Overview

There many definitions of Product Stewardship, but the one of most relevance to New Zealand industry is that provided in Part 2 of the Waste Minimisation Act 2008, which states:

The purpose of this Part is to encourage (and, in certain circumstances, require) the people and organisations involved in the life of a product to share responsibility for

(a) ensuring there is effective reduction, reuse, recycling, or recovery of the product; and

(b) managing any environmental harm arising from the product when it becomes waste.

Packaging Council Position

The Packaging Council is a long standing, strong advocate of voluntary product stewardship.  It was a principle signatory to the New Zealand Packaging Accord 2004 - 2009, which was instrumental in driving a 26% increase in the total quantity of packaging recycled over the 5 year period of the Accord.  Over the same time frame, packaging consumption only increased by 14%.

The Packaging Council:

• hosts the Metal Can Forum (CANZBAC);
  
  
• has recently released a Code of Practice for Packaging Design, Education and Procurement; and
  
  
• is working with its members to implement a Packaging Product Stewardship Scheme which is capable of being accredited by the Minister for the Environment under the Waste Minimisation Act 2008.

Packaging Product Stewardship Scheme

The Packaging Product Stewardship Scheme is a voluntary industry initiative, managed by the Packaging Council of New Zealand, to reduce the environmental impact of packaging in New Zealand. 

The scheme was released in July 2010 and demonstrates industry’s continued willingness to act voluntarily, at best cost, in the interests of New Zealand.  The scheme builds on the successes of the New Zealand Packaging Accord 2004 - 2009 and takes account of the product stewardship requirements set out in the Waste Minimisation Act 2008. 

Scheme members are required to report annually on their performance against the scheme’s policies, procedures and key performance indicators, which includes adopting the Packaging Council’s Code of Practice for Packaging Design, Education and Procurement.

The specific objectives of the Packaging Product Stewardship Scheme are:

• Improved packaging design to reduce packaging waste.
  
  
• Improved systems to reduce packaging waste.
  
  
• Increased reuse of packaging.
  
  
• Increased recycled content in packaging to replace virgin material.
  
  
• Increased consumer awareness and understanding of sustainable packaging.

Membership of the Packaging Council’s Packaging Product Stewardship Scheme is available to any company which is a full financial member of the Packaging Council of New Zealand.

Documents for Download

There are a number of documents that have been written to assist in understanding the Packaging Council’s Packaging Product Stewardship Scheme.

Use the links below to get the information that you are looking for:

For further information, contact the Packaging Council at pac.nz@packaging.org.nz

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TOWARDS SUSTAINABLE PACKAGING

77 Greenmount Drive, East Tamaki, Manukau 2013
PO Box 58899, Botany, Manukau 2163
PHONE 09 271 4044, FAX 09 271 4041
EMAIL: pac.nz@packaging.org.nz