONS IN AOTEAROA DOCUMENT QUALITY CONTROL Version Date Written by Distributed to Sarah Pritchett (WasteMINZ) and Draft 0.1 29 May 2020 Sunshine Yates (Sunshine Stephen Goodman Yates Consulting) on behalf of WasteMINZ Sarah Pritchett and Draft 0.2 10 June 2020 Stephen Goodman Sunshine Yates Sarah Pritchett and Final 1.0 26 June 2020 Stephen Goodman Sunshine Yates CONTACT DETAILS Ministry for the Environment WasteMINZ Stephen Goodman Sarah Pritchett Policy Manager Sustainability Advisor 23 Kate Sheppard Place PO Box 305426 Thorndon Triton Plaza Wellington 6143 Auckland 0757 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT The Project Managers acknowledges the time, expertise and guidance provided by the members of the Steering Group and Oversight Group in preparing this report. Steering Group Oversight Group Duncan Wilson (Chair) - Eunomia Research and Consulting Stephen Goodman (Chair) - MfE Mike Jones - Earthcare Environmental Shaun Lewis - MfE Rick Thorpe - Xtreme Zero Waste/Zero Waste Network Parul Sood - Auckland Council Rob Wilson - Eco Central Jason Krupp - Local Government New Zealand Angela Atkins - Hastings District Council Pamela Ritchie - MfE Janine Brinsdon - WasteMINZ Rodrick Boys - MfE Stephen Goodman - MfE The Project Managers also thank each and every local authority representative and waste and resource recovery industry representative that generously gave of their time and expertise as part of the engagement process for this project. RECOMMENDATIONS FOR STANDARDISATION OF KERBSIDE COLLECTIONS IN AOTEAROA TABLE OF CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ..................................................................................................................................... 6 1. INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................................................................... 8 2. CONTEXT ................................................................................................................................................. 9 2.1. THE WASTE MINIMISATION ACT 2008 .......................................................................................................... 9 2.2. HE TIROHANGA MAORI I TE PARA ME HANGARUA ............................................................................................. 9 2.3. CIRCULAR ECONOMY AND ZERO WASTE ......................................................................................................... 10 2.4. WASTE HIERARCHY ................................................................................................................................... 10 2.5. WASTE LEVY AND A CONTAINER RETURN SCHEME .......................................................................................... 11 2.6. EXPORT RESTRICTIONS ............................................................................................................................... 11 2.7. PRIVATISATION OF WASTE SECTOR ............................................................................................................... 12 2.8. OUR RECORD ON WASTE MINIMISATION ....................................................................................................... 12 2.9. CURRENT KERBSIDE COLLECTIONS ................................................................................................................ 13 2.10. GEOGRAPHIC CONSTRAINTS ........................................................................................................................ 14 2.11. COVID-19 .............................................................................................................................................. 15 3. LITERATURE REVIEW ............................................................................................................................. 16 3.1. LITERATURE REVIEW ON CONSISTENCY OF MATERIALS ACCEPTED IN KERBSIDE RECYCLING ........................................ 16 3.2. KERBSIDE ORGANIC COLLECTION SYSTEMS ..................................................................................................... 17 3.3. KERBSIDE RECYCLING COLLECTION SYSTEMS ................................................................................................... 18 3.4. KERBSIDE RESIDUAL RUBBISH COLLECTION SYSTEMS ......................................................................................... 19 4. ENGAGEMENT PROCESS ........................................................................................................................ 20 5. WHAT PEOPLE THINK ............................................................................................................................ 21 5.1. STANDARDISATION OF COLOURS USED FOR BINS, LIDS AND SIGNAGE ................................................................... 21 5.2. STANDARDISING MATERIALS COLLECTED IN KERBSIDE RECYCLING ........................................................................ 21 5.2.1. PLASTIC - KIRIHOU ............................................................................................................................... 22 5.2.2. METAL - KONGANUKU .......................................................................................................................... 22 5.2.3. GLASS - KARAEHE ................................................................................................................................ 22 5.2.4. FIBRE - PEPA ME KARI MARO ................................................................................................................. 23 5.3. PRESENTATION OF MATERIALS AT KERBSIDE RECYCLING .................................................................................... 23 5.4. STANDARDISING KERBSIDE COLLECTION SYSTEMS ............................................................................................ 24 5.4.1. ORGANICS COLLECTIONS ....................................................................................................................... 24 5.4.2. RECYCLING COLLECTIONS ...................................................................................................................... 25 5.4.2.1. SOURCE SEPARATED/ KERBSIDE SORT ...................................................................................................... 26 5.4.2.2. COMINGLED SYSTEMS (WITH GLASS IN) ................................................................................................... 27 5.4.3. RESIDUAL RUBBISH COLLECTIONS ............................................................................................................ 27 5.5. FINDINGS FROM INDUSTRY CONVERSATIONS .................................................................................................. 28 5.6. FURTHER DISCUSSION ON GLASS .................................................................................................................. 29 6. DISCUSSION ........................................................................................................................................... 31 7. RECOMMENDATIONS ............................................................................................................................ 33 7.1. STANDARDISATION OF MATERIALS COLLECTED FOR RECYCLING ........................................................................... 33 7.2. BEST PRACTICE COLLECTION SYSTEMS ........................................................................................................... 34 7.2.1. ORGANICS COLLECTIONS ....................................................................................................................... 35 7.2.2. RECYCLING COLLECTIONS ...................................................................................................................... 36 7.2.3. RESIDUAL RUBBISH COLLECTIONS ............................................................................................................ 37 7.3. FURTHER RECOMMENDATIONS.................................................................................................................... 38 RECOMMENDATIONS FOR STANDARDISATION OF KERBSIDE COLLECTIONS IN AOTEAROA 8. HIGH LEVEL COSTS ................................................................................................................................. 40 BIBLIOGRAPHY ............................................................................................................................................... 41 APPENDIX A – GLASS PACKAGING FORUM MAP ............................................................................................ 44 APPENDIX B – LITERATURE REVIEW - RECYCLING SYSTEMS ........................................................................... 45 APPENDIX C – CONSULTATION WITH INDUSTRY ............................................................................................ 51 APPENDIX D – LOCAL AUTHORITY ATTENDENCE AT HUI ................................................................................ 52 APPENDIX E – SUMMARY OF SURVEY RESPONSES ......................................................................................... 53 APPENDIX F – MATERIALS TO BE ACCEPTED IN KERBSIDE AS PRESENTED AT HUI .......................................... 59 APPENDIX G – WRAP CYMRU ......................................................................................................................... 62 RECOMMENDATIONS FOR STANDARDISATION OF KERBSIDE COLLECTIONS IN