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KEY FACTS
Preserve and Protect. The primary purpose of packaging is to preserve and protect products. One international study found that the loss of foodstuffs between grower and consumer is about two percent in the developed world and up to 33% in the developing world. The difference is largely due to packaging.
 
Packaging makes up less than 10% by weight of the New Zealand municipal waste stream.
      
Landfill reduction through light-weighting and design. Recycling and lighter weight packaging have reduced potential packaging waste volumes by more than 40% over the past decade.
There are many misconceptions about the amount of waste caused by packaging. In actual fact, light-weight materials and improved designs have led to big reductions in the weight of product packages over the past 10 years. The Packaging Council estimates that the packaging industry has reduced the unit weight of packaging by more than 40% in the past decade.
     
Approximately 50% of packaged goods are imported into New Zealand each year.
  
Recycling and Reuse. In 2006, 73% of New Zealanders had access to a kerbside recycling service to recycle paper, glass, cans and
plastics 1 and 2 and 97% of New Zealanders had access to either kerbside recycling or drop-off facilities.
(Environment New Zealand 2007, Ministry for the Environment report)
For further information about RECYCLING IN NEW ZEALAND click here
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