18 Dec 2018

Have we reached tipping point?

From Nine To Noon, 9:08 am on 18 December 2018
Bales of recycling

Bales of recycling Photo: (Photo by Bas Emmen on Unsplash)

China refused to take any more waste plastic at the start of 2018, and in April we saw startling images of mountains of recycling with nowhere to go. 

This year will also be remembered as the year New Zealand joined other western countries in banning single use plastic bags in supermarkets. Associate Minister for the Environment Eugenie Sage has also announced changes to the Waste Minimisation Act to reduce the amount of rubbish going to landfill, and a product stewardship scheme, subjecting companies to a surcharge to cover disposal at the end of purpose. 

Minister Sage talks to Kathryn Ryan about how well NZ is measuring up in reducing our waste mountain.