Waste
Government moves to regulate harmful waste
Producers of plastic packaging, e-waste, paint, tyres, farm plastics, refrigerants and agrichemicals will soon be required to to take environmental responsibility for their products at the end of… Audio
3MM: Sara Walton on 'the next normal'
Three Minutes Max, succinct opinions from Kiwis on topics of their choice. Associate Professor Sara Walton from Otago University's Business School shares her thoughts on the 'next normal' and building… Audio
Leggings, androgyny, and sustainability - the decade in fashion
The 2010s have been declared the decade of leggings. That was coined by US fashion writer Maya Singer in which she says about half of New York women seem to be wearing them out and about not just in… Audio, Gallery
From Farm Junk to Feel-Good Art
A gypsy caravan-maker is among people in Manawatu who are beavering away in their garages and farm sheds turning rusting iron tools, fencing wire and other bits and pieces into works of art for the… Audio, Gallery
National landfill levy. How much should we be paying?
A new national landfill levy scheme could increase six fold in just a few years, with some experts saying it should be even higher. The government is proposing to increase the current levy from 10… Audio
Designing waste-free buildings
The construction sector producers about 1.6 million tonnes of waste every year - about half of New Zealand's total output. So, there's plenty of room for improvement. That's where Ged Finch comes in.
…Safe food or a saved environment? A panel explores the packaging dilemma
Kim Hill discusses the complexities of packaging and waste with four experts - Sharon Humphreys, Mike Sammons, Prof. Juliet Gerrard, and Assoc. Prof. Xiaomeng Wu. Audio
How to store fruit and vegetables for minimum waste
Food wastage in New Zealand is difficult to quantify or break down into fresh produce wastage, but a study by love food hate waste suggests only 5% of households have no avoidable food waste. Dr Jenny… Audio
Government considers plastic refund schemes
A new proposal could see a levy slapped on some environmentally harmful products with the money returned to the consumer if the products are recycled. The government is seeking feedback on a plan to… Audio
Dr Florian Graichen - Tackling plastic waste
Dr Florian Graichen is Science Leader, Biopolymers and Chemicals, at Scion in Rotorua. Scion is a Crown research institute that specialises in research and technology development for the forestry and… Audio
Pacific warned about mounting waste and pollution
Changes in policy-making and infrastructure provisions by Pacific governments are said to be critical in tackling the impacts of e-waste in the region. Audio
Great Barrier Islanders take fight over waste to High Court
Groups opposed to dumping hundreds of thousands of tonnes of dredged waste off Great Barrier Island have taken their fight to the High Court in Wellington. Reporter Hamish Cardwell has the details. Video, Audio
Landfills by rivers a bigger problem than ones near sea - Mayor
Severe weather events and rising sea levels are forcing councils get serious about the way they manage old rubbish dumps near waterways. The clean up is still underway along the Fox River after severe… Audio
Taupo pipe burst could take months to be permanently fixed
Taupō residents will have to restrict their water use for up to five days as the town copes with yesterday's sewage spill. The Taupō District Council's chief executive, Gareth Green, told our reporter… Audio
Millions to go to plastic waste projects
On a related topic the Government will spend $40 million on crowd-sourcing ideas to reduce the amount of plastic waste. The money will be used in invest in projects that tackle the problem of waste. Audio
Meal deliveries and waste
Many people use meal delivery services like Uber Eats and My Food Bag. But how much waste do they create through packaging? In China the massive growth in the use of delivery apps is creating huge… Audio
Watershed moment for plastics
International complications around recycling mean certaintypes of plastic are likely to soon be unviable - and could put landfill under pressure. Audio
From fast-fashion to a circular economy
In the UK alone there is an estimated 30 billion pounds’ worth of unused clothes sitting in wardrobes. Audio
Wastescape: a vision of our plastic future?
'Wastescape' is a giant immersive art installation using thousands of used plastic milk bottles to spark conversations about New Zealand's relationship with food and waste. Its creator British artist… Audio
Reducing plastic waste at festivals
Glastonbury festival has banned plastic bottles in a bid to stem the huge amount of waste that is left at the gig. It's become almost as famous for its trash than its music, and organisers say it's… Audio