Dairy giant Fonterra says its zero waste goal is unlikely to be achieved unless the Government allows special equipment to be brought into the country to deal with waste.
The company says at present it sends less than 10% of its waste to landfills, achieving a target it set for itself in 2003.
Eco-efficiency manager Spring Humphries says improvements it has made this year were possible because the company found new markets for recycled plastic and focused on systems to recycle or re-use organic and food waste.
He says the company will be looking at ways it can further reduce the amount of waste it produces, but it will not get to zero without the help of technology that turns waste into energy.
Mr Humphries says such technology is available and being used overseas, but would have to pass New Zealand emissions regulations to be allowed to work here.
