New Zealanders consuming less and recycling

more packaging

The Packaging Council today released the latest data about packaging production, consumption and recovery showing that New Zealanders are now recycling 60% of packaging and that by working together New Zealand has hit the targets set under the Packaging Accord one year early.

Between 2005 and 2007, the total quantity of packaging which was recycled increased by 14.5%, whereas consumption of packaging only increased by 1.3%.  On a per capita basis, packaging consumption actually decreased from 163kg to 160kg whilst the quantity recycled by every New Zealander increased from 85kg to 96kg.

Paul Curtis Executive Director of the Packaging Council said that the trends are positive:

“Overall we are recycling 60% of the packaging consumed and we have now met or surpassed the individual recycling targets for paperboard, glass, aluminium, plastic and steel. Four years into the Packaging Accord, the numbers show that recycling is becoming a way of life whether at home or at work. This is a great result reflecting what can be achieved if manufacturers and retailers, local and central government, recycling operators and the community have a common goal. ”  

“Over the last three reporting years, total consumption of packaging has remained almost flat, while recycling has increased significantly.  We have also seen a maturing in the recycling industry in New Zealand, which has meant that we have been able to trade on the commodity markets to greater effect.  This in turn is driving further investment in recycling in New Zealand which will lead to even more recycling”.

This “mass balance data” is compiled annually to track recovery levels and trends of packaging waste to landfill. The collation of the data is a key part of the Packaging Council’s commitment to the Packaging Accord (2004) which sets out targets for packaging recovery by 2009. The table below charts progress by packaging type and against the Accord targets.

Of particular interest:-

• Aluminium packaging recovery has risen to 88% as a percentage of consumption driven by a continued increase in recovered beverage and aerosol cans, coupled with a significant decline in the slim-line can market for ready mixed alcoholic drinks and energy soft drinks, which had emerged in the previous year’s data.
  
• Glass packaging recovery soars from 50% in Year One of the Accord to a record 62% at the end of Year Four which reflects the great progress which has been made in reducing old stockpiles of glass and developing new markets for recovered glass.
  
• Paperboard packaging recycling continues to be one of the world’s leading performances, increasing yet further to 78%, which is close to the theoretical maximum.  The paper packaging sector has this year restated its 2006 mass balance data as a result of refining its method for calculating packaging production and consumption.
  
• Plastics packaging recycling has increased to 23% and with the price for recovered plastics up by 62% in the past year, viable markets for a wider range of plastics including contaminated plastics are now opening up.
  
• Steel packaging recycling rate decreased to 47% albeit still ahead of its five year target, although consumption is also down by 5%, partly as a result of the down gauging of steel plate.

Mr Curtis said that this great result could only be achieved by all the parties to the Packaging Accord working together to offer a greater range of packaging recycling services, invest in public education, make better packaging design choices, develop sustainable markets for recovered packaging materials and reduce in-house waste.